Just like that, another President’s Club is in the books! This year, top employees nominated by their peers from each department were rewarded with a trip to the Eastern Caribbean island of St. Lucia. After an unexpected 12-hour delay at the Miami airport, the group of 23 Zumasys employees and guests finally made it to the luxurious Marigot Bay Resort and Marina by Capella Hotel Group where they would be staying for the next six days. Upon arrival, the group was greeted with spiced rum iced teas and an array of tasty appetizers before heading to their rooms.
Overall the trip was jam-packed with activities like kayaking through the rain forest, snorkeling off the famous Sugar Beach near the Piton Volcanoes and hiking through the steep tree-covered trails. For Senior Systems Engineer, Carlos Sanchez, the most memorable part of the trip was cramming into three Ubers to drive to dinner at the Cuban restaurant in Miami. “It was a lot of fun and a good way to kick off the trip,” says Carlos.
For Zumasys Technical Support Engineer, Justin Kunisaki, his favorite part of the trip was hanging out at the pool and taking the water taxi around the island to go snorkeling. “We got to see so many different parts of the island and there were tons of colorful fish.” He says his least favorite part was having a wild bat fly into his room. “We couldn’t even find it the next day!” says Justin.
Zumasys Virtualization Practice Manager, Joseph Kasal says that for him and his wife, the best part of the trip was visiting The Holy Family Children’s Home. “Being able to spend a few hours with those amazing kids impacted us in a way we didn’t expect. From an impromptu lunch trip to the local favorite dining establishment of KFC, to a simple loving embrace, these kids found true happiness in the small occurrences we take for granted.”
For Zumasys COO, Jennifer McGraw, the highlight of the trip was getting to spend time with colleagues who she doesn’t get to work with on a regular basis. One of her favorite memories from the trip was a casual game night in the hotel room. “We stayed up playing games until midnight, it was a blast!” says Jennifer. On the more adventurous side, Jennifer enjoyed kayaking on the river through the Caribbean jungle. She says that for her “it was the most picturesque moment” of the trip.
From spending 12 hours stuck at the Miami airport together, to eating KFC with the kids at the local orphanage, St. Lucia was a President’s Club these Zumasys employees will never forget. The only question that remains: Where will our President’s Club winners go next year?