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Up Close & Personal

Name: Rosa Luna
Position: Stewarding Supervisor
Employer: The Ritz-Carlton Chicago

Stewarding is a family affair for Rosa Luna, who has worked in the hotel industry for nearly 25 years. "My father and two brothers [were stewards]," says Luna, adding that her father was employed for more than 20 years at a Chicago hotel that has since closed. "He loved [his job]," she says.

Luna, age 54, left her native Puerto Rico when she was eight years old to come to the U.S. with her family. She later began her hotel career at Palmer House Hilton as a steward, where she performed a number of kitchen duties, such as washing dishes.

Luna's commitment to hard work paid off. She is now one of three stewarding supervisors at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago and has held that position for 15 years.

After working at Palmer House Hilton for seven years, Luna learned through a friend about an opening for a stewarding position at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago. She was ready for a change at that point, so she applied for the job and was accepted. Upon being hired, she worked on such tasks as polishing silverware and working in other areas of the kitchen as needed.

After only two years, she was offered a position as a stewarding supervisor. She was a little surprised at being chosen, because some of her fellow employees had been at the hotel a lot longer. Luna attributes her promotion to her strong work ethic. "I was a responsible employee," she says. "I was never late and never missed a day [of work]."

Luna's commitment to hard work paid off. She is now one of three stewarding supervisors at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago and has held that position for 15 years. "I like dealing with people," says Luna, referring to the 16 employees she supervises.

Her day typically starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m., although sometimes she starts even earlier in the morning if it's really busy. (She gets paid overtime in that case.) She explains that her kitchen is very structured, with each person assigned to work in a specific area, like washing dishes or pots. "I'm on my feet all day long, walking back and forth [in the kitchen], making sure everything is running smoothly," Luna says.

At the same time, she has to make sure her department looks clean and beautiful. "I'm very proud of my kitchen," says Luna. "I get a lot of compliments from [upper] management."

"A good attitude [is important] because you're dealing with a lot of people."

Summertime and the holidays are especially busy, and the hardest part of Luna's job is dealing with employees who call in sick at the last minute. "It affects the whole department," says Luna, who often has to pitch in and help when the kitchen is short-staffed. (She adds that the hotel is always looking to fill stewarding positions.)

In a supervisory role, it's essential to have a positive outlook. "A good attitude [is important] because you're dealing with a lot of people," she says. "As a supervisor, you deal with managers and line employees." She points out that it's also very helpful to understand both English and Spanish, because a lot of stewards are Spanish-speaking.

Luna says she's been offered other positions at the hotel, but she's happiest as a stewarding supervisor. "I love where I am now," says Luna. "I plan to retire from the Ritz-Carlton."

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