From trainee to trailblazer

WESTERN BUREAU:

For 32 years, Shernette Crichton walked the corridors of Half Moon not as a spectator of its legacy, but as a student of it; quietly studying, steadily rising, and preparing for a moment she always believed would come.

On April 2, that moment arrived.

In a move that signals both continuity and change in Jamaica’s tourism sector, Crichton was appointed managing director of the 72-year-old institution, becoming the first Jamaican and the first woman to hold the post.

Her elevation came against the backdrop of renewal.

Five months after the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, which battered Jamaica’s western coastline and left a trail of destruction across communities and industries alike, Half Moon reopened its doors.

Chairman Guy Steuart III noted that while the storm was the most powerful ever to cross the island’s shores, he recovery effort reflected the spirit that has long defined the property.

“We have turned the corner,” he said, as the resort welcomed back guests and staff in a ceremony that celebrated restoration and renewal.

Crichton’s story at Half Moon began in 1990, when she joined as a trainee manager after completing studies at CAST (now the University of Technology, Jamaica).

But even then, her ambitions were clear.

“My journey started here, and from very early, I set my sights on this role,” she said.

What followed was a deliberate and disciplined climb through nearly every layer of the organisation – kitchen, housekeeping, front desk, accounting, restaurants and bars, before moving into leadership roles spanning staff development, operations, and ultimately general management.

For Crichton, the journey was never accidental.

“For young people entering the industry, it shows that with hard work, strong values, and the right mentors, anything is possible,” she said.

For Myrtle Dwyer, the moment was deeply personal.

“I cried,” she said, reflecting on Crichton’s rise.

ROOTED IN MEMORY

Her emotion was rooted in memory, of a young woman who arrived at Half Moon at one of the most vulnerable moments of her life.

“When she came here, her mother had just died. She was very fragile,” Dwyer recalled.

At the time, the resort was pioneering one of Jamaica’s earliest structured internship and management training programmes, led by Dwyer and industry stalwart Richard Whitfield.

Crichton entered that system eager to learn and determined to grow.

“She wanted to understand everything, not just one department,” Dwyer said.

Recognising her potential, Dwyer placed her in an intensive programme that exposed her to every facet of hotel operations.

“I told her, ‘Are you prepared to make beds? Sweep floors? Because that’s where this starts,’” she recalled.

She was ready.

From there, the mentorship deepened, extending beyond the workplace into every stage of Crichton’s life, from her studies at Florida International University to marriage and motherhood.

“It has been a journey of a lifetime,” Dwyer said.

The resort’s human resources director, Erma Clarke, witnessed the transformation.

Having spent more than 40 years at Half Moon, Clarke said Crichton’s leadership is defined as much by character as competence.

“She’s a sounding board for all of us,” Clarke said. “If you go to her with a problem, she makes you think it through. You leave better.”

CARE BEYOND WORK

Describing her as “a mother hen”, Clarke said Crichton’s care extends beyond the workplace.

“She has everybody’s interest at heart. There are times when people are struggling, and if help doesn’t come fast enough, she will reach into her own pocket,” she said.

Clarke also pointed to her meticulous nature.

“She doesn’t leave anything to chance. Whether it’s a VIP or not, she checks everything herself.”

For Clarke, the significance of Crichton’s appointment goes beyond personal achievement.

“This is going to show young people that they can do it, too,” she said.

Crichton is responsible for more than 800 employees, and a resort set on 400 acres along Jamaica’s north coast. In fact, Half Moon is as much landscape as it is legacy, stretching from the rolling Palmyra hills to the Caribbean Sea.

Steuart described it as a “coastal innkeeper”, a place where culture, character, and hospitality converge.

At the centre of its evolution is Eclipse, a contemporary enclave within the resort, created to attract a new generation of global travellers.

“We had to respect our history, but not be stuck in it,” Steuart said, noting that the development was designed to reshape perceptions of the Jamaican vacation experience.

The reopening of Eclipse, alongside newly renovated villas that integrate art, design, and Caribbean identity, marked a long-awaited moment for the property.

ANCHORED BY PRINCIPLES

Born in Westmoreland and raised in Clark’s Town, Trelawny, Crichton is the daughter of a teacher and a farm manager, roots that she credits for grounding her values of discipline, humility, and service.

She has been married for 32 years; is the mother of three sons, and a recent grandmother.

Despite her rise, she remains anchored in the same principles that guided her from the beginning – faith, integrity, and a deep respect for people.

In announcing her appointment, Steuart pointed to more than tenure.

“For three decades, Shernette Crichton has dedicated her professional life to this resort, its people and its partners,” he said.

“Her leadership, joyful demeanour and genuine care embody everything it means to heed the calling of hospitality.”

With her now at the helm, he added, “our destination is secure.”

Crichton does not see her appointment as a culmination, but as a continuation, of service, of standards, and of a legacy she has spent a lifetime helping to shape.

And now, from the very top, she is writing its next chapter.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com