Ana Duarte, Westin St. Francis
Remember when people used to say, “Meet me at the clock?” They meant at the St. Francis Hotel….where Ana Duarte, Human Resources Coordinator, began her career over 27 years ago. On average the hotel hires about 70 associates a year. Multiply that by 27, plus the 800 associates employed, and you might say that Ana is like the mayor of a small town, greeting and touching the lives of thousands of people, including a young management trainee who arrived 15 years ago and who was welcomed back again as General Manager….Jon Kimball. Ana is like the angel of mercy….visiting the sick, accompanying the injured to Emergency, starting a collection for someone in need, watering plants for someone on vacation, finding a treat for someone having a bad day and…here’s the jackpot…helping get that employee rate when the system says, “Not Available.” Often people don’t realize someone’s time and effort, and not waving a magic wand, create the unexpected special moments for associates such as decorating the cafeteria for holidays, making the coffee and pastries appear at the employee entrance on special occasions.
A force behind the scenes, Ana keeps everything in place and in perspective. She is able to find an important balance in improving the way things are done while preserving the important traditions of one of San Francisco’s landmark icons. Ana Duarte continues to make an impact on another generation of hospitality professionals by representing the voice of the associates, and with the dedicated work of her hands and the warmth and generosity of her heart.
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