Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Hotel bellman honored with national Cintas award
Miami hotel bellman Amaury Gonzalez Reyes has been named one of Cintas Corp.’s 10 “Everyday Impact” honorees.
Reyes, who works at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami in the downtown area, was among 100 candidates nationwide for the award, which celebrates people who make a real impact in their work environments. This is the first year for the award, and nominations were submitted by Cintas’ customers and partners. Cintas Corp. provides uniforms, office and restroom supplies to its business clients.
The award earned him a photo shoot at work, a video interview and an overnight trip for a photo shoot in Chicago at Cintas’ offices there. The honorees also are in the new “2017 Uniform Book,” which features Cintas’ collection of uniform designs for the workplace.
Reyes, 47, is the go-to person for guests at the hotel, when they need help finding out where to go and what to do in downtown Miami.
The Miami resident gladly greets them with a big smile and cheery attitude in English, Spanish or one of four other languages he has learned through the years. Sometimes, he exchanges stories with them, how he left his native Cuba and came to the United States in 2001 and began working for Marriott — first at the Dadeland location in Kendall as a houseman in the banquets department, then in downtown Miami as a bellman.
Communicating in people’s native tongue is a “connection with the guests,” Reyes said. He learned some of the languages, including English, German and Italian) as a teenager in Cuba and honed his linguistic skills by interacting with the guests in Miami.
“It makes people feel good to find somebody that can help them do that,” he added. “I like to work with people, so this is the right place for me to be.”
Reyes, who also self-publishes books of poetry and fiction in his native Spanish, said that he has gotten to know the regular guests at the hotel.
“When they come here, they ask me personal questions and it doesn’t feel like you are working, it feels like you are part of the family,’’ he added. “It makes you feel very welcomed.”