Founder, CEO & Hospitality Consultant

• Nov 2021 - Present

HospitalityRenu helps luxury leaders, boutique hotel and rental property owners to improve customer retention, brand affinity, profits, and cost savings by evolving and optimizing the experiences they provide. https://www.hospitalityrenu.com/Using my 20+ years of operational, technical and customer service experience within luxury hotels and resorts, I provide advisory services for hotel owners and their staff to tackle their toughest challenges and develop a hands-on strategy to achieve their business goalsOffering assessments, on-going advisory and hands-on implementation focusing on three core areas; elevating guest experiences, evolving employee experiences and optimizing business operations. Areas of expertise include: - Building Brand Loyalty and Advocacy- Improving Customer Perception- Increasing Retention and Spending- Bringing Valuable New Offers to Market- Improve Voice of the Employee (VoE)- Create More Authentic Employee Connections- Identify Leadership and Growth Opportunities- Enhance Team Building- Creating Effective Service Standards- Optimize Existing Platforms and Processes- Discovering New Value-Added Solutions- Capitalizing on Disruptive Change- Improving ROI and Identifying Unique Revenue StreamsIn addition to advisory services and task force support, I provide motivational talks and training as a certified keynote speaker and workshop facilitator. Topics include: - Finding and Keeping Top Talent- Creating Unique Reward/Incentive Programs- Elevating the Guest Experience- Guest Survey Programs- Employee Engagement and Experience- Creating High Performing Teams Show less

Hospitality Task Force Consultant

• Sep 2021 - Present

Hotel Task Force Consultant specializing in providing motivational and meaningful management in the absence of a permanent Senior Manager for luxury and boutique brands.As a highly experienced luxury hotel executive I provide strategic direction in distressed hotels to enhance and increase brand standards, training, direction, morale building, unity, and leadership direction. As well as supporting the recruitment of staff, management development, and day to day support to increase profitability, awareness, and reputation of both branded and non branded facilities. Areas of expertise include but are not limited to: - Front desk, room operations & housekeeping - Staff recruitment, team building & management training - Improving standards, brand awareness & reputation - Streamlining operations & increasing profitability- Authentic Guest Experience & Service Touch Points - Training, Growth & Development - Service Culture & Service Standards Available for Task Force assignments with minimal notice and the ability to engage necessary timelines spending on the needs and scope of the project. Show less

Front Office Supervisor

• Jul 2020 - Dec 2020

Guest Reception Manager

• Feb 2020 - Jul 2020

Created memorable guest and employee relationships in a short amount of time, which were shared across social media and the company’s internal platform used to monitor and enhance guest experiences. Responsible for all aspects of overseeing the Montage Deer Valley resort in the absence of senior management. Leveraged the Montage leadership training program to maximize operational collaboration with other guest experience leaders. Montage Deer Valley temporarily closed due to COVID-19.Montage Hotels & Resorts is an ultra-luxury hospitality management company designed to serve the affluent and discerning traveler and homeowner, featuring an artistic collection of distinctive hotels, resorts and residences. Located in the year-round community of Park City, Utah, less than ten minutes from Park City's celebrated Main Street, the resort features 220 guest rooms, suites and residences. Show less

Hospitality & Luxury Lifestyle Brand Advisor

• Sep 2011 - Dec 2020

Publishing articles, participating in podcasts, and working as ILHA commitee member on research and innovative vendor evaluations for the hotel industry. Publishing articles, participating in podcasts, and working as ILHA commitee member on research and innovative vendor evaluations for the hotel industry.

Assistant Rooms Operations Manager

• May 2018 - Jun 2019

Increased guest satisfaction scores 9.9% in 1Q 2019, surpassing benchmark. Influenced YOY increases in 3 KPIs. Boosted check-in experience by 1.7% year-over-year. Led a 20-member team in a 444-room property. Developed a graphical reporting suite for guest satisfaction trend analysis for continuous training and development of individual associates.

Front Desk Supervisor

• Jun 2017 - May 2018

Building on my two previous roles with Marriott, I assumed the role of Front Desk Supervisor at the Westchester Marriott.Working with an 18-member team, I help establish the foundation for a welcoming environment and refreshing experience in this 444-room property. On an average night, I oversee check-ins for 150 guests.Because my focus is our guests, I hit the ground running and have taken several initiatives that include:- Tackling the top 3 feedback items from guests and the leadership team to drive improvements in the 15/5 response, front desk staffing availability, and staff engagement.- Developing and submitting a detailed recommendation for a web-based QA tool that provides more efficient and real-time performance measurement capability.- Organizing the process and materials to streamline mobile check-in according to Marriott standards.- Creating templates for the weekly meeting agenda and for repeat guest room block requests.- Preparing a quick reference guide with frequently used POS codes to improve customer service tasks.The newly renovated Westchester Marriott is an ideal hotel destination for work and play, and is in the heart of New York's scenic Hudson River Valley near famous attractions including Sleepy Hollow and West Point. Show less

Courtyard by Marriott - Housekeeping Supervisor

• Jun 2015 - Jun 2017

I was selected to lead the 18-member housekeeping staff to deliver timely service for this 145-room property. I was responsible for ensuring guests enjoyed smooth, productive stays, as well as for managing inventory and supplies valued at $15,000.Projects I have spearheaded in this role include:- Standardizing room set up, cart inventory and linen room inventory control procedures.- Implementing best practices for laundry operations.- Overseeing equipment safety training and vendor performance evaluation.- Facilitating stronger communication between the housekeeping staff and the engineering staff. Show less

Courtyard by Marriott - Guest Services Representative Lead

• Mar 2013 - Jun 2015

As Guest Services Representative Lead, I brought to Marriott considerable leadership experience in guest relations, operations, and team development. Along with my six-member team, I served as the main contact for guests to ensure their stays were pleasant and comfortable.In this role, I organized, confirmed, processed and conducted all guest check-ins and check-outs, and handled room reservations, requests, changes and cancellations. Always looking for ways to improve service, I led several initiatives that led to long-term sustainability, growth and improvement for Marriot. These include:- Designing a food and beverage pairing template for weekly promotions- Developing and implementing the LiquidSpace Meeting platform- Partnering with the Housekeeping Supervisor to improve pre-3 pm room readiness, improving overall readiness by 66 percent. - Championing KPI, analyzing data, and coaching leaders and associates to improve guest satisfaction survey scores; as a result of these efforts, we achieved a personal average of 9.1 in 62 surveys.While our team improved in several key metrics, a more memorable result was the delight I helped bring a family by locating and replacing an especially meaningful lost toy. Show less

Courtyard by Marriott - Guest Service Representative

• Mar 2013 - Mar 2014

In this role, I provided high-level guest services for business travelers and leisure guests. I was entrusted to:- Ensure all guest arrivals and departures were welcoming and caring.- Resolve all guest calls, requests or opportunities at first contact.- Work directly with the leadership team to carry out all directives and new standards.- Assist the Front Desk Supervisor with tracking and reporting Guest Services Scores.- Oversee the "Guest Service Go Board" for meeting updates/overall communication.- Ensure all arrivals and reservations were accurate and adjusted to proper rate codes on arrivals.- Provide hotel tours for potential guests looking for room nights or meeting space.- Handle all cash transactions at the front desk.- Run daily reports and update guest profiles as needed for payments and information.- Report incidents and unsafe conditions to the leadership team. Show less

Corporate Career Mentor

• 2011 - 2013

I take deep pride in serving as a Career Mentor for undergraduate and graduate students, equipping them with the necessary skills, perspective and resources for a sustainable and positive occupational future. Responsibilities as a career mentor include: • Providing custom support for students on topics including interviewing, networking, career branding, value proposition development, and career campaign skills • Participating in monthly discussion panels for large-group meetings. • Coordinating with the program architect to develop company branding initiatives Show less

Community Consultant

• 2010 - 2011

In this role, I was responsible for leasing apartments with a unique focus on quality customer service for current and prospective residents. I played an integral role in resolving customer issues and served as a liaison to maintenance, helping create monthly themes to enhance residents’ overall experiences. Key responsibilities and tasks included: • Marketing and leasing apartments in a 306-unit community • Attracting new business and promoting lease renewals by developing "Meet and Greet" events for residents to attend • Resolving ongoing customer service issues in a timely fashion • Creating monthly themes to focus on luxury lifestyle experience and encourage resident loyalty, with constant attention to quality customer service. • Working independently to make decisions that supported management philosophy while assuring residents of the value and rationale of management policies. Show less

Front End Operations Supervisor, Membership Supervisor, Team Leader

• 2004 - 2010

I take pride in my experience as Front End Operations Supervisor at Costco, having experienced a rapid promotion after a series of increasingly responsible positions. In this role, I was responsible for single-handedly leading, training, advising, and developing employees for this 88,000-member club, contributing to 14% annual growth. Notable achievements and contributions in this role include: • Leading, training, advising and developing a 10-member team • Launching a premium membership training program that delivered 553 sales in a two-week blitz • Maintaining customer service levels at all-time high, placing 6th in NE region of 18 locations • Increasing new account sales by 11% YOY after completing a two-week AMEX co-brand program • Led department during staff shortage for five months, including busy holiday season Show less

General Manager

• 2002 - 2004

As General Manager of Town Sports International, I was responsible for leading club operations, sales and fitness to develop and sustain the club environment and support the TSI mission, values, and guiding principles. In this role, I was honored with the "New Associate Manager Award" for operating a successful club in my first year.Notable achievements and recognitions include:• Generating $1,800 in new member sales during the club's grand opening • Increasing membership by 68% in 15 months• Achieving profit goals by 115% by exceeding multiple profit center targets for 11 consecutive months• Recruiting, hiring, developing, and managing a 25-member team.• Decreasing monthly complaints from 10 to 1 by implementing a proactive approach to situation resolution Show less

Regional Human Resources Manager

• 2000 - 2002

In this role, I was handpicked to manage key HR functions as well as advise, support, and train managers and their support staffs for 34 regional locations.Notable achievements and recognitions include:• Growing regional staff 15% in two years by coordinating 20 college and professional job fairs annually• Updating the orientation manual and creating a competitive internship program in order to streamline the hiring process for general managers• Managing recruiting, hiring, training, coaching, and counseling programs for club managers and staff Show less

General Manager

• 1997 - 2000

As General Manager, I was responsible for efficiently managing a 22,000 square foot athletic facility with 1,500 members and 34 staff.I take pride in my contributions and the key improvements I helped make for this facility, including:• Exceeding sales quota by 150% by introducing a competitive member retention program during major club expansion• Administering P&L, new member sales, and member retention initiatives

Landmark Athletic Club - Director of Operations

• 1996 - 1997

Acquired by Town Sports International in 1997, I was responsible for full P&L accountability for operations, sales, customer service, hiring, training, and development.As Director of Operations, I helped Landmark Athletic Club:• Reduce monthly expenses by 15% by optimizing inventory control procedures• Initiate continuous operations improvements that lowered operating costs by 30%• Brand its club name within the community by inviting guest speakers to attend club functions Show less

Sports Center Director | Safety Coordinator | Manager on Duty - weekend rotation

• Mar 1986 - Jun 1996

In the 10 years I served Dolce Hotels and Resorts, I helped spearhead the following improvements and transformations: • Managed and coordinated the build-out of a multi-million dollar fitness center to address hotel conference requirements; this fitness center increased gross profits by 35% YOY • Initiated continuous operations improvements that lowered operating costs by 30% • Developed private outing programs for high-level clientele at private country clubs • Created and implemented safety administration programs to ensure compliance with state and local health department standards, and insurance regulations. • Studied labor relations and participated with management to avoid unions within our operations • Designed and operated a full-service gift shop in conjunction with local historical groups to increase participations and profits for both groups • Coordinated with Fortune 100/500 companies to facilitate recreation and wellness programs Show less