As every Las Vegas local knows, finding a great, well-paying job in Sin City is all about connections. Food service veteran James Page knows this better than anyone—cultivating relationships with supervisors and customers helped him land a spot as one of Cannery Casino & Hotel’s most beloved servers.

At Waverly’s, the North Las Vegas property’s high-end steakhouse, Page is a professional friend, making everyone from first-time diners to potential Cannery buyer James Packer feel relaxed and at home. His ease with patrons and years of experience inspired Cannery executives to lure Page from Station Casinos—though it helped that he knew several higher-ups at the property from his time as a banquet server at the Sands Expo Convention Center.

Page, a Pennsylvania native, moved to Las Vegas in 1979 at the behest of his father, who bought him a one-way plane ticket to the desert oasis. He started in the service industry at the Las Vegas Hilton via another connection: his brother.

Page has developed an impressive resume in the 30 years since he began at the Hilton, moving from restaurants to banquets to conventions and back. Along the way, he realized that his gift with people made intimate eateries a perfect fit for him.

“It took me a while to get back into relating to people because banquets can be so impersonal,” Page said. “You’re just throwing food down, attending to a buffet, and you rarely get to know the guests at the level we get to know our guests in here.”

With its cozy seating arrangement and warm lighting, the atmosphere at Waverly’s fosters close-knit relationships among its staff and patrons, and Page provides the personal touch that a locals’ casino like Cannery needs. He is the type of employee who bakes brownies for his colleagues and whom diners want to spend time with outside of Waverly’s.

“We get a lot of repeat guests and regulars, and it makes it so enjoyable to serve them,” Page said. “I’ve had them at my house, and at other houses I’ve attended parties where our restaurant guests are invited. They become our friends. That’s what I love about this place: It’s like your living room sometimes.”

When Waverly’s is packed with people, like on weekends and holidays, Page is a calming influence, striving to maintain a peaceful environment for on-the-go guests.

“Sometimes we do get busy and stressful, but it’s nothing like it used to be [as a banquet server],” Page said. “So there’s much less stress, and it’s more of an enjoyable work environment due to that. You can work at a nice, leisurely pace and make sure everything’s enjoyable. You have more time, if they’re so inclined, to converse with our guests. Just catch up and engage in a conversation.”

Those conversations and connections led Page to Waverly’s, and connections to customers, co-workers and Cannery executives keep him here.

“From the owners to the executives on down, it’s an intimate, family-type environment,” Page said. “I’ve waited on the owners; they’re just engaging individuals. It’s a really close-knit family, and I couldn’t say that more sincerely…they’re all hands-on, and it makes for a really enjoyable work environment.”

By Caitlin McGarry