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Stephen Carter couldn't believe it when former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan congratulated him on winning the Manager of the Year Catey last year. Although the phone hadn't stopped ringing with messages from well-wishers, he hadn't expected a pat on the back from this dignitary, even though he was staying at Carter's hotel at the time.
Industry recognition was no surprise after Carter made a stunning success of opening the St Andrews Bay Golf Resort & Spa at a time when tourism in the UK had been dealt a real blow by 9/11 and the foot-and-mouth epidemic.
Carter turned to the Fife community for help, and now boasts that locals make up 80% of staff, many of whom entered the industry with no hospitality background. Indeed, many were recruited from the local fishing and mining communities. One nominator said: "Stephen adopts the attitude that if the core attributes are evident in the individual, other skills can be taught through commitment to training." Another added: "The hotel has the most amazing team spirit - everyone you come into contact with is professional, friendly, enthusiastic and proud of where they work."
Carter's accolade is the product of years of experience with Thistle Hotels, Holiday Inn, Stakis and Queens Moat House hotels. His dedication to making St Andrews Bay work was also down to his passion for Scotland. Although a Yorkshireman by birth, Carter is as passionate about Scotland as any Scot. Carter comments: "I've always tried to put something back into the industry."
Today the £50m new-build hotel is a valid rival to its neighbour in St Andrews, the Old Course hotel, as well as other well-known Scottish resort hotels, among them Turnberry and Gleneagles.
Carter is renowned for his highly infectious enthusiasm which creates a keen, professional and friendly team. As well as being a people-person, Carter has a good business head, which has seen the hotel business grow significantly year on year. In December 2004, he recorded a respectable occupancy of 59% - not bad for a golf resort, and probably why the hotel landed Scottish Hotel of the Year 2005.
Perhaps you know someone who can match Carter's phenomenal achievements and has similar energy, commitment and passion in spades. If so, why not enter them for the 2006 Manager of the Year Catey?
Judges' criteria
The winning candidate in the Manager of the Year category will have:
- Demonstrated proven success in managing and developing a team in the workplace.
- Established a good financial track record.
- Proved their worth over and above their job description, particularly in the past year.