The Tampa Port Authority is pleased to acknowledge Aldona Weekley, pier supervisor with Worldwide Shore Services, for winning a Bern Laxer Award of Excellence from Tampa Bay and Company at today’s National Tourism Week Luncheon.

The award recognizes individuals in the Tampa Bay area hospitality field who go “above and beyond the call of duty to make visitors feel welcome.” In her duties as pier supervisor, Weekley regularly tends to the needs of Carnival Cruise Line guests during the embarkation and disembarkation processes, often adding a notably personal touch.

Providing a high level of customer service at the Port of Tampa since 1982, Weekley has a reputation among her peers as a true and reliable professional who communicates effectively and exhibits notable leadership and enthusiasm in her work environment. In a typical work day, she may run the gamut from helping to connect a family with its lost luggage to dealing with an incoming ship that may have several guests with health issues that need immediate attention. Weekley is one of the few people assigned to areas of problem solving that at times require extreme creativity and efficient use of resources. Along with a select few other winners, Weekley accepted the award with her signature humility and appreciation.

“This came as a total surprise to me!” Weekley said. “I love what I do and plan to keep on doing it. Helping passengers, whether they are in a great mood or very upset and need assistance, is part of the challenge of my job that keeps me energized,” she said. Her colleagues at the Tampa Port Authority share in her excitement and enthusiasm.

“It’s fantastic to see Aldona Weekley recognized with this prestigious award,” Richard Wainio, Tampa’s port director and chief executive, said. “Ms. Weekley is a shining star in Tampa’s cruise industry, and she carries a wealth of knowledge that enables her to provide the type of attitude and flexibility that result in true customer satisfaction and repeat cruise passengers. She is one of the reasons the Tampa market is a cruise success story and one of the reasons that the Port of Tampa was recently recognized as Carnival Cruise Lines’ Embarkation Port of the Year,” he said.