Letters have been coming in from Marriott Hotels around the world to congratulate Herndon resident Lillian Haddock for her 50-year anniversary with the Marriott family.
"It's been an easy 50 years," said the only charter employee left of the Marriott Washington Dulles Airport hotel, adding she's received letters from Hong Kong and England. "The company is the greatest and the Marriott family are unbelievable people."
Haddock, who knew founders J.W. Marriott, Sr. and his wife personally, said when she first started as a Hot Shoppe waitress, or curbette, her intentions were to work for one month to raise extra money for the holidays.
"I was promoted to cashier then hostess, and then when they opened their hotel in 1968 or 1969 I was hired there," she said about her move to help open the Washington Dulles Hotel. "I have seen a lot of changes and it seems like as the time progresses the people go right with it."
WHEN SHE FIRST began working with the Marriott family, Haddock said the company was working with the Hot Shoppes — family-based restaurants — which they placed in their hotels and then eventually faded them out.
But, through the evolution of the hotel's development and her progress to become room service supervisor in 1987, Haddock said she remembers everything from finishing school employees coming in to teach the female employees how to bend down to pick up dropped utensils, put on make up and dress appropriately to some of the rules used in the late '60s to run the hotel.
"Some days she would say she remembered the early '70s where folks did it this way and now we do it this way," said Matt Dolan, director of sales for Marriott, who first met Haddock when he started as a bell stand at the airport hotel.
"The discipline has changed but it's gotten easier, it's more relaxed than in the early days," said Haddock. "The company makes it so you're relaxed doing your job and the people are smarter so it's great to change with the changes — it makes the job easier."
As room service supervisor, Haddock said she now is up at 3 a.m. to be at work between 4:30 and 4:45 a.m. to help prepare all meals by the 6 a.m. delivery time for hotel patrons.
"We're trained to fulfill the wishes of the customer — nothing is impossible," she said. "We're here to please the guest."
In addition to preparing food deliveries for room service and making sure things run smoothly, Haddock has also trained almost every person who comes through the airport hotel about the company's standards.
"She basically embodies what the Marriott family is — she's just a great lady," said Dolan. "When I introduced Lillian to the [National Business Travel Association luncheon] crowd and announced her 50th anniversary they gave her a standing ovation — to be with one company for that long in this industry is unusual."
Dolan said he remembers a story of when Haddock helped one of the Marriotts, unknowingly, via telephone for room service. He said the next day the owner of the hotel commented on Haddock's service saying he felt like he was a part of the family based on how she spoke with him and addressed his needs over the phone.
"I just think she is a remarkable lady," said Connie Walker, director of human resources for the hotel. "She has been my inspiration for commitment, dedication, loyalty and high standards for 30 years."
Walker was first hired by Haddock 30 years ago and trained before going off to other Marriott locations. Now Walker works at the Dulles Airport hotel location with Haddock again.
IN ADDITION to her notoriety among local employees, Haddock is also well known by the Marriott family.
In 1996 she was awarded with the J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence and at her 50-year celebration at the hotel J.W Marriott, Jr. was there to personally honor her hard work.
"Her spirit to serve the customer is outstanding and we get constant accolades from customers and associates about her," said Dolan about Haddock's ability to uphold the Marriott family vision.
"It's an accomplishment at the end of each day to go home knowing I did the best [I] could do — that [I] helped someone and presented to them so they know they want to come back," said Haddock.
Along with serving the customer, Haddock said she has fun training new employees at the smaller airport hotel.
"I have been nurturing to the newcomers and worked with them to pass on and teach whatever I can," she said.
Because Haddock has been with the company so long, she said some of the letters from overseas are from hotel managers who started at the bottom and remember her training.
"There have been so many I forget names," she joked of how many employees she has seen work there way to the top.
For Haddock, although she is 79 years old and has hit her 50-year mark with the company, she said that doesn't change anything.
"I have no intentions of retiring," she said. "No matter how busy I am I don't go home exhausted because I know I did the best job I could do."