Eighteen years ago, Andrea Sweeting was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. The very next month, she had surgery. She accepted the challenge this illness brought to her and just like everything else in her life, she found a way to thank God for it. Andrea lives by the words of Helen Keller, “I thank God for my handicaps, for through them, I found myself, my work and my God.”
In March 2002, just three months after her diagnosis, Andrea joined the Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group as the Secretary – a position she held for three years. She then accepted the position of President for which she still holds to this day. Through her tireless work and efforts to educate Bahamian society on this dreaded disease, she was awarded the ‘2016 Bahamian Icon Award for Outstanding Achievement in Humanitarianism.’ For Andrea, her efforts are a “Labour of love” and she expressed gratitude and humility for this distinguished recognition by her peers.
Andrea was born in Nassau on February 7th, 1949 to the proud parents of John Thomas and Constance (néeLotmore) Knowles. She is the eldest of seven siblings made up of four sisters, Vernay, Valderine, Chrystal and Julieth along with three brothers, Anthony, Charles and Roscoe – all of whom were raised in a loving home on East Street hill opposite the police barracks.
On July 12th, 1965, Andrea married a dashing, handsome Farm Roader, baseball pitcher, the late Franklyn Roosevelt Sweeting. This union produced four children: Frank Troy, Theodore Roosevelt, D’Andrea Simone and Feleipe Chet. She is the proud, doting grandmother of 11 grandchildren: Frankie, Lauren, Asia, Terae, Trae, Courtney, Asa, Aaron, Caitlyn, Tyler and Hunter, and three great-grandchildren: Diondre, Sebastian and Sven Luke.
Andrea’s early education was at Eastern Junior/Senior High School and St John’s College. She then went on to work in the banking industry for over 17 years, rising through the ranks from a teller to a Branch Manager. Through hard work and dedication, she was awarded Citibank’s first ‘Service Excellence Award.’
In 1991, Andrea changed career paths and moved into the tourism industry where she worked at Comfort Suites Paradise Island Hotel. She started as a switchboard operator at Comfort Suites when they first opened their doors. She was soon promoted to an Accounts Assistant and in 1994, she accepted the challenge offered to take on the job of Executive Housekeeper. Knowing very little about this new position, Andrea made up her mind to learn from her employees with hands-on experience and on many occasions, found herself working side by side with them. She felt that if she could understand what challenges her team faced, she could better assist them as a manager while making her department stronger in the process. She knew this approach bonded the manager/staff relationship, which made motivating her staff to offer the best service to their guests an almost seamless task.
Under Andrea’s leadership, the property won Choice Hotel’s distinguished award of ‘International Hotel of the Year’ for several consecutive years. For the year 1999-2000, Andrea was recognized as one of tourism’s finest and captured the coveted ‘Cacique Award’ for ‘Manager of the Year’ for her positive contributions to the industry.
Andrea went on to serve as an external Assessor for The Bahamas Hotel Training College for the Certified Hospitality Industry Professional (CHIP) program. She also assisted with training at the College of the Bahamas in basic housekeeping courses for janitors from the Public HospitalsAuthority.
After retiring from Comfort Suites, Andrea accepted an invitation in 2013 from a family friend who asked if she would be willing to share her knowledge by assisting a recently established program called Talents Solutions. Talents Solutions is a new hospitality school assisting the National Training Agency (NTA) to train and prepare persons entering the housekeeping field, as well as offer refresher courses to those already employed within the industry. Each person receives a certificate upon completion and in some cases, assistance in the employment process. Andrea has found great pleasure in knowing she has again been able to assist her fellow Bahamians to offer better quality service in this field.
Additionally, as a longtime member of her beloved St. Agnes Parish, Andrea is a member of the Usher Board and an active member of the Anglican Christian Women group, where she held many positions including President from 1992–1994. She has faithfully attended the 7 am Sunday mass where her fellow parishioners are not just friends, but a part of her family!
Andrea continues her life of service with the understanding that everyone can be of service, but what makes one stand out more than another is commitment to the cause, showing compassion, concern, empathy and a genuine love for all people.