Stephan Ernest
My name is Stephan Ernest and I am currently working as Deputy General Manager for the Award winning Crowne Plaza Hotel Dublin Airport as well as the Holiday Inn Express Dublin Airport. This year will be my 9th year with the Tifco Hotel Group, whom I joined in September 2008.
My hospitality education started early! I commenced my hospitality studies in Rotterdam, when I turned 15 years old and finished my Bachelor Degree in International Hospitality Management in Breda 6 years later.
I moved to Dublin straight after and started my professional career as a Junior Duty Manager in The Burlington Hotel. I spent 2 years working there, assisting the various departments, learning about daily operations, taking in the exciting hotel atmosphere and I loved every day.
When the Burlington hotel closed, I was given the opportunity to start my employment with The Crowne Plaza Hotel and Holiday Inn Express Dublin Airport as Assistant Conference & Banqueting Manager and I have not looked back since!
I remember the first few months in particular to be challenging for me. The learning curve was a steep one as it tends to be for most team members joining, but I found that the clients whom I looked after were pleased with my efforts and this gave me the confidence I needed to establish myself.
3 years after joining, I was promoted to the position of Restaurant Manager and shortly thereafter, I was asked to take up the role of Conference & Banqueting Manager given my previous experience in the department. What I found most rewarding in those days was to get the team working towards a common goal and the instant gratification of reaching that goal together.
I have since been given the opportunity to work as Operations Manager and Deputy General Manager to both hotels and I am enjoying my role. I absolutely love the company’s continuous striving to provide the best product for its customers. It creates a professional culture with pride in which all team members are given the opportunity to upskill and improve. I think that everybody looks for a work place in which challenges provide rewards & growth and I am delighted to say that I found this working here at Tifco Hotel Group.
I do sometimes wonder where I would be if I would have chosen a different path. Although it is impossible to answer this question, I truly believe that my time here has equipped me to successfully fulfil my role as Deputy General Manager and I look forward to many more years within the organization.