I am an engaged ISPA member! I joined the spa industry in 2006, and thanks to the many ISPA resources, I have thoroughly enjoyed being the Big Cedar Lodge Spa manager since 2007. By utilizing my membership to the fullest, I have gained a treasure chest of helpful information and tips. The Certified Spa Supervisor program, annual ISPA Conference& Expo and monthly Snapshot Surveys are all resources that have helped me to run our spa more profitably and smoothly. Summary information from the Snapshot Surveys continuously gives me new ideas, helps me track our success with our peers in the industry, and gives me discussion topics for our quarterly staff meetings…and thanks to my monthly submissions I received a free ticket to the 2012 ISPA Conference & Expo Sunday Masters Session this year!
My most recent addition to our resources was the Financial Management for Spas book. While I have had accounting-based positions in the past, the detailed exhibits and explanations combined with the story-section at the opening of each chapter, helps me to converse with our general manager and controller competently.
We are building a new spa in 2013, so at this year’s ISPA Conference & Expo I selected relevant Professional Development Sessions and met with many vendors who can help us ramp up quickly when the new building is complete! While attending Conference, I also took the opportunity to invite a first-time attendee to join me for some of the sessions and breaks so that she would feel more welcome and so I could answer her questions – that first ISPA Conference experience can be overwhelming.
This Thanksgiving season, I am thankful for all the great help ISPA has provided me and our spa and feel grateful for the viable connections I have made through the years.
Barbara Reffitt- ISPA Member
Spa Manager at Big Cedar Lodge
