A young businesswoman who started work as a waitress at Torquay’s Riviera International Conference Centre while a student has just been appointed it’s operations manager.

Jenny Thompson, 27, of Paignton has been promoted from Bay Brasserie and marketing manager to the new hot seat in which she will look after the day-to-day operations of the Centre under managing director Barry Cole. She will also continue her role as marketing manager.

“It’s been a lovely six years and I am so proud and happy to be offered this new and exciting role,” explained Jenny. “It will be a big challenge but a very rewarding one and I am looking forward to my new responsibilities with great enthusiasm.”

It was back in March 2000 that Jenny took up a part time position as a food and beverage assistant at the Riviera Centre to help her meet her expenses as a student at South Devon College where she gained her HND in Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management.

Jenny then moved across to Plymouth University’s Seale-Hayne Faculty where she gained her BSc with a Commendation in Hospitality Management.

She left her employment at the Riviera Centre for a short time to work at the prestigious Marriott Royal Hotel in Bristol and returned to the Centre in January of 2004 to take up the challenging role of marketing manager. Her particular roles were looking after the business development within Lifestyle Health & Fitness Suite, the Bay Brasserie, Waves Leisure Pool and the local Conference and Events section.

In September 2005 Jenny was given the challenge of Bay Brasserie manager in addition to her marketing role and in a period of six months introduced a number of improvements that has helped to make the restaurant a financial success.

Now, managing director Barry Cole has rewarded Jenny for her outstanding work by promoting her to operations manager. Barry said: “Jenny is a young ambitious and very loyal and dedicated worker with a lot of experience in all aspects of our business and I am confident she will help the Riviera International Conference Centre continue to grow from strength to strength.”