Bermuda’s own Tim Terceira, who started out as a beach boy at the Lantana cottage colony, has been declared Hotelier of the Year in Canada’s Hotelier magazine.

The newly-retired general manager of the St Regis Hotel in Toronto, Mr Terceira told the publication he discovered his love of the industry working eight years at Lantana during his holidays from high school and into college.

He credited the owners of the West End resort with launching his career – which took him to the apex of the North American hotel industry.

According to its website, Hotelier, which prints eight editions annually, reaches more than 45,000 readers.

Mr Terceira’s “lengthy and progressive hospitality career” came after a four-year degree in hotel administration at Cornell University.

A son of the late Clarence “Tessi” Terceira, one of the founding members of the United Bermuda Party and a former government minister, he set out to build experience abroad.

He told the magazine that “even though Bermuda was a massive tourism economy, I wanted to work and be successful outside of Bermuda for at least the first five years after graduation”.

After graduating from university, Mr Terceira was recruited by Four Seasons Hotels as a management trainee in Toronto – followed by a stint directing operations at Four Seasons Belleville, which led to the Pierre Hotel in New York and the flagship Four Seasons in Yorkville, Toronto.

Mr Terceira brought his skills home in 1986 as director of operations at the Elbow Beach Hotel – then joined Marriott International in 1988.

That role took him to operations and general management positions for Marriott properties in Canada and the US as well as the former Marriott Castle Harbour Resort.

In 2009, Mr Terceira took the helm as general manager of the new Ritz-Carlton in Toronto.

In a 2011 interview, he shared his approach with The Royal Gazette.

“What it comes down to is you have to win with guests,” he said. “You have to provide an engaging, memorable experience that makes your guests feel appreciated, valued, and special. You have to anticipate their needs.”

Mr Terceira told Hotelier his combined experience between Bermuda, the US and Canada left him with the insight “to think about things differently”.

He added that retirement would allow him more time with his family – from Karen, his wife of 41 years, to their youngest daughter Kelly, expecting her first child, and Kimberly, their oldest daughter, who has transferred to St Regis as director of luxury travel.