Tina Hewett General Manager Nonantum Resort

As seen in the Kennebunk Post

This Weeks (3/2/07) Interview - Tina Hewett

Making a business successful takes hard work and dedication, especially when the business is only open 30 weeks a year and relies on tourism to pay the bills. Tina Hewett, General Manager of the Nonantum Resort, has been able to accomplish this while keeping strong family values as the core of how the hotel is run. That’s why she recently received the 2007 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Tourism; the highest recognition in the state of Maine’s tourism industry

By Chris Flood Editor Kennebunk Post There are two ways to get to the top. The first, takes years of hard work, learning the ins and outs of a business, moving up the ladder as you hone your skills. The second, is being in the right place at the right time and have someone notice your potential. In either situation it’s not the journey to the top that makes people respect you as their boss, it’s what you do while you’re up there. Which is exactly why Tina Hewett, the General Manager of the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport, was this year’s recipient of the Governor’s Award for Tourism Excellence, an award given to an individual, business or organization that has made a significant contribution to the tourism industry in Maine. The award was received on Feb. 16 and is the top honor at the Annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism. (This is the same award ceremony that Christmas Prelude was recognized as the best in the Attractions category). “When Dick Leeman [President and CEO of the Kennebunk/Kennebunkport Chamber of Commerce] called to tell me, I was like, ‘wasn’t there anyone else to choose from?’” says Hewett. “I don’t do to well with the spotlight on me.” Hewett may not do well with the spotlight on her, but in a business where customers – and then employees – come first; it’s how she handles the pressure of keeping everyone happy and the business running smooth that has gotten her the recognition. “I love the excitement of the hotel business. Everyday is different. It takes a certain type of person and it’s infectious,” says Hewett. “It’s a way of life. You genuinely have to care about people, wanting to make them happy and then trying to exceed their expectations.” For Hewett this doesn’t just include paying customers, it also includes the large group of employees working at the hotel during the summer months, which jumps from just five during the off season to 120 during the heart of the tourism season. “It’s a total team effort here [at the Nonantum]. This award is a reflection of work we, as a team, do here,” says Hewett, who during the busy summer months will work 60 to 70 hours a week, seven days a week and considers it a day off if she’s worked anywhere less than four hours. “We have a lot of depth on this staff and I encourage managers to take time off if they need it. If they’re burnt out, they’re not going to perform at their peak.” Hewett takes an “I don’t ask anyone to do what I wouldn’t do” approach when dealing with employees at the Nonantum. “I work side by side with my staff. It’s not a dictatorship, we all work together,” she says. “Their families are number one. If they have a sick child at home, that’s where I want them. It’s like a family here at the Nonantum and if you can’t rely on your family, who can you rely on?” Hewett took over as general manager of the Nonantum 15 years ago, as a 22-year-old who had just graduated with an associate’s degree from Cobleskill University, which is located in upstate New York. “Looking back on it, it’s absolutely ludicrous that I was able to get this job at that age. This is the type of job where someone works their whole life to get,” says Hewett. “I was just in the right place at the right time. It’s not what you expect to get when just getting out of college, but they recognized that I may not have had the experience, but I had the skills and abilities to do the job.” One of Hewett’s abilities that keep people coming back to the Nonantum (she says 60 percent of her summer clientele are repeat customers) is the ability to change with the times and to try new things to keep a fresh feeling at the hotel. “I’m pretty fortunate, the owners of the hotel give me a lot of flexibility to try stuff out,” says Hewett. “If something doesn’t work out we’ll try something new, but I’ll give it a shot because it might be successful.” The flexibility is there because Hewett’s ideas work. And while long, the list includes ballroom dancing lessons this summer, local entertainment throughout the week in past summers (which will continue) and a number of hotel improvements that bring the global and local perspective into play. Globally, Hewett has been do her part in turning the Nonantum as “Green” as she possibly can by replacing windows that are more energy efficient and by initiating a recycling program for the hotel. Locally, she had her daughter’s Talented Artist Program (TAP) help design and pick out paints and themes for a room that was remodeled last summer. “The room is beautiful. It has a sophisticated look and is one of the best rooms in the hotel,” she says. And that’s why Hewett’s staff continues to want to try so hard for her during those long, incredibly hectic (the hotel had 70 weddings last season in 30 weeks of business) tourist months, because not only does she tell her staff to take care of their families and find time for themselves, she leads by example, by taking care of her family first – her daughter’s name is Kyliegh and is a freshman at Kennebunk High School – and participating in organizations within the community that she feels are a worthy cause. This list of organizations Hewett is a member of in the local communities runs as long as the improvements she’s made at the hotel. She volunteers at the Animal Welfare Society in West Kennebunk and the Kennebunkport Historical Society. She’s on the board of the Maine Restaurant Association and the Kennebunk/Kennebunkport Chamber of Commerce. As noted above she’ll help out with anything her daughter is involved with and owns a horse, so she’s doing a lot with that. She also is a member of the Kennebunkport Business Association and had the pleasure of picking out this year’s tree and lighting for Christmas Prelude. She has also used the Nonantum as a tool to help in her fundraising efforts, which has included raising “tens of thousands of dollars” for the victims of 9/11 and $25,000 for the relief effort for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. “The owners of the hotel are so supportive of the fundraising,” she says. “They give me free reign to use the whole property.” With the award given during the slow season Hewett has had a chance to reflect on the time and work spent at the Nonantum. “When I heard I got the award, I thought of all the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into running this place,” she says. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing people and go to some amazing places.” And if you asked the customers who come to the hotel and the staff who works for her, you can bet “amazing” would be the word used to describe the work that Hewett has done over the past 15 years.

As seen in the Kennebunk Post

The Nonantum Resort

95 Ocean Avenue, P.O. Box 2626
Kennebunkport, Maine 04046-2626

Toll Free: 1-800-552-5651
Phone: 207-967-4050
Fax: 207-967-8451
stay@nonantumresort.com