Experience

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  Cedar Fair Entertainment Company

  • Consultant/ Owner's Project Manager

    • Jun 2017 - Jan 2020

    Cedar Fair developed a SpringHill Suites franchise hotel at its Carowinds Amusement Park in Charlotte, NC. The property opened in November 2019. Susan served as Owner's Rep, overseeing the AEC teams.

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  Loews Hotels

  • Consultant/ Project Executive, Loews Hotels

    • Jul 2015 - May 2017

    Loews Hotels developed a 458 key, dual-branded hotel project in Houston through complete construction documents - and then put the project on hold for reconsideration of the market and their branding strategy. Susan managed the A/E/C and Construction teams to accomplish the scope and cost objectives established by Loews.

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  Cedar Fair Entertainment Company

  • Sandusky, Ohio

  • Consultant/ Owner's Rep, Hotel Project Management

    • Feb 2013 - Jul 2015
    • Sandusky, Ohio

    This industry-leading chain of amusement parks headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio, has a small portfolio of hotels, including "Hotel Breakers"​ (first opened in 1905) at its Cedar Point flagship park. '​As Owner's Rep and Project Manager, we completed two two phases of winter, off-season renovations and additions for Park opening May 9, 2015 - on time and on budget, with the client very pleased with the final "fun and fresh"​ 511 keys, new roofs and facades, renovated public space and site. The original 1905 five-storey, wood frame rotunda is back to the architectural highlight it is; a new porte cochere and clarified circulation highlights the hotel's position right on one of the largest beaches on Lake Erie. I managed all the design and construction resources, including the key players, GSB Inc, Architects, and John G. Johnson Construction Company.

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  Loews Hotels

  • Orlando, FL

  • Interim Project Manager - Portofino Bay Hotel Renovations

    • Sep 2012 - Jan 2013
    • Orlando, FL

    As an interim PM at this Loews/Universal Studios property, served as on-site project manager for construction and install of a 750 guestroom renovation, as well as for an ongoing waterproofing facade restoration of the distinctive theme design.

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  Tourism Development & Investment Company

  • Abu Dhabi, UAE

  • Senior Director - Operations; Director - Special Projects

    • Oct 2009 - Oct 2011
    • Abu Dhabi, UAE

    www.tdic.aeAs a direct report to the CEO's I have held assignments to achieve turnaround improvements in department management of this rapidly growing development company, including Construction Delivery, Design Management, Information & Communications Technology, the Saadiyat Management Organisation, and Operations. The role in Operations involved responsibility for over half of TDIC’s total staff and included asset management of third party operators (Anantara, Troon Golf, Westin, St. Regis), direct management of specialty operations (facilities management, staff accommodations, Sir Bani Yas island operations, tourist activities, Hili Fun City amusement park, marine and aircraft services, fitness operations, and fleet operations), as well as planning for upcoming operations (property management – residential and retail). TDIC, created in 2006, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Tourist Authority, and a sovereign-owned enterprise of Abu Dhabi, with a new construction portfolio across significant museums, hotels and resorts, residential, retail, commercial, recreational, and infrastructure projects. In 2010 the bulk of the company’s projects progressed from Design into Delivery (construction) and in late 2011 that majority progressed into Operations. I collaborated with a senior executive team of about twelve, across all disciplines. At the peak the company’s total staff spaned 57 nationalities.

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  Kary Project Management

  • Bethesda, MD

  • Principal

    • Jul 1999 - Oct 2009
    • Bethesda, MD

    A number of consulting assignments in facilities, project management, and organization development.Residential development project renovating 2500sf of 1951 house and adding 2500sf of 2007 additions; Bethesda, MD

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  The Universities of Maryland at Shady Grove

  • Rockville, MD, USA

  • Adjunct Lecturer

    • Jan 2008 - May 2009
    • Rockville, MD, USA

    Course Instructor, “Hospitality Facilities, Operation, and Maintenance” in the Hotel and Restaurant Management program for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; teaching a subject area I know well, this is a required course in the degree program.

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  Marriott International

  • Bethesda, Maryland, USA

  • Senior Vice President, Lodging Engineering; VP, Lodging Engineering; VP, Hotel Engineering

    • Jun 1993 - Jun 1999
    • Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    See also Marriott Corporation (January 1980 to December 1990) – 17 years altogetherI was the staff executive responsible for the engineering discipline - facilities management/operating engineering as well as Mechanical/Electrical “design” engineering. In 1999 Marriott had a portfolio of 1700 properties, including over 900 company-managed properties, then the largest hotel operator in the US and second largest in the world. Managed-property expenditures on facilities (repair & maintenance; heat, light, and power; renovations, but not including franchised properties) totaled about $2 billion annually and an engineering staff over 3000. The corporate staff represented a $2 million annual budget and staff of 20.

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  Regent Hotels & Resorts

  • New York, NY, USA

  • Project Manager

    • Jan 1991 - Aug 1992
    • New York, NY, USA

    The Regent New York, 55 East 55th StreetHere, I was the hotel operator's construction site project manager for a 372 key deluxe-tier/five star hotel built in Manhattan, responsible for operator's input and approvals. The entire company was acquired by - and the hotel opened as a - Four Seasons in late 1992. The project owner was EIE, a Tokyo concern, with oversight from the Long Term Credit Bank of Japan; the Architect was Pei, Cobb, Freed; the construction manager was Tishman.

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  Marriott Corporation, Inc.

  • Bethesda, MD, USA

  • Vice President Product Management and Product Executive; and prior

    • Jan 1980 - Dec 1990
    • Bethesda, MD, USA

    VP, Product Management, and Product Executive; Marriott Hotels, Resorts and Suites, U.S., March 1988 to December 1990 - liaison executive responsible for all Architecture and Construction services for all (about 60) US new construction MHRS Director Technical Services, December 1984 to March 1988 - including department management of Architecture, Design Management, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, and Telecommunications, responsible for design of new construction and renovations for hotels and senior living communities; staff of 90. Director, Design Management, February 1981 to December 1984 - design services project management responsibility for about one third of the Marriott hotels being built in the United States (portfolio of about fifteen hotels at a time) with a team of fiveDesign Manager (Senior Project Coordinator), January 1980 to February 1981 - project management responsibility for design services on new hotel construction projects (about three projects in construction phase and six in feasibility through construction documents phases)

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  Various private practice architectural firms

  • Silver Spring, MD; Washingon, DC.; Syracuse, NY

  • Project Architect, Architect, Intern Architect

    • Jun 1971 - Dec 1979
    • Silver Spring, MD; Washingon, DC.; Syracuse, NY

    Wilmot, Bower & Quinlan; Silver Spring, Maryland - Project Architect, Architect on two major hospital renovations & additions projects; 1978-1979Elliott & Associates; Silver Spring, Maryland – Architect on church projects; 1978OKE, Inc. (Orofino, Kilsheimer, & Ellenbogen); Silver Spring, Maryland - Architect, Intern Architect on office, laboratory, and institutional projects, including a synagogue; 1975-1978CHHKK (Cohen, Haft, Holtz, Kerxton & Karabekir); Silver Spring, Maryland – Intern Architect on residential projects; 1973-1975Faulkner, Fryer & Vanderpool, Washington, DC, USA - Project assistant/ draftsman on zoological park and hospital projects; summers 1971,1972Schumm & Werle, ASLA, Syracuse, New York, USA – Project assistant/ draftsman in a landscape architecture firm on a variety of parks and building landscapes; part time1972-1973