Anita V. K. Smith

• Managed the ordering system for all lodges throughout the summer-early fall season.

- Ensuring items are ordered in time for delivery days from various food and materials suppliers.

-Use food ordering systems such as Pratts and Sysco.

• Adapted to last minute/emergency orders by creating new plans and collaborating with colleagues to secure a successful delivery of supplies.

-In addition, able to create alternatives and/or substitutes when material supply was low to ensure orders were met to the best of my ability.

• Managed inventory of all materials by creating stock spreadsheets for all locations.

-Used inventory stock spreadsheets to catch low supply demands. In addition, lodge location data (ie., # of ppl, stock on camp, my inventory notes) was maintained to minimize the need for emergency deliveries/flights for foreseeable decline in materials.

• Managed budgets effectively, ensuring optimal financial performance while investing in necessary resources for business growth.

-Used most cost effective suppliers whilst ensuring the integrity of said item(s) purchased.

-Inventory stock spreadsheets allowed for oversight and management of the quantity of supplies being ordered.

-Intimate and thorough understanding of all products being requested and able to source adequately within town (when applicable) as a result.

• Used thorough, clear and concise communication to colleagues from various disciplines to ensure smooth arrival of supplies.

-Able to coordinate and execute delivery plans from Thunder Bay to Armstrong/Nakina for supplies on their required arrival dates.

-Effectively communicated information to colleagues to/from all locations to ensure consistent understanding at all levels.

• Worked on various project tasks throughout the season to use my time and skills effectively on the days when I not tending to inventory stock spreadsheets or managing orders.

-Detailed organization of the workspace(s) I was responsible for

-Tasked with: novice level aviation audit work + organizing/filing Aviation and Tourism documents for Mr A. Cheeseman.

• Composed the WN employment manuals, some of which were not established until 2020+*, and various applicable appendices.

-Employment manuals include: Lodge Manager for Full Service and Housekeeping Staff, Inside Staff-Cook*, Housekeeper/Server, Outside Staff-Dockhand, updated Guide Manual

-Appendices include: COVID-19 Policies for Inside/Outside Staff, Dock Safety, Spring Opening/Fall Closing Procedures*, Summer Packing List for Lodge Staff, Dock Safety and Procedures, Group Shore Lunch Procedures

-Able to use the information from the manuals in real time during my managing experience. Additionally, my front-line experience allowed me to cultivate systems that were sourced directly from employee feedback promoting professional development and skill enhancement for our colleagues.

• Composed the company's COVID-19 policies and corresponding manuals during 2020- present for all inside and outside workers in both lodge and aviation sectors.

• Participated in recruitment, selection process for new hires as well as terminations when applicable.

-2019, and 2022-2024, I was involved in interview processes for lodge hires.

-during my managerial experience, I was required to terminate employees due to various, sometimes extraordinary circumstances. My goal in each interaction was to always provide respect, honesty and integrity whilst remaining factual and objective with the details at hand.

• Responsible for the overseeing the day-to-day operations for both the Inside and Outside staff at Makokibatan Lodge, operating on Makokibtan Lake off the Albany River. During my 8 years managing I was responsible for a number of individuals, ranging from 32-2 guests, with 8 staff myself included + 2-8 construction/carpentry Wilderness North (WN) employees cyclically throughout the season. I managed all day-to-day operations of the lodging facility including, but not limited to:

-Evaluating and promptly, but effectively resolving lodging facility operational issues both for inside and outside staff.

-Ensured compliance with safety regulations and industry standards, maintaining a secure environment for guests and staff.

-Oversaw property maintenance activities to ensure timely repairs, preventative upkeep measures, and visually appealing surroundings for guests.

-Scheduling staff and ensuring work is completed with integrity.

-Providing hospitality services (ie., happy half hour, shore lunch on open fire, cooking when needed, dockhand when needed, housekeeping/serving/kitchen help when needed).

• Strong verbal and written communicator as one will be interacting with various types of individuals with a vast range of communication styles.

- Adapting to the environment to deliver information authentically, but within the scope of the group at hand.

-Handling various types of politically affiliated opinions/questions in conversation, whilst respecting all parties involved.

-Fostering consistent, open and clear, communication between the lodge and main base locations. Allowing for guest experience to be as seamless as possible at every step of their trip.

-Consistent and structured communication systems were established to ensure smoother ordering and delivery of supplies.

• Managing budgets, inventory control, and purchasing to optimize financial performance while maintaining quality standards.

-Implementing cost-saving initiatives for both the inside and outside departments without compromising service quality or guest experience.

-Overseeing budgets for inside and outside staff. Able to plan for remote ordering and arrival of supplies for various circumstances (ie., not arriving on time, back ordered, surplus of unordered items, items wet/damaged/animal damage/sent to wrong location).

• Adapting to and expecting the unexpected; your ability to be resourceful and have a developed mental agility.

-Problem solving a situation(s) in circumstances where often the resource in need might be limited, but able to execute the task within your capabilities (ie., water lines are destroyed in a storm, power is cut off due to generator issues, other unforeseen events).

• Establishing a working environment modelled around genuine and exceptional customer service by demonstrating and actively living those qualities so that everyone reaches success together.

-Helping to hire and train new employees, demonstrating best methods for guests pertaining to both inside and outside realms of knowledge.

-Improving guest satisfaction by implementing personalized services(ie., dietary, lodging, boating equipment, etc) and addressing customer feedback/complaints within my abilities, effectively.

-Implementing successful strategies and systems to increase staff consistency in task execution, which reflects in the high customer satisfaction and return guest rate.

• Cultivating a positive workplace atmosphere that boosts employee morale and results in higher retention rates among staff.

-Striving to find a balance for staff between quality work and adequate rest time.

-Enhancing staff performance through ongoing training, clear communication, and constructive evaluations.

-Providing clear and structured expectations, but encouraging staff to learn from one's mistakes and push themselves beyond their set expectations of their capabilities.

-Providing genuine appreciation and praise to staff for their efforts independent to task completion.

• Able to build strong relationships with local community members, those of which reside in Eabametoong and Marten Falls.

-Makokibatan Lake is a Baxter family lake and I have had the privilege of working, learning and creating friendships with a few special Baxters during my 8 years at Makok.

- Learning from the Baxters has provided me with first-hand understanding of what barriers to health first nations people living on reserves face, specifically Eabametoong and Marten Falls First Nation.

• Adapting to staffing fluctuations throughout the season to ensure guest experience is not compromised.

-Ability to aid the team by stepping into whichever role is needed (ie., cook, dockhand, housekeeper, light maintenance) to provide support during staffing transitions.

• Responsible for managing and developing all full service (x3 locations) and housekeeping(x2 locations) lodge trips.

-Booked and managed celebratory/non-celebratory trips, many with larger groups with 15+ people

• Successfully managed multiple high-priority groups simultaneously while maintaining strict deadlines and successful completion of requests.

- Managed 50+ groups and the coordination of their trips.

-Maintained and developed strong relationships with new and longtime guests, including many high-priority individuals.

-Was able to develop trip planning intake systems to help organize and keep information clear and concise.

-Collaborated with various teams to align goals and ensure trip success.

• Coordinated travel, accommodations, and trip add ons (ie., info intake, dietary/medical, food/bait, etc, ) providing best available room rates and other cost effective, but quality solutions,

-Coordinated transportation and parking arrangements for guests and vendors.

-Drove guests using company vehicle to and from airport when applicable.

• Answered incoming phone calls appropriately

-Need to be able to address calls accordingly. This can range from, but not limited to: answering information about fishing and directing to one of our facilities, taking payments, calming frustrated guests when applicable and redirecting calls to office colleagues.

• Responsible for managing all the materials and supplies going in and out of all lodge locations

-Full G-license necessary as you are required to use the company vehicle to hand-pick all items.

-Price match items and use most cost effective but quality supplier.

-Use food ordering systems such as Sysco.

• Provided the opportunity to use my skills in Makokibatan Lodge.

-Asked to help my senior manager with task at this location. This concluding result was that this was the first year I started managing Makokibatan Lodge.

• Collaborated with head management to develop a colour coordinating system to tag all lodge locations. This system is still being used present day.
• Optimized storage space utilization by organizing materials and creating sections for clarity when handling.
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• Using the company vehicle, provide guests/staff transportation to/from the Thunder Bay airport to Armstrong.

• Responsible for upholding high standard of cleanliness and sanitation for all areas and the lodging facility.

-Collaborated with other housekeeping staff to complete tasks efficiently and effectively.

-Maintained a spotless environment for guests through diligent daily housekeeping tasks.

• Ensured all rooms met hotel cleanliness standards by conducting regular inspections and addressing any issues promptly.

• Responsible for serving individually up to 18 guests at a time. The inside team consisted of: inside manager, cook, and 2 servers myself included.

-Back of house responsibilities were rotated weekly.

• Demonstrated flexibility in adjusting work schedule according to fluctuating occupancy rates.

-adapted to the various changes due to flight schedules and weather.