Jenny's View

Looking Forward, Looking Back

Dear Friends,

After representing the hotel for almost 35 years, I’ve come to measure the seasons by key events and milestones celebrated at La Fonda. And what better time to take stock of our many endeavors!

Workforce Development and Education: We launched an initiative near and dear to my heart: La Fonda Foundation. The goal of La Fonda Foundation focuses on increasing social mobility and driving systemic change, first for those affiliated with the hotel, then expanding to include others in the community. By working with other local philanthropic organizations and adding complementary services we plan to move the needle and make a difference.

Last year, La Fonda also took a leadership role in education and community impact with the launch of LevelUp!, a work-based learning program established in part by La Fonda Hospitality Group President, Rik Blyth. Notably, this initiative gained official support throughout the entire state, underscoring the hotel's commitment to professional development, and contributing to the local workforce.

  

Cultural Outreach and Broadcasting: we expanded our cultural outreach by debuting our documentary film on New Mexico PBS and celebrating with a community focused watch party in our Lumpkins Ballroom! The film allows us to reach a vast audience and share the rich and dynamic history that has defined La Fonda for a century. If you haven’t already seen the film, narrated by the incomparable Ali MacGraw, watch it here!

  

Historic Milestones: La Fonda marked our Centennial Anniversary with the installation of a Centennial Plaque in our hotel lobby. Installed to honor our commitment to La Fonda employees and our iconic role in the Santa Fe community, the plaque has become a popular guest gathering place, affording visitors an opportunity to reflect on the enduring legacy of our hotel as a historic landmark and our over 100-year commitment to hospitality.

In addition, we celebrated the successful launch of our art history book, In Every Room, a Story of the Art during the 101st Santa Fe Indian Market. The gorgeous book features the work of award-winning Native American artists and solidifies our commitment to New Mexico’s cultural landscape along with the creatives that contribute to our spirit of authenticity. They make perfect holiday gifts and can be purchased at our Gift Shop, Detours at La Fonda.

Product Innovation: La Fonda ventured into luxury vacation rentals with the introduction of Santuario by La Fonda, high-end vacation residences situated in the heart of Santa Fe. This addition demonstrates the hotel's commitment to providing exceptional and immersive experiences for our guests. In fact, we were recently recognized by the New Mexico Hospitality Association as the 2023 TopHat Award Winner for Best Product Development! The Annual TopHat awards acknowledge New Mexico's industry leaders with high honors during their annual ceremony.

   

Individual Recognition: With the launch of so many initiatives and our expanding portfolio in the marketplace, Rik Blyth was promoted from general manager of the hotel to President of La Fonda Hospitality Group. His breadth of experience and depth of knowledge makes him the perfect candidate to spearhead our evolution into the next century of hospitality!  The general manager position was filled by the talented, Fermin Moran.  Fermin returned to the hotel after taking on the assistant general manager role at Eldorado Hotel & Spa and then working as regional general manager to the Hotel St. Francis and Hotel Chimayo. We're thrilled to welcome him back in this new capacity!  

  

The dedication and passion of Ed Pulsifer, Director of Sales and Hotel Historian, were acknowledged in 2023. Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide honored him as the Historic Hotel Historian of the Year, recognizing his outstanding contributions to La Fonda's legacy and the hospitality industry at large. Not to mention, our talented Banquet Chef, Peter Vigil was a finalist for the Historic Hotels of America Ambassador of the Year. 

  

And the accolades don’t end there! Executive Chef Lane Warner, a 32 year veteran of our kitchen, was recognized as the TopHat winner for Back-of-the-House Employee of the Year for his commitment to excellence beyond just La Fonda; he spearheaded the launch of a modern kitchen at our sister property, Old Santa Fe Inn. The upgraded kitchen was entirely reinvented, and the dining room remodeled. Now, not only does the Old Santa Fe Inn serve breakfast, Chef Lane’s new menu will also include lunch and dinner options, and soon, beer, wine, and local spirits to boot (stay tuned for details)! 

  

And finally, we celebrated Nallely Garcia as the Front-of-the-House TopHat Employee of the Year. Nallely’s journey at the hotel has been a ladder of accomplishments. Over her 15 years with us, Nallely has evolved as a person and a leader. Starting as a busser at La Fiesta Lounge, she has climbed through the ranks to represent our team as La Plazuela’s Evening Manager, a role in which she truly shines! 

What a year! These are just some of our accomplishments that reflect La Fonda’s commitment to our past and future.  We can’t wait to ring in 2024! I hope to see you at Santa Fe’s New Year’s Eve celebration on the Santa Fe Plaza and raise a glass of bubbly under the vibrant fireworks launched annually from our rooftop.

Cheers!

Jenny

Jennifer Lea Kimball
Ambassador & Board Chairman Emerita
La Fonda on the Plaza