Mimi Jadick Wins Tourism & Hospitality Employee of the Year Award in Attractions!

The award was presented by the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau

We love all of our employees at Florida Water Tours, and feel so lucky to be able to work each day with a passionate and reliable crew. We feel especially honored to announce that one of our very own —  Captain Maryanne “Mimi” Jadick — was chosen as the St. Johns County 2024 Tourism and Hospitality Employee of the Year for Attractions! Whether you know her as Mimi, Maryanne or Captain, you know her by her warm smile and welcoming disposition. She’s someone who exemplifies genuine hospitality; someone reliable, generous, kind and sociable. She makes a great tourism employee, and we’re thrilled to celebrate her with this award. 

Mimi has been with Florida Water Tours since 2021, and is an integral part of the team as a Customer Service Representative and Bartender. She’s a favorite with our guests, who rave about how welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable she is. Plus, she’s received hundreds of thanks in online praise and reviews for making our passengers’ experiences so memorable. She recently received her Master Mariner, or Captain, license, which required hours of coursework, a multi-part examination and hundreds of hours on the water. She also serves as an active Board Member for our nonprofit Florida Water Warriors, where we bring students out on the water to learn about the environment, conservation and preservation. It’s a passion she’s held for years, as she’s long supported organizations that provide guidance for children of all ages, in education and social and emotional development. Long before she came to Florida Water Tours, she became a nurse, a profession she’s been dedicated to since 1996, when she became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She became a Registered Nurse (RN) in 2007 and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2018. She has served as a Correctional Nurse for 21 years — and continues to work to provide healthcare to local inmates. Her constant dedication to others is an inspiration to all who know her, as is her zest for life and learning.

“I’m incredibly honored to receive the Tourism Employee of the Year award, but it truly reflects the collective effort of our entire team,” shares Mimi. “I couldn’t do what I do without the support of everyone at the company — we lift each other up every day. I’m also so grateful for the constant encouragement from my two sons and daughters-in-law, and for getting to work in such a positive, inspiring environment. It really is the best.” Mimi was presented the award by Susan Phillips, President and CEO of the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau (VCB), and Charlie Robles from The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens and Chairman of the Board of the VCB. She received the award with her sons, Captain Mike Jadick and Captain Kevin Jadick. Her daughters-in-law were also in attendance, Florida Water Tours’ owner, Jessica Jadick (Mike’s wife), and Florida Water Warriors Educational Director and Lead Educator, Kristie Jadick (Kevin’s wife).

When Mimi isn’t captaining one of our vessels, she enjoys spending time with her family and her adorable grandchildren. Help us celebrate Mimi and congratulate her on this incredible award!