If you’ve ever been to a Bermuda Hospitality Institute (BHI) event, then you’ll know Karla Lacey is one busy woman.

She has spent the past four years organising exciting chef competitions and fundraisers; implementing hospitality programmes in the Island’s primary and middle schools and opening scores of young people up to the possibilities available to them in hospitality sector.

Ms Lacey has now taken up a new role as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

But before formally stepping down as CEO of the BHI, she spoke with The Royal Gazette about all that she’s learned and accomplished during her time with the organisation.

Back in 2010, Ms Lacey happened to be running a successful up-and-coming culinary programme for children in California, when she was called out of the blue and offered the position at BHI.

“I left Bermuda seven years earlier, when I was Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Communications at Bank of Butterfield,” Ms Lacey said.

“I was the only female sitting on the executive table at that time and I left to go to California with my family for a fresh start.

“I started up a business there called Jr Chef Central, which was just about to hit its stride. We had the attention of The Food Network, Sunset Magazine and a number of major national sponsors like WÜSTHOF, the knife folks. It was just at that point where things were going really well and I got a call about the position at Bermuda Hospitality Institute.”

After talking the move over with her two children, Ms Lacey decided to take the new position in Bermuda.

She felt the role was a way for her to “truly make a difference for the generations to come” in her home country — and hasn’t looked back since.

BHI is a non-profit organisation set up with the aim of encouraging the development, growth and sustainability of Bermudians in the hospitality industry.

Ms Lacey has been instrumental in helping the organisation implement a number of programmes to help with this goal.

One of her proudest moments has been seeing BHI’s hospitality programme growth over the past few years.

“When we started there was no programme in the school for hospitality,” she explained. “We started three years ago in seven schools, then went to ten schools and at the end of this school year we will be in 14 schools.

“We believe that hospitality skills equals work skills, so the purpose of the programme is to reinforce the fact that hospitality is an important life skill. No matter what career choice you make, we believe that being hospitable will help you to reach success.”

Completely run by volunteers working in the hospitality sector, the programme teaches young people in P4, P6 and M2 about their Island home and why they should be proud to live here. They also learn about basic manners, ethics and etiquette and how to carry on conversations with people and serve others.

“It’s really a course that everyone takes to heart from the volunteers, to the students and adults, and what makes it great is the volunteers also bringing certain tenets back in their own jobs,” she continued.

Another career milestone for Ms Lacey has been seeing young people take a second look at careers in the hospitality industry.

Each autumn BHI hosts a Student Networking and Round Table event where young people can find out from professionals how they got to where they are and the path they took to be successful.

Ms Lacey said this event has proven to be an “eye-opening experience” for many young people and provided them with more realistic expectations about the field.

“We survey students about the reasons they are looking to get into the hospitality sector and what they expect. And when we first started many of the young people expected to come in at the manager level and make that kind of salary right off the bat.

“But since holding these events the thinking has changed and they are now expecting to come in at an entry level position and work their way up.

“Also of all the people we surveyed recently not one said they were interested in getting into this field for money, like in past years. They were all looking for other things like career satisfaction and opportunity to grow.”

Ms Lacey said it has been exciting to “connect the dots for people” and show them that hospitality goes beyond hotels — to include work in areas like transport, food and beverage, leisure and activities and distribution.

And just as she has taught people many things, she has also learned quite a bit from her role with the BHI.

She has found that there is more that binds us as people than separates us. She has also learned how willing people are to listen if you show you are trying to understand their point of view — this has helped with her work with young people, who want to know adults understand their concerns and fears.

Although she said she is “thrilled” to be joining the BTA, she plans to continue providing guidance and leadership to the BHI as needed.

She told The Royal Gazette: “I’m very proud of the fact that collectively the hospitality industry was ready to step into the spotlight again and really I believe BHI has given them a neutral, but totally vested third party, to help direct all this wonderful energy that comes from people in the hospitality industry. They are very passionate people.

“It’s been rewarding to work with such incredible people in the industry — that is what has kept BHI and me going.”