AMAZING Associate Receives Dorney Park's Cornerstone Award

Dorney Park is very appreciative of every associate that works at the park. There are several programs we have in place to thank our associates including bonus pay programs, scholarships, and awards. One of those awards is the Cornerstone award, which recognizes extraordinary associates. The Cornerstone Award is only given to a select few associates who go above and beyond at work every day. It is one of the highest awards an associate can receive. The Cornerstone Award is given to associates who demonstrate and live our company’s values which are safety, service, cleanliness, and courtesy, all bound together by integrity. 

So far this year seven associates from all different departments have been bestowed with this award. I met up with one of the recipients, Cam Barham, to ask how he felt about being honored with the award.

JD: Tell me about your time working here at Dorney Park. 

CB: I started in 2019, and I was very excited to start as a guest representative in the admissions department. I’ve really learned a lot of good communication skills, which is something I’ve been building up since I’m a little bit more on the quiet side. I’ve definitely learned good cash handling skills as well as made good friends and learned a lot of good leadership skills. And I haven’t just learned from my supervisors and other associates around me, but other department supervisors as well. So, it really has shaped me to be the leader and person I am today. 

JD: What makes you come back to Dorney every year. 

CB: What makes me come back is the atmosphere. I really do like the people I am working with, so it’s always fun to come back and see them. But I also like providing guests with good service and seeing people be happy. I always see there is room for improvement and, like I said before, I am learning a lot from everybody. So, learning good communications skills, leadership skills, and things like that I can take away for future jobs after college. That’s kind of what makes me want to come back. 

JD: What does a leader mean to you? 

CB: A leader, to me, is someone who is willing to help out their entire team. Even though they are a leader, they are not just sitting back and watching things be done, they are jumping into the action and helping with things that need to get done. 

JD: Why do you think you were awarded the Cornerstone Award? 

CB: I think a big part of it is how I speak with and help out guests. With using those good communication skills I’ve gained, I’m able to interact with them well. I try to make sure I’m solving their problem whether we’re having some type of conversation, we’re providing them service, or we’re taking them places [in the park] to solve that problem. I really do help not only just the guests, but I also help out my team. I try to be a big team player, so I think that’s why I got it.  

JD: What does it mean to you to receive this award? 

CB: To me, receiving this award makes me feel that I am embodying all of the cornerstones in my work. It shows that I do demonstrate all of those characteristics and they are all being brought together. So, it makes me feel that I really am demonstrating those in different ways whether its helping guests, helping my associates, or helping my counterparts. I’m helping people in some way to make sure everyone is having a good time and things are getting done. 

JD: Do you have any advice to associates aspiring to receive the award in the future? 

CB: I would say, for associates who are trying to receive the award, you just need to be a kind and caring person. You need to help out your team and help out the guests to the best of your ability. Try to be the best that you can be. 

JD: How do you think having this award will impact your future here at the park or at a future career? 

CB: I think receiving this award will impact my future because it really is showing me that all the hard work and all the things, I am doing are benefiting people. For me this is kind of like a milestone, but I am going to continue to improve, do more, and help out, whether it’s in this job, another job, or just in general. I’m going to keep working on that to be even better than I am now. For a future career, I think with everything I am taking away from this job, especially with it being a big customer service job, it’s really helping me develop those good interpersonal skills, leadership skills, and cash handling skills that I will be able to use at any job. Having this award will help me when I’m looking for jobs after college. It will make me more of a desirable employee, because I have so many interpersonal skills that I can use in different positions. 

Cam Barham is thankful that he was chosen out of several associates for the Cornerstone Award. He feels rewarded for all the hard work he has done, and he is eager to work even harder. Cam started as a guest services representative, became a team lead in admissions, and is now an admissions area supervisor in just 3 short seasons. We are lucky to have Cam and associates like him on the Dorney Park Team. If you see Cam say hi, he would love to help you have the best day at Dorney Park.