Danielle Knerr earned a series of rapid promotions and professional certifications leading to being named spa director for the Spa at the Norwich Inn in January 2010.
by Maren Schober
The story of Danielle Knerr is a modern day Cinderella story. Her steady rise to the position of Spa Director at The Spa At Norwich Inn begins in 1997 when Danielle joined The Spa as a night housekeeper. She did start with buckets, mops and dustpans! Danielle since earned a series of rapid promotions and professional certifications leading to being named spa director for the property in January 2010.
“I remember when I first applied for the position of housekeeper at night,” Danielle tells me. “It was to make extra money, of course, but also to have some sanity. With two three- year-old twins and a daughter who was six months old, I could not wait for my husband to get home so that I could leave and get to work! I new that I loved this property at the Norwich Inn from day one, but I would never have predicted these past thirteen years. It is both a professional and personal journey for me and I truly do thank the Spa at Norwich Inn for believing in me and encouraging me through these years. The best is yet to come!”
What does Danielle do as Spa Director? “I oversee more than 100 employees that include treatment staff and support staff. I am responsible for ensuring the financial success of the spa, creating new seasonal treatments, creating new spa packages, ensuring staff retention and guest retention and setting the example to provide the most outstanding customer service to our guests so that they want to come back to our spa time and time again.”
There are lots of things Danielle likes about her job. “I absolutely love seeing the transition of a guest from the moment they arrive to when they leave. They are like completely different people. I enjoy our guests, meeting their families and actually feeling like we are a part of their celebration. The staff feels like family to me. It is a great team and I am proud of them all.”
“At this time I am working with Laure Stevenson-Flom, who is the Executive Director at the ECHO Cancer Foundation. I launched the Fragile Client Program here at our Spa. Because of this program we are aware of the needs of our fragile guests before they arrive. We are moved by their courage and inspired by their spirit. We thank them for their trust and I can tell you personally, that it is an honor to serve them.”
Danielle balances her work with her home life. “I have a husband Karl, twin boys who are sixteen named Kristofer and Kevin and a daughter, who is 13, named Lauren. Without their continued support and constant help, I could not do what I do!”
John G. O’Shaughnessy, general manager, The Spa at Norwich Inn commends Danielle. “Danielle proves herself again and again over the years as a hard-working talented and loyal member of our management team. I am very proud of her.”
It sounds like Danielle is a great choice. Her statement about loving seeing the changes in the guests as they arrive and then when they leave tells me that she has a heart for people and helping to refresh them. That is the heart of a servant and it speaks to me about her character.