HE&R Team Members Share What Hispanic Heritage Month Means to Them

HHM_Stecha Cott

Meet Stecha, who began her HE&R career in 2021 as a part-time intern with the Hersheypark Entertainment Complex Food & Beverage team. Upon completion of college, Stecha transitioned into her current full-time role as Senior Supervisor of Food & Beverage Training, where she ensures team members are comfortable and prepared to serve guests at Hersheypark, Hersheypark Stadium, and GIANT Center. 

An active participant in HE&R’s MERGE (Multi-Ethnic Resource Group for Everyone) Employee Resource Group, Stecha appreciates the connections built from group events. “My favorite part [about working at HE&R] is the amount of people I meet all the time! I love being able to help my fellow team members and international employees.”

Stecha feels incredibly connected with international student participants in HE&R’s work and travel program. Stecha smiles and laughs about her career path, recalling, “Fun fact: I feel like our international students got me to where I am today!” During her internship, Stecha’s manager witnessed her excitedly leading a Park tour for a group of Dominican students and assisting them with transitioning to working at Hersheypark; the rest is sweet history! Stecha is also close with her family, sharing, “We are all very much Puerto Rican! We like to have fun, do a lot as a family, and eat a lot!” 

HHM_Alex Robertson

Meet Chef Alex, garde-manger chef at The Hotel Hershey, responsible for all cold food in banquet operations, The Oasis Lounge & Restaurant and Chef’s Market. Although Alex started in his current role in 2020, the spark for serving others through food preparation began at Hershey Lodge in 2008, where he worked the third shift supporting banquet operations in setup and arrangements. “Seeing the professional kitchens - loud, fast-paced with people moving everywhere - whoa! I felt the energy and wanted to be a part of that. I took it seriously and enrolled in culinary school.”   

A member of the Hershey community and father of three teenage children, Alex is just as busy as the kitchen in which he works! He is proud to share his Puerto Rican ancestry with his family, and has visited his abuela and his father’s side of the family in Puerto Rico on several occasions.  

For Alex, Hispanic Heritage Month “represents a vital occasion for acknowledging the remarkable contributions, history and culture of Hispanic communities. It serves as a bridge to connect people from various backgrounds, fostering a deeper appreciation for the vibrant traditions, art, language, and achievements that have enriched society today.”

HHM_Laura Wiest

Meet Laura who joined the HE&R team as Manager of Accounts Payable in 2022.  “When I saw the job opening, I was curious to find out more about HE&R. Then, when I found out more about Milton Hershey and [our] Core Values, I got very interested because I wanted to be involved in a greater mission than just working for a paycheck.” She laughs, “Accounting is cool, but accounts payable is FUN!” 

And Laura definitely knows something about fun, as she was a folklórico dancer for more than a decade, performing in the United States and many European countries. “Sharing dancing with people was fun and very satisfying for me - that people know more about [Mexian] traditions, like dance.” Having grown up in Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico, Laura came to the United States in 2001 and returns home as often as possible, noting, “I miss the food and family members!”   

For Laura, the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month assists in fostering mutual interest and appreciation for all cultural diversity. “Diversity in the workplace has helped me to feel acceptance of who I am and has opened my interest in learning other cultures and embracing them, too.”