Family, friends, colleagues and many of the people who have been part of his story in Vejer joined James Stuart, CEO of Califa, for a particularly moving evening. Plaza de España provided the setting for a very special recognition, both for James Stuart and for everyone who has shared part of his journey in Vejer.
After his appointment as Vejeriego de Adopción had been announced several weeks earlier, the time had come to officially celebrate the recognition, surrounded by family, friends, colleagues and many familiar faces. Held as part of World Tourism Day, the ceremony began with an address by Dominika Paradiso, Councillor for Urban Planning and Land Management, Tourism, Housing and Green Policy, as well as Deputy Councillor for the Special Delegation for the Development of El Palmar.
A number of awards and recognitions were presented throughout the evening before reaching James’s, which brought this part of the ceremony to a close as the highest distinction of the day. In a particularly moving moment, Isabel Romero, Tourism Officer at Vejer Town Council, introduced the recognition with a few words about the relationship James has built with the town over all these years. Then came one of the most eagerly awaited moments of the evening: the presentation of his recognition as Vejeriego de Adopción.
Among those in the audience were some of the people who know this story best. James was joined by his wife, interior designer Ellie Cormié, his daughters María and Isabella, family, friends, members of the Califa team and Regli Álvarez, his business partner and companion in many of the projects that have shaped these decades of shared history.
A shared celebration
For the entire Califa team, it was also an opportunity to stand alongside James as he received a recognition that is inevitably connected to so many years of working together.
Some have been part of the project for decades, while others joined more recently. Different generations of a team who wanted to be there on such a significant evening.
From left to right: Encarni, Califa’s Head of Administration and the first employee to join the group; Ana Durán, Director of Operations; Suzana Serra, Head of Califa’s hotels in Vejer; and Paula González, Human Resources Officer.
The Mayor of Vejer, Antonio González Mellado, brought the official ceremony to a close before giving way to the music. And the person chosen to continue the celebration could hardly have been more closely connected to this story: Regli Álvarez, who performed with her band, Recalma.
Music, shared moments and the flavours of Califa
After the performance, the evening continued in a more relaxed atmosphere. Guests were able to enjoy a selection of dishes from Califa Express while family, friends, colleagues and local residents carried on celebrating and sharing memories.
It was the close of a day that was certainly marked by official recognition, but even more so by a sense of shared celebration. An evening that brought together many of the people who have been part of James’s life in Vejer, celebrating together a bond built over almost four decades.
And here we leave you with a video recap of a very special evening, filled with emotion and moments to remember.
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