Mary E. Cawley
917-***-**** **********@*****.*** https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycawley922/
Catering Sales ● Budgets ● Event Planning ● LGBT Certified ● Social Media ● Catering Sales ● Conferences Trade Shows ● Special Events ● Room Blocks ● CVent ● Client Relations ● Fundraising ● Donorship ● Conferences ● Meetings ● Venue Management Caterease ● Salesforce ● Event Marketing ● Union Staff Management ● Menu Design Event marketer and planner with a flair for flawless execution, and attention to detail. Experience includes: large-scale corporate events, intimate private parties, and conventions at high profile, high expectation venues. Extensive knowledge of industry, food trends, presentation, menu design, space utilization, and event staffing enhances selection of, and partnership with, network of well-regarded industry and niche vendors. Client-first, creative approach is evidenced by repeat and retained business with value from $10K to $5M.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
The Muttontown Club East Norwich, NY 2017-2018
Director of Special Events
Sell and market 125 acre venue for corporate events, weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs and fundraisers and charity events.
• Catering Sales from first meeting through event day supervision to build long-term relationships with clients and families to foster repeat business.
• Lead bi-weekly Banquet Event Order (BEO) meetings with front and back of house staff, management, and ownership to review and walk through upcoming events in preparation for flawless “day of” presentation and execution; meet and collaborate with select vendors to iron out any additional details.
• Expand ‘brand’ awareness and reach with enhanced social media presence (Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Facebook, email), improve website content, visuals, and graphics to boost visibility.
• Represented club at conferences and trade shows to build venue awareness.
• Managed all outside sales of events for non-members, for corporate and social events, weddings, mitzvahs, charities and corporate events.
• Improve venue relationship and increase club’s visability to local community leaders, schools and neighbors via inclusive outreach to religious and cultural organizations, including AIPAC, as well as to Long Island non-profits, tri-state area corporate and private/social event planners.
• Worked with Executive chef to assist with creating food menus for diverse palates for new and changing clientele.
Mamaroneck Beach &Yacht Club, Mamaroneck, NY 2015- 2017 Director of Catering & Special Events
Sell and market a 13 acre waterfront property in Westchester for weddings, social events, corporate fundraisers and events.
• Focus on catering sales to corporate and social clients.
• Catering Marketing, strengthen venue relationship with community.
• Manage social media and website upgrades to meet the needs of today’s millennial clients.
• Source, recruit, and hire specialized staff for seasonal employment, including J1 visa holders.
• Assist with building food and beverage menus for diverse palates, in alignment with local market price points.
• Solely responsible for managing all aspects of events from inception to completion: negotiations, contract revisions, menu design and day of coordination in conjunction with team,
• Evaluated/selected venues and vendors, negotiated contracts, assessed food and beverage service, handled guest registration/accommodations, and identified/secured ancillary sites and equipment, including lighting and audio-visual.
HOTEL PLAZA ATHENEÉ; New York, NY 2011 - 2015
Director of Catering
Marketed and sold catering services, complete with highest level of personalized attention, to high profile global clients.
• Manage all aspects of events from inception to completion: negotiations, contract revisions, logistics, floor plans, event design, signage, staff, menus, collateral, vendors, shipments and invoices.
• Worked with team to ensure that all billing, schedules, insurance requirements and timelines, etc. where met.
• Evaluated/selected venues and vendors, negotiated contracts, educate assessed food and beverage service, handled guest registration/accommodations, identified/secured ancillary sites and equipment, including lighting and audio-visual.
• Coordinated all “day of” logistics and timelines; supervised cross-functional teams of support staff, multiple vendors, and on site personnel in delivery of successful events.
• Oversaw/managed expansion of in-home décor contracts to improve and update décor in the club in order to attract a more diverse clientele.
• Improved service quality through rigorous post-event evaluation and analysis, applied findings to staff performance.
• Expanded visibility and attracted non-traditional clients, corporate business meetings, not-for- profits, concerts, seasonal summer tour groups, civic organizations through aggressive, expanded multi-media global marketing campaign (nycgo.com); employed email blasts, direct mailings, and search engine optimization capability.
• Regularly compiled and analyzed Comp Set Analysis, leading to incremental increases in service charges and catering pricing, positively impacting bottom line revenue.
• Reallocated available marketing and advertising budget dollars from 100% traditional print media to multi-media mix, including trade shows, online sites and creative networking, and negotiating “best and final” discounts where appropriate.
RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES; New York, NY 2010 - 2011
Director of Catering, Carnegie Hall
Hired to exclusively market and facilitate events at historical Carnegie Hall. Designed, coordinated, and worked each and every pre- and post-event during the 2010-2011 season, with sole responsibility for events and related P&L’s. DAVID TUTERA, INC.; New York, NY 2006 - 2010
Director, Wedding Sales
Planned and orchestrated high-profile events and weddings for private clients and corporations in NYC and throughout the East Coast. Incorporated prior experience and acquired knowledge as Kleinfeld Director of Event Services (2003 – 2006).
INDUSTRY AFFILIATIONS & COMMUNITY: Event Planners Association, BizBash; Catersource; InterExchange;
(MPI), ILEA, FF Michael J. Cawley Foundation, LGBT Certified Wedding Planner – 14stories.com, Make-a-Wish: Wish Granter and Event Volunteer