A special IoH team spotlight | Roz Berry FIH and Carole Barber AIH

As the year draws to a close, we thought it would be lovely to shine our IoH spotlight inwards, and talk to some of our team members!

In the first IoH team spotlight, we talk to Institute ‘veteran’ Rosalyn ‘Roz’ Berry FIH and one of the newest members of the team, Carole Barber AIH.

Tell us a little more about yourself and your career to date.

Roz:

I went to Crawley College where I completed several City and Guilds catering qualifications before working in hotel restaurants and banqueting in various roles for the first 6 years of my career.

I then went on to work for Compass as a duty manager in a training centre near Gatwick airport. Redundancy led me to work for Russell & Brand at the Maudsley and Kings College Hospital’s in London as a member of the catering management team.

Having worked shifts since leaving college, I decided to look for something different but still associated with the industry when I found my first role at IoH or as it was then called, the HCIMA in January 2000!

Carole:

My first job after leaving school was for a company in central London that published computing and finance magazines. No digital editions in those days, just print copies mailed in paper wrappers. I worked in the circulation department processing controlled subscription applications which were similarly old school, being sent in on handwritten cards!

It was here in my first administration role that I realised how much I enjoyed not only managing records but also representing the company and meeting customers at trade exhibitions.

Subsequent positions found me working at a Chartered accountancy body, another publisher, a period in education and in events registration before coming to work at the Institute of Hospitality as Membership Administrator with the Membership Team.

What’s the best thing about working for the Institute of Hospitality?

Roz:

The members! I started working in hospitality because I liked meeting new people and it’s great to touch base with previous work colleagues and follow their careers as well.

Carole: 

I would say the two best things about working at the Institute is: one getting to know the members via phone conversations or in-person at events and the other is the Institute team – every one of my colleagues is supportive, friendly and fantastic to work with!

Roz, you must have seen a lot of changes in the Institute over the years, How are things different nowadays compared to when you first started

Technology has made a huge difference. When I first started we had a large office, posted out letters and information to all members and had a physical library.

Carole, you’ve been working with the Institute for almost a year now. How has it been so far? Particularly as you started your role during a pandemic!

Starting my role during a pandemic was certainly different! My first contact with the Institute was being interviewed via Zoom and it was some time before I met all my new colleagues in person, with so many working remotely and office working being limited for health and safety reasons. However, now that I’ve been working here for seven months, I feel (in a good way!) that I’ve been here for much longer. It’s been great getting to know and working with the Institute team, learning new processes and connecting with many members via phone and email. In-person Institute events now having resumed, I thoroughly enjoyed attending my first event in November – Passion4Hospitality 2021 where I met and spoke with many enthusiastic aspiring hospitality professionals and was able to put faces to many familiar names associated with the Institute.

Why do you think others should say #imin to the Institute of Hospitality?

Roz:

We’re their extended hospitality family. Here to support our members all through their careers.

Carole:

I see my role in Membership not just as maintaining data, but as ‘looking after’ the Institute’s members. The people who call us with enquiries or to renew their membership are all so personable and nice to talk to.

Our members are proud to support their colleagues across the industry – by saying #imin to the Institute they not only enjoy amazing benefits such as lifestyle and retail discounts, wellbeing and health support, but also have access to extensive Knowledge, CPD and networking resources.

As a charity, their membership supports the Institute’s work in helping and inspiring young talented professionals entering the industry.

So lots of reasons to say #imin and join our #HospitalityFamily!

Tell us three things about yourself that we don’t know!

Roz:

Oh dear! Well, not many people realise:

1. I did a lot of travelling when I was younger and spent several years at school in the USA
2. I used to sail with my father when I was younger and achieved my Competent Crew certificate with the RYA!
3. I love a good murder mystery!!

Carole:

1. I am passionate about dance (both participating and watching) and once danced in a show at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon in front of an audience of 2000 people!
2. I’m a keen reader of crime fiction and am the proud owner of a coveted golden handcuff pin awarded by the author Peter James for winning an online challenge based on his books
3. I enjoy watching football, particularly my team West Ham United!

Roz and Carole are part of our Membership team. We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know them a little better! Next week, we meet another IoH long-serving team member, Leon Williams MIH and another relative ‘newbie’, Kim Bailey MIH!