The first thing Bryan Padron does when he gets to work is make sure the staff rooms are stocked with coffee and tea. This may seem like a small task, but it can be an important one for morning morale—it helps start our days on good footing! And it’s an act which embodies our values: to care for the details. As our Human Resources Administrator, Bryan supports our team in a number of ways, and his attentive nature has made his advance into the position (he was formerly a host at The Pointe) an organic one.

In April it will be two years since Bryan moved to Tofino, making him relatively new to town, but his move from New Westminster (BC)—a place with a “small-town vibe”—means he has an innate sense of building community with neighbours and friends. He’s truly taken to the area and loves having nature as his backyard.

Growing up on the mainland, Bryan was always keen to hike the nearby mountains or spend a day at the lake. This has translated well to his life on the west coast, there’s plenty of adventure here! And he’s making the most of it. Full days with no commitments are his favourite, and, when he’s off the clock, Bryan goes camping or finds isolated “getaways” down one of the winding logging roads around Kennedy Lake.

Like others drawn to the coast, Bryan is an avid surfer and tries to get in the water as much as possible. He’ll surf before and after work if conditions allow, and most of his holidays are focussed around a wave destination, from the forestry roads of Vancouver Island to the high rises of Australia’s Gold Coast. He has an informal goal to surf every continent in the world (he’s got three checked off already), and loves everything about the sport: the dynamic athleticism, the meditative aspect and the way you can harness the ocean’s incredible energy with just a board and a (sometimes thick!) wetsuit on.

Back on land, Bryan is an avid hiker. His favourite was a 32-day trek through the Himalayas in Nepal, but he’s just as eager to get out to Vancouver Island’s summits like King’s Peak or Mount Arrowsmith. Because of his time spent outside exploring, Bryan says his friends often ask him about adventures to go on and wilderness survival advice—something he’s happy to give! (He’s also known to lend friends a hand with taxes and financial advice due to his background in business administration.)

Living in Tofino has definitely upped Bryan’s amount of ocean time, and all that fresh air in his lungs helps keep things in balance. With a job that requires so much interaction, Bryan says he uses a daily practice “to draw my attention to my mood and state of mind to make sure I’m as receptive, positive and helpful as possible to employees seeking my assistance.” He says taking moments to step outside and away from a problem is the best way to get inspired and back at it again.

Bryan is a wonderful addition to the team at the Wickaninnish Inn, and we’re happy to be a part of his vocational path and experience. As he looks towards the future, continuing to surf and progress his abilities is absolutely on Bryan’s radar, as is more travel. But for now his goal is to read Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment—no small accomplishment in itself!