Employee Spotlight: World Traveler
At M&IW, every day is an adventure and our culture at M&IW encourages us to take risks and embrace challenges. From each experience we grow, we learn, we teach. Carlos Sandoval, CMP is a Sr. Program Manager on our Global Operations Team who does just that! With a “come and get me attitude,” you might say he thrives on challenges.
Carlos enjoys his position at M&IW because he loves the sense of accomplishing a program. “There is nothing better than the look of awe on the faces of my clients and their attendees, he says. It makes everything worthwhile.”
Last year, Carlos won the award for the most miles travelled in a year. So, it was not easy, but I recently caught up with Carlos to learn more about him and his role with M&IW.
Q. What do you value most about M&IW and why?
Meetings & Incentives Worldwide values family. Jean, Tina and the Executive Leaders have an open-door policy and are always receptive to suggestions, recommendations, and feedback. But most of all, I am not just a “number” or one of many employees, I feel like part of a family that cares about one another.
Q. What’s the most interesting destination you’ve had a program at and why?
Istanbul, Turkey. The hustle and bustle of the city is so vibrant. Knowing that you are at the edge of the European continent, the culture, the sound of the mosques during praying time, the food, the Bosporus. It’s just an amazing city with great history, architecture, and grand hotels with services.
Q. Working at, on or while supporting an event what is a weird experience you’ve had?
I have had so many! My top two picks are getting stuck in a shower in Dubai during a site inspection and the other is waking up at 3:00 am with chocolate melted all over my back, I had forgotten housekeeping left chocolates on the pillows in the evening. After working an 18-hour day, removing pieces of chocolates from my pillows was the last thing on my mind, hence the chocolate covered back.
Q. Tell me about a huge win you’ve recently had.
Every day is a win…from having financials done, finishing a program successfully, getting 600 USB drives through customs in Peru without having them seized, ensuring that my kids eat their vegetables, finish their homework and stay away from fortnight. Huge client wins are getting a stolen passport back from the person (restaurant waitress) who stole it in Chile, to getting a client on top of a mule while we were at the bottom of a volcano in Ecuador. To me, these are all huge wins!
Q. What is a quirky fact about you that not many people know about you?
I love to draw animals. When I’m stressed out, I bite my fingers on my right hand only, my left hand is off-limits. Odd, I know, but you did ask about a quirky fact.
Q. What would you like to tell yourself at age 13?
Start backpacking throughout the world sooner rather than later, there is so much to see and do.
I would like to thank Carlos for not only taking the time to share his passion and a little bit about himself but for all he does each and every day as an M&IW Hospitality Hero. Information about M&IW careers can be found on our website careers page.