24/06/2022
Men's Week 2022 Honouree - J. Christopher Richardson
J. Christopher Richardson comes from a lineage of educators. He is affable, personable, and quite gregarious. From his teenage years to present, He has been recognised by many as a gifted trainer, coach, public speaker, motivational speaker, and writer.
Chris has a very strong academic and social background. Having completed his secondary education on Anguilla, he continued his tertiary education and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration from Chicago State University in Chicago, Illinois in 1989; in that same year Chris wrote his certification examination and received his CFSM (Certified Food Service Manager), registered with the Chicago Board of Health and Education; in 2007 he completed his Master of Business Administration at University of Durham, United Kingdom, and was the recipient of the coveted award for one of the Most Outstanding Student. Mr. Richardson received his International Certification in Teaching, Coaching and Public Speaking under the John Maxwell label, World-Renowned Author, Teacher, and Coach.
Chris has assisted institutions nationally and regionally developing tertiary level learning centers including the hospitality program at The University of the Virgin Islands, and was engaged in consultative work with the University with regards to developing its Bachelors program on Resort Management. He functioned on various committees and boards on Anguilla including Anguilla Social Security Board, Anguilla Development Board, Anguilla Training Committee, Board of Governors of the Anguilla Community College, Anguilla GET SET Entrepreneurial Training Committee and chairman of the Water Corporation of Anguilla.
He serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at the Anguilla Community College and functioned at the executive level at three of Anguilla’s four/five-star rated resorts over the past three decades.
Chris began his career in the hospitality industry in 1989 when he became the first national of Anguilla to assume the position of Food and Beverage Manager at Malliouhana Hotel. During his fourteen-year tenure at this property, Chris is accredited with the development of the local culinary brigade through linkages and collaboration with the then Vocational Program on Anguilla and practical training at Le Bonne Auberge in France. With the development of the staff, many nationals were promoted to positions of influence in his division. In 2004, Chris thought he needed more exposure in other areas of the business and moved on to CuisinArt Resort and Spa where he assumed the position of Rooms Division Manager. During his thirteen-year tenure, again, he sought about development of the staff under his care and was given the responsibility of training the staff in all divisions using the Leading Hotel of the World standards. As a trained Emotional Intelligence guru, Chris was instrumental in introducing this concept as a core part of his training. As a result, the resort became first in its competitive set in the region for four consecutive inspections by Leading Hotel of the World. In addition, one of Chris’s staff members was the only employee in the Caribbean to receive the coveted outstanding award for demonstrated Highest Emotional Intelligence. Chris later went on to Zemi for as the Hotel Manager for a short period where he assisted in the development of staff, engaged in the development of the product, and ensured guests experience was upheld. He was the Program Director of the Chartered Management Institute headquartered in the United Kingdom under the auspices of the Anguilla Community College.
Chris is currently the Dean of Aurora University, which is a corporate university at Aurora Anguilla Resort and Golf Club. Chris developed from foundation level the development of the concept paper and university framework, which has been accredited, with the reengineering of the standard operating procedure system at the property.
Chris is the author of two successful books namely, Looking Back “Through the Eyes of a Teacher’s Son,” and Nature’s Terrorist Hurricane Irma. He is a man of Faith and is the Music Minister at his church. Chris’ mantra remains, “Learning is an unending trail requiring passion and perseverance; all who eat the fruits thereof will impact successive generations.”
