Spark of passion for hospitality still burning brightly after decades in industry for Business Administration grad
Jacques Lavergne was on a snowboard in Whistler, BC, when he fell in love with the hospitality and tourism industry.
“It caught me by surprise to be honest,” admitted the 2001 graduate of Red River College Polytechnic’s popular Business Administration program. “Growing up, working in a hotel just wasn’t on my radar.”
Now the General Manager of Delta Hotels by Marriott Winnipeg, Lavergne left his hometown of Winnipeg for the slopes of Whistler after finishing high school at École Précieux-Sang in St. Boniface.
“I decided to head to Whistler for a season of snowboarding, and I stayed for four years,” said Lavergne with a wink, seated in the Blaze Restaurant and Lounge off the Delta Winnipeg’s lobby.
To cover his rent and living expenses, Lavergne found a job bussing tables at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler resort and spa. “It’s a beautiful hotel in a nice setting,” he remembered. “That job was my first taste of hospitality and tourism, and I quickly became completely enamored. I fell in love with the industry.”
His passion still burns brightly after some 30 years in the business. “I love the fact that every day in my job is completely different from the last. You get to meet some phenomenal people,” he said.
The Delta Winnipeg welcomes more than 200,000 guests on an annual basis. “We host sports teams, people from the film industry and big concerts; we host international conferences,” he said.
“I know it’s a cliché expression, but again, every day is different here,” said Lavergne, who started in his current leadership role in 2022.
As head of the hotel’s five-member executive management team, Lavergne oversees approximately 220 staff. Associate engagement is a top priority at all Marriott Hotels, he said.
“Making sure our staff are happy and want to work here is paramount. Everything we do focuses on making them happy first, with the idea that everything else will follow.”
Business Administration program the best fit
Lavergne packed up his snowboard and returned to Winnipeg in 1998, working for a year as a bartender. He came home with his eye on the Business Administration program at RRC Polytech, although he considered the Hospitality and Tourism Management program as well.
“I had some great hospitality experience from my time in Whistler, but I felt like I needed some more education,” he said. “I wanted to get into something more at a hotel management level.”
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