Blog » Lisa Williamson

Lisa Williamson

20th February 2013

Role: Chair

Company: Flavour Of Tyrone Good Food Circle

Track Record: Flavour of Tyrone Good Food Week runs until Friday February 22. The food week will not only launch the Tyrone Food Trail, but also celebrates the high quality food produce of the region. Lisa also helps manage her family’s business – The Valley Hotel

What does your job entail?

My role in the Flavour of Tyrone Good Food Circle started about 10 years ago and I have been chair for around five years.

The group consists of hoteliers and restaurateurs from the Tyrone region. Its aim is to develop events and activities, which will attract people into the Tyrone region.

I have been involved in many projects including journalist familiarisation trips, food event trips, marketing trips and themed menu evenings. I hope that by being enthusiastic, other  committee members are encouraged to work together to achieve our aims.

My primary job is customer services and event manager of our family-run hotel — The Valley Hotel in Fivemiletown. I work alongside my two brothers and sister and we make up the management team. We all have a strategic and operational responsibility for the business.

We have our specific areas of interest; Paul is head chef, Greg is general manager and Diane is front of house.

My role includes dealing with and responding to customers. This includes everything from looking after residents and restaurant guests, to customers who attend our dance evenings, to couples who have booked their weddings at the hotel.

I also create events for the hotel and I recently worked with a local vintage shop, Unique Boutique, to create a Vintage Christmas Fair which was a huge success. Throughout 2013 I plan to run regular theme nights in the hotel.

Is it 9-5?

It is rare that any role within the hospitality industry is 9-5. I work shifts like everyone else in the hotel. I also work weekends where I would be meeting and greeting guests and ensuring their visit exceeds expectations.

The Flavour of Tyrone Good Food Circle meets once a month. However, when we are about to launch a new initiative or project, like the Food Week, we will meet on a regular basis to discuss the marketing and PR with the Flavour of Tyrone team — Mary McGee and Allison O’Keefe — or with our PR agency Harriott Communications.

How did you get into this line of work?

You could say it is in the blood. My parents, John and Sally Williamson, bought the hotel in 1970 after running a hotel in Pomeroy. They later built a house on to the hotel and this is where I grew up.

My mother and father never put any pressure on any of us to go into the family business we all wanted to get involved. So late nights and jumping into help has been a norm!

Outline your career to date?

For 10 years I worked for the Cedar Foundation, a fantastic charity that provides support and choice to children and adults with a physical disability in all aspects of life, work, leisure and home.

When I left Cedar Foundation I decided to work and travel. My travels took me to Australia where I worked as a restaurant supervisor for a restaurant located in the Orient Hotel in The Rocks, Sydney.

After Sydney I returned to The Valley Hotel and took over from my father as a representative for the hotel on the Flavour of Tyrone Committee. It was from this role I joined the Flavour of Tyrone Good Food Circle.

I was also part of the Return of the Earls Committee which was part of the Return of the Earls Festival in 2012, and I am secretary of the Lakeland Hotels Association. Finally, I am a trainer in Ambassadorship for the hotel industry in the Tyrone area.

Tell us about your qualifications/training

I have a BSc in Sociology from the University of Ulster, a certificate in counselling from Queen’s University and a certificate in Management from the Management Institute.

I also trained in the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s Welcome to Excellence-Customer Care programme.

For me, studying management was the most important part of my studies as it dealt with dealing with customers, staff issues and the ‘nitty gritty’ of accounts and business management.

As part of my role with the Flavour of Tyrone Good Food Circle I am an Ambassador Trainer. This is a great opportunity for me as I can share my knowledge and skills from the hospitality industry with others.

I always do my best to keep up with tourism trends — this helps with my chair role and my job at the hotel.

Online has had a huge impact on the tourism industry. This encouraged me to complete a course in online marketing.

What qualities are required for your job — personal and professional?

From the hotel perspective, the job consistently demands a professional approach regardless of the service you are providing to the customer. You need to be very adaptable, understanding and accommodating.

Every customer is different and may expect very different outcomes from their visit at the hotel — this has to be taken into consideration at all times.

What are the biggest challenges and rewards of your work?

At the hotel we are very busy and we all can become too focused on our own department. One of the greatest challenges is making sure that we all come together as one unit. We often strive for this and the benefits of this can been seen through customer feedback.

Everyone on the Flavour of Tyrone Good Food Circle is a busy professional. Ensuring the committee functions correctly alongside the team at Flavour of Tyrone does take time and commitment. I have to ensure that I set aside the right time and commitment for this role as it can affect the rest of the committee.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I travel to London a few times a year to visit friends. I am a real movie buff so I tend watch lots of them — Breakfast at Tiffany’s and films like that are great!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

I appeared on Japanese TV when I was in Japan as part of the British Conservationists. I worked as part of a team building walls in paddy fields and living in a self-sufficient farm.

Who has inspired you most in your life?

Jacqueline Lee ‘Jackie’ Bouvier Kennedy Onassis — a lady with great style, taste and resilience.

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