Experience

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  Sonesta Hotels

  • Chicago

  • Area Director of Sales & Marketing

    • Oct 2023 - Present
    • Chicago

    Proudly representing The Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown, The Royal Sonesta Chicago River North and The Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel Chicago.

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  Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago

  • Chicago, Illinois, United States

  • Director of Sales & Marketing

    • 2021 - Oct 2023
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States

    The Radisson Blu Aqua Chicago is a 334 room hotel boasting 28,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. Opened in 2011, the hotel is located just off Millennium Park on Columbus Drive, is perfectly situated just steps from Michigan Avenue, Millennium Park and Navy Pier. The first Radisson Blu in the United States offers an innovative new standard for upscale accommodations in Chicago.The hotel has both indoor and outdoor pools, an 8,000 sq. ft health club with basketball and saunas.Our Fire Lake grill serves breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as room service.The outdoor pool and terrace is open seasonally where you can stroll in the manicured 80,000 sq. ft. modern lifestyle garden with a 1/5 mile running track. The terrace also has a sundeck, outdoor kid's splash pool, fire pit, cabanas and a hot tub for even more relaxation.

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  Hyatt Hotels Corporation

  • United States
  • Hospitality
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Vice President - Select Sales

    • 2014 - 2020

    Delivered executive-level orientation and guidance to the workforces of sales operations and 14 top-quality associates in sales oversight (RVPs) to accelerate operational excellence. Provided DOS training (on-boarding, sales simulation, strength builders). Established franchise leadership orientation, sales advisory council, and company management forums to grow business and sales. Provided support in building a highly skilled and results-driven development team to obtain more potential customers and new hotels. Performed as a featured speaker at the brand symposiums to introduce the Hyatt Place / Hyatt House services within highly competitive markets. • Created a more successful and market-driven organization, increasing RevPAR Index and winning the STR in five consecutive years. • Developed and executed DOS Sales Summits in 2016 and 2018 for over 500 attendees. Earned 90+% excellent rating from all attendees for both summits.• Championed the launch of over 30 hotels annually in the Americas whilst winning RevPAR Index growth on equivalent hotels across 29 successive months. Brand growth of 185 hotels during tenure.• Steered efforts in launching the Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands by coordinating with EAME and ASPAC regions. Global consistency in sales administration led to improved RevPAR growth by 6% annually in LATAM, 8% in ASPAC, and 4% in EAME.• Ensured that training initiatives supported the corporate sales process and could be delivered virtually and in person. Averaged training over 240 sales professionals annually in person and hundreds virtually which led to improved performance.• Created new regions geographically for both managed and franchise hotels. Smaller regions led to more effective oversight and improved revenues, reducing T&E by 20% annually.

  • Vice President - Full Service Sales & Marketing

    • 2009 - 2014

    Held top-line revenue accountability for the design and enforcement of business development initiatives for 29 full-service hotels in the NE region, the highest EBITDA region globally. Orchestrated all top-line factors, including developing revenue strategies, organizational vision, and budgeting / goal setting to accomplish a high growth rate for the region. Conceptualized internal business growth plan and marketing activities by coordinating with the SVP of Operations, Regional Directors of Revenue Management, Field Marketing, and Catering & Convention Services to attain set objectives. Collaborated with revenue management leadership to monitor the staff performance to improve the production process. • Triggered annual top line revenue growth of 4 - 6% on $1.2 billion by implementing profit optimization strategy. Increased market share six consecutive years. Promoted 13 Directors of Sales in six years to larger hotels. Opened four new hotels during tenure.• Strengthened organizational position in the NE region, known as highest EBITDA region within the company, comprising 29 indirect reports.

  • Vice President Worldwide Sales / Executive Director of Sales - Transient

    • 2005 - 2009

    Managed and oversaw global sales team, 12 worldwide directors, and field sales / international inbound business with revenue of worth ~ $1 billion. Directed and mentored sales staff across each region to enhance sales and operational efficiency. Provided advisory support to the sales department with an emphasis on increasing transitory demand within the Hyatt brand. Developed and implemented Transient Sales Workshop (TSW) with team to educate property BTSMs and Corporate Travel Exchange (CTE), the organization’s top customer event. Effectively communicated and negotiated with key stakeholders of different market segments (corporate, agency, consortia & wholesale) for pricing. • Strengthened relationship focus on global accounts. Increased revenue 8% by deploying against fewer accounts, while maintaining the revenue from the smaller accounts. Developed Hyatt's Corporate Rate Program which grew to $30 million in revenue during tenure for those accounts not large enough for national account status.

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  Omni Hotels & Resorts

  • Chicago, Illinois

  • Director - Sales & Marketing / Area Director - Marketing

    • 2002 - 2005
    • Chicago, Illinois

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  Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

  • Chicago, Illinois

  • Executive Director, Transient Sales

    • 2001 - 2002
    • Chicago, Illinois

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  Wyndham International

  • Chicago, Illinois

  • Vice President - Business Travel

    • 1999 - 2001
    • Chicago, Illinois

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  Hilton Hotels Corporation

  • Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco

  • Managing Director - Worldwide Business Travel Sales / Director of Sales - National Accounts

    • 1988 - 1999
    • Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco

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  Hyatt Hotels Corporation

  • Indianapolis and New Orleans

  • Hyatt Regency Indianapolis & Hyatt Regency New Orleans

    • 1985 - 1988
    • Indianapolis and New Orleans