July 2023 | A ResortCom Publication

Dear ResortComr’s,

The core value RESOURCEFUL defines ResortCom’s most important strength, and one of my favorite things about us. Our greatest successes were driven by our ability to be RESOURCEFUL: using our existing tools and ability to find creative solutions for challenging problems. Being RESOURCEFUL empowered us to develop novel solutions, overcome obstacles, and consistently improve performance. By continuing to foster a RESOURCEFUL environment through work and through fun, we will continue to overcome the challenges ahead.

Examples of RESOURCEFULNESS from the past are abundant throughout the organization. We developed automation to integrate data from many disparate systems, providing actionable analytics, reporting, and KPIs. We improved processes by RESOURCEFULLY using available personnel and technology. Every unusual procedure and function we use today is a testament to our RESOURCEFUL ability to use what was available and communicate that success to others.

Every single department shows incredible RESOURCEFULNESS, developing methods for mitigating technology or resource shortcomings to meet with integrity our current and future goals. Hotels uses RESOURCEFUL methods to share data to generate consistent KPIs and track performance through a variety of systems. Loan Servicing uses a separate contact center application to RESOURCEFULLY perform outbound dialing specific for legal requirements. Guadalajara uses specialized software to minimize cross talk and agent noise for customers, a RESOURCEFUL solution to a common problem in enclosed offices. Accounting uses RESOURCEFUL database applications and specialized programs to provide the reporting and reconciliation we rely on. These are just a few of the many examples throughout our company.

Our amazing Culture Champions team is not only exceedingly RESOURCEFUL in creating new Thursday meeting events for us, they lead activities that are fun, and designed to specifically to improve our ability to be RESOURCEFUL as a team. The Thursday activities enhance ResortCom’s strength: providing RESOURCEFUL solutions for the goals we undertake.

Remaining RESOURCFUL will be imperative in the months and years ahead. We will improve system functions, build and enhance new services, modernize contact center technology, and add and refine services for our members and clients. We will grow and improve as a company in new and exciting ways to meet our future goals.

ResortCom’s greatest accomplishments can be attributed to our ability to build RESOURCEFUL solutions and procedures. By continuing to foster finding RESOURCEFUL solutions, in ourselves and each other, we will meet and exceed our current and future goals.

Sincerely,

Mike & Your Senior Leadership Team

#RCLIFE

Spotlight on Arizbe Mendoza- This Month's Core Value Exemplifier!

Arizbe Mendoza best exemplifies the core value RESOURCEFUL. A long-serving employee, her ability to creatively solve problems using available tools has made her a vital part of the organization.

Arizbe started with ResortCom in Member Services in May 2016. Through her 7 years with ResortCom she moved to different positions, excelling in understanding our systems and investigating detailed account issues. Due to her experience with Bitrix, ResortConnect, and RESOURCEFULNESS in research and problem resolution, she was promoted to IT two years ago, in July of 2021. Arizbe recently completed ITIL certification, and was promoted to Applications Support Analyst in February, and continues to improve her technical abilities and the IT support function.

Arizbe consistently demonstrates RESOURCEFUL solutions in her Application Support role. Using her experience in Admin, Arizbe became the subject matter expert for Bitrix, and eventually assumed development tracking, testing, and deployment roles for this application. Arizbe proactively researches new tools and functions and develops efficient ways to improve productivity and identify problems before they occur. As part of the Champions team for several years, she finds new and RESOURCEFUL ways to develop and support activities.

Arizbe’s ability to find RESOURCEFUL solutions have empowered her continuing success, the success of IT, the Culture Champions, and ResortCom as a whole.

Spotlight on Information Technology (IT)!

The below interview answers have been provided by Michael Flannery, Vice President of IT. Please read-a-long to better get to know our IT Team!

1. What does your department do at ResortCom?

A: Information Technology designs, develops, and supports technology services to meet ResortCom and client requirements. These services are divided among several groups:

• Infrastructure provisions, moves, deploys, and supports equipment and services for ResortCom users, including workstations, telephones, servers, and network connections. This team is responsible for day-to-day maintenance of technology services, ensuring uptime, and resolving system outages.

• Application Support supports all internally developed applications, including ResortConnect, Bitrix, and web services. In addition, Application Support creates and refines development tasks to improve existing systems.

• Application Development controls and manages the development of internally developed technology. This group researches and documents requirements, builds development plans, and assigns and controls tasks built from system requirements, designs system architecture required to meet requirements, and controls the building and deployment of new functions.

• Database and Development teams are comprised of Independent Contractors with highly specialized training and experience. These groups build and develop enterprise services in alignment with business requirements and design, provide extensive testing and deployment of these services, and provide support and maintenance for these systems.

2.What positions are in your department, and who is in each position? What is each position responsible for?

A:

• Vice President of IT (Michael Flannery): Manages and directs the ResortCom Information Technology function. Oversees projects, provides vision, direction, and resources. Provides guidance on Infrastructure and Application architecture, engineering, design, and deployment. Ensures technology alignment with business goals and requirements.

• IT Project Manager (TBD): Plans, controls, and provides communication for major ResortCom technology projects. Ensures adherence to internal controls and software development procedures. Responsible for IT reporting and compliance.

• Infrastructure Manager (TBD): Manages the Infrastructure team. Leads infrastructure projects and enhancements, system reconfiguration, and new technology deployment. Responsible for ensuring day-to-day operation and availability of all technology services and improving existing services.

• End User Support (Jeff Parker, Tim Ingram): Configures, deploys, and provides support for all technology hardware, including desktops, laptops, printers, monitors, etc. Responsible for equipment moves, troubleshooting and resolving user issues, maintenance, and facility-related technology.

• Systems Administrator (Gabriel Viramontes): Provisions, manages, and supports advanced telecommunications, server, and network services. Provides advanced analysis and troubleshooting for system integration and interoperability. Configures, supports, updates, and maintains all ResortCom servers and networks.

• Software Engineering Manager (Jay Mahant): Manages Application Support, Business Analyst, and Development teams. As Product Owner, ensures developed technology meets business requirements. Responsible for all phases of Software Development Life Cycle, including Development, Quality Assurance, User Acceptance, and release.

• Application Support (Arizbe Mendoza, Ana Duran): Provides user and client support for internally-developed applications. Provides insight and guidance in generating development requests. Advises development and infrastructure teams on application use. Provisions and creates user accounts and configures access according to company requirements. Responsible for ticket handling, client communication, and resolution of identified system issues.

• Business Analyst (Melissa Granados): Researches business requests and technology initiatives to document requirements for new technology. Analyzes business function holistically, to ensure new system interoperation with existing functions. Responsible for providing requirements and technical documentation to support enterprise development.

• Quality Assurance (Independent Contractor: Shola Adeoson and Swetha Arkala): Independent Contractors working remotely. Responsible for testing all newly developed software before user testing. Provides consistent practices and documentation to ensure alignment with system requirements. Partners with the Development team to identify and resolve bugs and failures before release.

• Database Administrator (Independent Contractor: Bryan Classen): Independent Contractor working remotely. Monitors the functional state of all ResortCom databases and underlying data. Provides detailed analysis of database functions. Leads vendors in analyzing and resolving problems. Coordinates with ResortCom employees to identify and resolve data problems and inconsistencies. Partners with Development to ensure database functions for new technology.

• Developers (Independent Contractors: Brian Girard, Michael Wilson, Masaki Fujimoto, Oscar Guerra, Richard Hamilton, Ningpu Yu, Robert Coker, Marta Rodriguez): Independent Contractors working remotely. Responsible for the development, release, and support of new enterprise application functions, including ResortConnect, the Reservation Site, and payment systems. This highly-engaged team partners directly with IT and business function leaders to constantly improve systems and release new services and functions.

3. What changes and challenges do you anticipate in your department moving forward?

A: The Infrastructure team personnel changed considerably in the last year, with only two employees with us over one year. 2023 challenges for this team include ensuring ongoing support and uptime for Avaya until it can be replaced, staying ahead of internal moves and organizational changes, and remaining aligned with changes Microsoft is deploying to licensing and security plans in 2023 and 2024.

Application Support changes include new technologies, and deployment of new services to clients. Application Support challenges include new technology as soon as it is released, onboarding new client services and credentials, and building new processes to support these changes.

Application Development recently added a Business Analyst (Melissa), and four new ICs. Organizational challenges for this team in 2023 include process improvements as we refine our Software Development Life Cycle and Agile methodologies, and building scalable requirements gathering processes to improve development efficiency.

4. Provide an overview of your department’s main projects. What are a few main projects the team accomplished coming into 2023 and what are the main focuses now?

A: Infrastructure

Infrastructure completed many projects in the 1^st half of 2023, including:

•  Facilities issues (PA, 6840 Bermuda network, cameras, 6850 door)
•  Improved standards for company equipment
• Created the ResortCom Technology Disaster Recovery plan
• Standardized SSL usage and renewal for many disparate systems
• Migrated all supported internet DNS services to a new provider (Cloudflare)
•  Deployed muffling software to Guadalajara workstations
•  Migrated all company mobile phones from T-Mobile to Verizon
• Deployed Single Sign On (SSO) for Office 365 and Active Directory (computer and email)

Infrastructure is tasked with deployment of a new Service Desk ticketing solution in 2023, but the largest infrastructure project for the next 18 months is migration from Avaya to Genesys. With recent, unanimous agreement from company stakeholders to transition to Genesys in 2024, Infrastructure tasks for the last half of 2023 will include scoping the transition requirements and building up the technical solution to support our expectations.

Development

Development has already released many bug fixes and changes in 2023. In addition, several highly complex projects were released already, including:

• Pre-check automation
• Wallet payment & wallet automation API
• Contract import API updates
• Ability to block Resort 26 VDP Cancun club time (to be released this week)

As well as the operational and procedural goals above, Development is focused on the following new technology enhancements in 2023:

July / August 2023

• Associated Loans 
• Contactless Payment

By December 2023

• Reservation Modification
• Options enhancements
• Support for ACH & 3DS payment systems

5. How does your team have fun together to keep each other motivated in the work you do?

A: The IT team communicates daily in a group Teams thread and often in person to discuss outages, new events, new technology, company changes, or sometimes share jokes. Because this engagement is mostly focused on work, we meet to play table games once a month, and we have a monthly IT breakfast, as well.

We are overdue for 2023, but IT will occasionally go off site for team building events, which have included dinner, Happy Hour, etc. Our last outing at Pinot’s Palette was fun, and most of us (including the VP of IT) keep the paintings in our office, now.

For this month's schedule and updates please visit: https://resortcom1.sharepoint.com/sites/ResortComCultureChampions

Once you visit this new page for your first time, please kindly click the "Request Access" button. Once your request is received, a Champion will grant you access to view the page.

If you have any suggestions please reach out to the Champions at culturechampions@resortcom.com. We love hearing from you.

Muchas gracias Ana Sabrina! You are an asset to your company; you listened and you helped me modify my reservations! - Anna M.

Dealing with Branko is always a pleasure. He is very knowledgeable and precise with his dialogue; you should be proud to have him. - David O.

Nidia was knowledgeable and very pleasant. She made the exchange fun and very helpful! - Evan J.

Thank you, Mario, for making it quick and easy, and for sharing your follow-up information! - Helen H.

Lucila is WONDERFUL! Extremely personable and helpful. I usually prefer to do things online but having now spoken with Lucila, I will happily call her for assistance with reservations, questions, etc. If all agents are as knowledgeable and pleasant as Lucila, you have a great team! And that makes me even more confident in my decision to buy into the Villa vacation program. - Catherine M.

Martha was my agent and I really appreciate her help! She went above and beyond to help with my needs. She was able to provide me different recommendations based on my situation. I am so grateful I got her because she made it a great experience and her help and accommodations were extremely helpful. I truly appreciate her! - Maribel S.

Veronica De La Paz was great!!! She is an asset to your organization. Professional, pleasant and took great care of me! - Beverly J.

Vera is an outstanding representative for your company. She is always professional, pleasant and extremely knowledgeable. It is an absolute pleasure to deal with her. - Joseph D.

Karen did a great job! She was very pleasant and great to work with. - Roger M.

Ana was the best agent I have ever spoken with at your company. Quick and helpful - Ralph A.

Anel was terrific and very helpful. - Brenda V.

The agent's name was Itzel and she was excellent. - Wayne S.

Thank you to Salvador for providing me with a smooth booking for my family's vacation. He was very knowledgeable and very polite. - Oralia V.

Zdenka was wonderful to speak with. Very friendly and helpful. - William L.

My agent's name was Katia and she was extremely helpful, informative, and able to process my request while I was on the phone. OUTSTANDING customer service. - Leo H.

Martha was knowledgeable about the system and provided excellent customer service. - Cecile I.

We have dealt with Silvia a number of times. She is friendly, knowledgeable and provides excellent service. - Daniel J.

Isabel Gomez-Tena - 7/03

Ashley Moya - 7/04

Andre Rutherford - 7/04

Andrea Tabares - 7/07

Jay Mahant - 7/08

Danitza Madrigal - 7/12

Samantha Johnson - 7/12

Felipe Bojorquez - 7/15

Stephan Almodovar - 7/17

Francisco Morales - 7/17

Yesenia Ramirez - 7/17

Karina Varela - 7/18

Maria Narvaez - 7/19

Marisol Estrada - 7/19

Maria Valdez - 7/20

Jaylene Lemus - 7/21

Cynthia Moncrief - 7/21

Danielle Settles - 7/21

Lionel Long - 7/23

Timothy Ingram - 7/24

Ana Duran - 7/26

Xiomara Ramirez - 7/26

Darrick Cunningham - 7/28

Erin Miller - 7/28

Arizbe Mendoza - 7/30

Xenia Alexa Martinez Sanchez - 7/30

Rosa Ornelas - 7/31

Jason Harr - 11 years

Yesenia Ramirez - 10 years

Patricia Cunningham - 7 years

Francisco Rodriguez- 7 years

Stephanie Avendano -

6 years

Megan Bertalot - 5 years

Jennifer Lee-Hooker -

4 years

Isabel Gomez-Tena -

2 years

Matthew Brenes - 1 year

Damaris Perez - 1 year

Papy Lombi - 1 year

Jesus Baez - 1 year

Adora Fiaseu - 1 year

Ellen Melton - 1 year

Nathan Perez - 1 year

Comp Week Reminder

You can find the Comp week request form in your Employee Self-Service. Once there, click on the documents section. From there, you will go to completed documents and search "comp week request".

July - Heat Safety

Blueberry, Thyme & Sweet Cream Ice Pops

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups frozen Maine blueberries
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped (about 2 tablespoons chopped)
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Special equipment: Four 4-ounce ice-pop molds or six 3-ounce molds, 4 or 6 ice-pop sticks

Instructions

1. Take the berries out of the freezer to thaw. Bring the milk, 1/4 cup water, sugar, thyme and a pinch of salt to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Let cool completely at room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
2. Put 2 cups of the blueberries and the lemon juice in a blender. Strain the cooled milk mixture into the blender, pressing on it with a wooden spoon to extract as much flavor from the thyme as possible; discard the thyme. Puree the blueberry mixture until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender partway through if needed. Transfer the mixture to a large liquid measuring cup with a pouring spout. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup blueberries.
3. Pour the mixture into the ice-pop molds, leaving at least 1/4 inch of space at the top (the mixture will expand). Insert the sticks. Freeze until solid, 5 hours overnight. Unmold, and enjoy immediately.



Recipe Credit: Food Network