Al Brindamour started off as a 19-year-old bar porter at a nightclub at the Westin Hotel Ottawa. The hotel had Five Diamond status and instilled in him some strong service fundamentals at an early age.
Al was soon promoted to bartender and remained at that job for five years before driving across the country to Vancouver. After managing various bars, restaurants and nightclubs there for five years, he decided to formalize his hospitality education, so he applied to Selkirk College in Nelson, BC, while working his way through school at the local Heritage Inn. After working for the Fairmont chain in Whistler for a few years, he returned to Nelson, where he had kept in touch with the local Best Western ownership group. They offered Al the position he holds today: night manager of the historic Heritage Inn.
Al has completed other courses, notably a Level 1 certificate from the International Sommelier Guild. While formalizing his passion for wine, it has also, he thinks, given him an edge over rival candidates in the BC hospitality industry at a time when "the wine sector is a juggernaut within a surging tourism economy."
As night manager, Al is responsible for the operation of three food and beverage outlets -- Mike's Pub, The Library Lounge and Taffy Jack's Nightclub -- as well as 43 guest rooms. The hours can be quite challenging, he admits. "It's a given. If you can't get your head around that, then I suggest a career in banking or the government, but where's the fun in that? I truly believe at the end of the day that the good far outweighs the bad. Making someone's night or stay is unbelievably gratifying. Designing a guest experience that creates lasting memories . . . that's good stuff."
For now, Dan is content with what he's doing in a town that he loves, but he eventually hopes to start his own business. "This industry has never disappointed," he says. "From the moment I step into the building until the moment I leave, there is never a dull moment."
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