by Jane Lebak

Norwood is home to one of the finest hotels in North America, and it’s all thanks to the teamwork and creativity of its employees.

At the most recent Marriott Select Brand Awards, the Four Points by Sheraton – Norwood location was recognized from among all Four Points by Sheraton hotels with three key awards.

Shoumala Ghosh won General Manager of the Year and Diamond Hotel General Manager of the year. Jayme Dalipovic received the Sales Leader of the Year award. The hotel itself was awarded Diamond Hotel Status, meaning it placed in the top three Marriott Select Brand hotels within North America.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognized in this fashion,” says Jaime Whynot, Director of Conference Sales and Rooms. “Our hotel ranked in the top four hotels in the categories of Room Cleanliness, Maintenance and Upkeep, and Elite Appreciation. We ranked number one in the categories of both Food and Beverage, and Staff Services.”

There are 291 Four Points by Sheraton hotels worldwide, and 127 in the United States.

Although this is not the first year the hotel achieved Diamond Status, this is the first time Shoumala Ghosh and Jayme Dalipovic were recognized for their unique contributions.

Jayme Dalipovic joined the Marriott brand in 2008, then transferred to the Norwood location in 2011 as the banquet manager before moving to the catering sales office in 2016. She’s worked hard to learn every part of what it takes to create an amazing event for her clients.

From weddings to bar mitzvahs to corporate summer barbecues at the outdoor pavilion (those are her innovation!) Jayme leaves nothing to chance. Mindy Keyes, Director of Catering, Sales, and Marketing, says, “With her culinary background, she can meet every need. Clients—especially brides—love that she can suggest new ideas, such as late-night snacks, stations, and cocktails, all up-to-date with the latest trends.”

Weddings are Jayme’s specialty. Since coming onboard, she’s brought in more weddings every year, with 39 booked in 2022, and she’s on track to exceed that in 2023.

One client wrote that Jayme “was always there if we needed to double check something with the cake vendor, DJ, flowers, etc. Then the day of really blew us away.” Her flexibility and creativity are why she secured this award. “We’re so proud to have her on our team,” says Keyes.

Shoumala Ghosh began with Marriott twenty years ago and became the Four Points by Sheraton – Norwood general manager two years ago. “This was in the depth of the pandemic,” says Keyes, “when morale was at an all-time low.”

Shoumala recognized that while each department functioned well, there wasn’t a cohesive sense of each one contributing to the whole. Her first action as General Manager, therefore, was to emphasize how teamwork is vital to the hotel’s mission and the comfort of the guests. 

Keyes says, “Shoumala has strived to give transparency. Every employee now has access to reviews coming into the hotel, and she encourages honest conversations between employees and their managers.” These steps have resulted in improved morale, quick communication, and streamlined operations. Keyes says, “Our guests don’t see the teamwork, but they see the effects of it in their smooth experience, from check-in to check-out.”

This sense of community extends beyond the walls of the hotel. Keyes says, “Shoumala ensures that we give back to the community, not only locally but globally.” When the crisis broke in the Ukraine, the hotel hosted a drive for high need items delivered directly to refugees. Keyes says, “Under her leadership, the hotel hosted a back-to-school drive for a local low-income community. We organized a Halloween costume drive and food pantry collection. Shoumala also encourages employees to take advantage of company paid volunteer days throughout the year.”

Keyes says, “Shoumala tells us this is not her win—it’s the team’s win. But it’s also a win for our guests, for corporate clients hosting summer barbecues, and for brides throwing the perfect wedding.”

Four Points by Sheraton – Norwood is located on Route 1, convenient to I-95, I-93, and Gillette Stadium. For more information, please visit https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bosof-four-points-norwood/

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