It is not the destination that he finds fascinating….it is the journey. It is that way in his work and in his life. The Journey has opened doors for Felix Alcala that he never imagined. Behind each door is brightness and opportunity.
He used to think of a job as simply an exchange of time and effort for money. There was no satisfaction in that for Felix Alcala. At the Holiday Inn Airport El Paso, he found a purpose behind his actions and he embarked on a Journey that was no longer about money but rather about contribution.
Felix Alcala is a unique member of the Holiday Inn El Paso team in many ways…the most tangible…he is not an El Paso native. He chooses to live in this beautiful border city, and has for more than 25 years. As the only male child in his family, Felix is depended on to be the sole provider. He is single and takes care of his parents. It took Felix awhile to find his Holiday Inn home. He wandered through different jobs until 2005 when he accepted a job as a Houseman for the Holiday Inn.
Food and Beverage Director, Vicki Castellanos recalls, “As a person who has been here for so many years, I have seen employees come and go. I remember Felix starting in Housekeeping and I was amazed at how serious he took it and how happy he seemed to be able to help his co-workers and guests.” She smiles thinking about his career path and his contributions today. “To see him move up and through the ranks so quickly has been pretty special to watch. He’s a great role model for our associates and honestly, an inspiration to me.”
On one of those rare moments when Felix is sitting a realization occurred for him. He found it quite ironic that once he stopped looking at work as simply a place he went to make money, he began advancing and making more of the money he so desired earlier in his life. Change is good. Dollar bills are better. But making a difference in the lives of the people you serve is the best payment of all! |
