Top Team Members | Betty Polonia | Bluegreen Resorts
As Accountant Supervisor for Bluegreen’s massive 745-unit Fountains Resort in Orlando, Betty Polonia is responsible for a complex accounting system that includes financial reporting for eight departments within four homeowner associations, representing approximately 216,000 Bluegreen Owners. This involves creating operating budgets and financial reporting plus ensuring that corporate requirements are completed in a timely manner. Betty also guides the reconciliation of all cash and credit card transactions and processing payroll on a daily basis for a workforce that includes about 150 employees. She leads two accounting coordinators, Maria Paret, in charge of F&B and Maria Hinson who handles HOA accounts payable duties.
“Since my first day at Bluegreen about three years ago,” recalls Betty, “I have learned that even though we deal with mountains of statistics and financial reports that our owners may never see, we can play an important role in creating wonderful memories by providing excellent customer services. I feel great joy when I read positive guest satisfaction comments after a guest’s stay at the Fountains. This lets me know we are doing our job.”
Betty and her team review monthly financials with department heads and senior management and support them in providing timely and effective management reporting and analytics, to ensure that variance explanations are well-documented and action plans are in place to improve results and planning and executive decision making.
This super high energy, talented lady also enjoys helping her team to achieve goals and the challenge that comes with special projects. Bluegreen has given her the opportunity to work in special projects outside of The Fountains. Last summer she was asked to support a new resort – “Eilan Resort” – located in San Antonio, Texas, helping to bring their new accounting department up to speed with corporate standards. Her exceptional efforts there earned Betty several special awards from within the company. She was also an ARDA award finalist in 2018.
“Betty displays drive, a sense of urgency and attention to detail like no other,” says her supervisor Kevin Grams, Accounting Manager, “Undaunted by a high work level, Betty plays an integral role in ensuring that procedures are followed per the Internal Audit standard operating procedures. Because of her personal efforts, Betty’s resort team continues to achieve superior ratings, which are among the highest within the largest tiers of company resorts.”
Betty and her team support HOA & F&B/Corporate Accounting, including but not limited to, all operation departments as Maintenance, Guest Services, Activities, Housekeeping and Laundry, and Human Resources Dept. She also provides support for external vendors and partners, association governance, Payroll, Legal, and Internal Audit.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Betty holds a Bachelors in accounting from Turabo University and is currently working towards her Masters in Forensic Accounting from Florida University in Boca Raton. Betty and her family are always looking for any activity they can do together. About seven years ago they decided to participate in 5K races and are now passionate about these events, where they participate as family. Now husband Pat Camilo, daughters, Kimberly and Patricia (age 8 and 17) and son Bryan (age 10) run and/or walk together as a family every year. “It’s great togetherness for the family and creates wonderful memories for our kids,” she adds.
Prior to joining the Bluegreen family, Betty provided financial support for Hotelbeds, overseeing financials reports and overhead expenses for more than nine international offices with thousands of hotel accounts around the world. Earlier, she worked as an office manager and in real estate for more than ten years.
Working in accounting is a precise field, requiring a thorough knowledge of the GAAP and Bluegreen SOPs controls which describe each segment of the work. With every challenge she has faced, she always found a way to deliver success!
