Eulalia was promoted from Housekeeper, to Supervisor, and Executive Housekeeping Manager before becoming the Assistant General Manager. The housekeeping team is central to the hospitality experience The Independence offers and one of the primary reasons guests love staying at The Independence Hotel!
It’s time for another addition to our hotel’s favorite blog series: staff spotlights! And today we’re all in for a treat as we get to focus on our new Assistant General Manager, Eulalia Gonzalez. Eulalia is a local through and through, born in Dallas, Oregon and raised here in Independence. She started her first job young, developing an impeccable work ethic cleaning houses throughout the area before moving on to bigger projects like Western Oregon University and West Valley Hospital. She fell in love with her now husband of 24 years and together they have raised four kids: Emilio, Santana, Natya, and Mateo. After working as a stay at home mom, she attended a job fair with her daughter, Natya (who lovingly updated Eulalia’s resume) and they both applied for housekeeping positions at The Independence Hotel (which they both got!).
Eulalia’s first day was July 15th, 2019, but she never could’ve imagined how this job would open up her life to the vast world of hospitality. Eulalia discovered quickly that cleaning and managing hotels share many overlapping skillsets, from attention to detail and a keen awareness of the hotel’s standards, to a genuine love of where you work. Eulalia was quickly promoted to Housekeeping Inspector, then Housekeeping Supervisor, Housekeeping Manager, and interim Assistant General Manager. Now, Eulalia is thrilled to have accepted her latest role permanently, and she wants to thank Sondra Storm, Mark Keller, and Marcy Mee for being her constant supporters during this process. “The entire Independence Hotel Team has been amazing,” Eulalia says.
Eulalia joined the team as a housekeeper when the property was opening in July 2019. She quickly became an invaluable team member and began taking on leadership roles.
So what exactly does the Assistance General Manager role entail? The simple as answer is… quite a bit. “The Assistant General Manger is responsible for overseeing all aspects of property management,” Eulalia says. “Requiring exceptional commitment to the safety, security, and well-being of all team members and guests. The AGM must establish a tone of high expectations and high support for management and staff while representing and promoting the hotel in this community.” Eulalia also jokes that this is just the gist of it, and in reality there is even more ground to cover. In general though, Eulalia’s day consists of arriving at the hotel around 630AM for check-in with the front desk and restaurant staff. Then it’s time to get to work, from checking emails, to time punches, check list activities, and implementing staff updates. “I always make sure to interact with the staff,” Eulalia says. “It’s a real team here.”
Eulalia in the center, surrounded by her fierce, hardworking, housekeeping team!
Eulalia with former GM, on the hotel’s rooftop. Rain is no biggie around here!
Eulalia is without a doubt a local leader at The Independence, and her advice to fulfilling such a role is to lead by example and be the best she can be. “Nobody is perfect,” Eulalia says. So it’s important to take advantage of teamwork. “I have more than a few people on my list that I can thank for all the time they have taken to teach me what I know,” she adds. “But I have also taught myself a lot by working hard, so my advice to anyone starting out in this business is to have confidence. There were plenty of times I have doubted myself but in the end I know I’m right for this position. I am a team player who is always willing to collaborate with others, contribute my strengths and ideas, and support my team in achieving our goals. It’s important to never give up, and never be afraid to ask for help!”
Eulalia also knows where to turn when she needs motivation. “My Mother (Mary Reyna) has always instilled in me and my siblings to never give up. She was a single mother raising 3 kids and taking care of her own mother working 3 jobs: cannery work, housekeeping, and selling Avon. I saw everything she did for us, and I am immensely proud of her.”
When it comes to visiting The Independence Hotel, Eulalia has a few suggestions. “Enjoy the view of the river,” she says, which just so happens to be one of her favorite aspects of the hotel. “Sit on the rooftop and take in the view before dining in our restaurant, Territory.”
So what does success look like to our new Assistant General Manager? “Well,” Eulalia says, “it means having the courage to pursue one’s own journey when confronted by the fear of uncertainty, and to find the joy in one’s position. I like to take the time to listen and take in what my staff has to say, empowering them to take ownership of their work and providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed.”
There’s no better time than now to visit The Independence Hotel and say hello to Eulalia. She’d love to get to know you, talk all things Independence, and show you just why this spot is so special. So book your next trip today!
Eulalia recommends spending some quality time on the hotel’s rooftop and taking in the river views.
