John T. Dowd

*** ***** ******** *****, ***. #****, Chicago, IL 60605

Cell: 312-***-****; E-mail: acxlwt@r.postjobfree.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/johntdowd1/

Summary:

Extensive Customer Service (CS) Management/Operations expertise in luxury hotels, residential and medical settings, developing new service concepts, honoring the stated vision of the brand.

Proven CS builder and innovator, expert at writing operations / training manuals, hiring / training personnel to exacting standards, adding value to the brand, impacting bottom line profitability.

Pre-opening, luxury hotel specialist (to include St. Regis - NYC / Park Hyatt - Chicago), proven at building award-winning teams and service products, facilitating higher price points.

Award-winning Les Clefs d’Or concierge, professionally-trained hotel butler (trained by Ivor Spensor, Head Butler to Queen Elizabeth II), extensive VIP and celebrity clientele background.

Excellent organizational, analytical and reporting skills with an outstanding work ethic.

Effective at multi-tasking with a ‘lead-by-example’ management style.

Actively investigate organizations to identify strengths, determine opportunities for growth, and execute action plan solutions.

Proven team-builder, trainer / motivator and platform speaker.

Professional Experience:

Corporate Dir. of Concierge Services (National Team) October 2014 – May 2016

Villa Healthcare, IL, WI, MN, MI

Hired as a consultant to develop luxury, hotel-grade customer services for a 10-facility medical group in a 3-state area. Promoted to Corporate Director within 3 months, ultimately responsible for 23 facilities in 4 states. Grew the service product to include concierge services on a pre-admission to post-discharge patient timeline, with oversight for quality control and facility standards in the admissions / discharge process, housekeeping, food and beverage, maintenance, janitorial, etc., working directly with 1) sales teams externally - and 2) clinical teams internally. Wrote the company’s Concierge / Customer Services Manual, hired and trained a team of 30-plus Concierges / Directors, training staff in all depts., at all facilities, in all elements of the patient service experience. Implemented tech and software solutions for tracking and trending of patient satisfaction surveys, and the patient contract process. Rolled out initiatives to elevate the ‘service culture’ across the brand. Supported Sales and Mktg. efforts by presenting to board-level decision makers at large hospital groups, developed C.S.-specific marketing materials. Planned and lead multiple 3-day training conferences, creating training materials to onboard new staff and in-service executive personnel. Procured and branded company collateral. Key note speaker at company AGM. Presenter at Annual National Conference, Regional Orientations, etc. Reported directly to the CEO, COO and V.P. Patient Services.

Executive Concierge Manager October 2009 – May 2014

Reside Living LLC / Newcastle Equities

Hired by an outside contractor, my contract was bought out by Reside, after only 9 months, to reconfigure the operation to provide a hotel-style concierge service product - a virtual start-up. Grew the service product to accommodate a rapidly-expanding portfolio, serving 27 communities, 2000-plus residential and commercial units, with a resident base of over 4000 - always under annual payroll budget, achieved with the original staffing head count. Retooled the service product to honor ownership vision, working closely with the Sr. VP Operations, VP Marketing and individual Property Managers. Expanded services to honor management operational / resident needs. Admin.-, PR-, event planning-, social media- and vendor relations-intensive, I created standard operating procedures, drafting the staff manual, and training the team to exacting standards. Worked with VP Marketing to devise new marketing strategies to aid the sales teams, increasing resident retention and rental rates, and exponentially improving resident satisfaction survey scores. Added, and trained staff in, new building management software. Planned and presented concierge service roll-out events for large groups at individual properties. Other achievements include: website content maintenance; daily feed to social media/blog; the creation of a Rewards Program (200 vendors strong – the largest of its kind in Chicago - adding value to the resident experience); a “Deal of the Month” initiative with the local Chamber of Commerce engaging the vendor community; running an Art Gallery at the flagship property - booking artists and planning events for exhibit openings; and winning the CAMME for “Best Resident Services” (Chicagoland area), the gold standard industry recognition. Winner of the “Presidents Club Award” as an ‘Outstanding Company Performer.’

Head Concierge / Department Head March 2006 – October 2008

The Drake Hotel (Hilton International), Chicago, IL

Transferred from the Palmer House to reinvigorate the service product at this 4-Star Chicago icon. Repopulated the team, and upgraded systems and procedures to modernize an antiquated desk. Moved from a paper desk to an electronic desk, adding modern software to more efficiently implement, track and measure guest service and satisfaction. Wrote the manual for desk standards and procedures, creating Standard Operational Procedures for all major tasks. Worked closely with the Regional VP for Public Relations resulting in national media exposure, to include news articles and features in the Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, and Hospitality.com. Streamlined the interactions between the concierge desk and all other departments. Increased Les Clefs d’Or representation, (the internationally recognized gold standard concierge accreditation), on the team from one to five in less than one year. Guest service ratings and feedback improved considerably, ranking superior during my tenure.

Chef Concierge / Department Head October 2003 – March 2006

The Palmer House (Hilton), Chicago, IL

A Clefs d’Or concierge manager overseeing a team of 8 career concierges at a 1650-room, 4-diamond Chicago icon - the oldest, continuous-service luxury property in the US. Hired to shore up systems and procedures, service basics, and morale for a team without management leadership for more than a year. Renegotiated vendor contracts and re-engaged the hotel’s commercial community, to include relationships at the Chicago Stock Exchange, Board of Trade, the Mayor’s Office and the Federal Building. Training-, liaison-, and PR-intensive. Red signed and reconfigured existing desk to maximize function, maintaining the architectural integrity (composition and design) of an architecturally significant lobby. Identified key skills/staff and reconfigured the staff roster accordingly.

Concierge May 2000 - October 2003

The Park Hyatt Hotel, Chicago (Pre-Opening)

Pre-opening setting; involved in developing systems, standards, and procedures for a new desk. Lead concierge for the city’s cultural calendar. Admin. and liaison intensive, the position involved considerable contact with all other departments, as it was a hotel opening. Wrote pre-opening tours of this art-laden property. Toured visiting dignitaries, VIP’s, and potential clients for Sales and Marketing, Reservations, and Banquets/Catering. Established business relations with outside vendors and service suppliers citywide. Member of both Solutions and Safety Committees internally. Developed a “Kidsierge” program for Park Hyatts worldwide; national media attention generated for launch.

Department Head / Maitre d’Etage (Butler) - promoted to Laundry & Uniforms Mgr. 1992-1996

The St. Regis Hotel, New York City (Pre-Opening)

Member of the pre-opening management team. Lead the implementation of the brand’s signature service, a Maitre d’Etage (Butler) system; wrote the staff manual for this, the first of its kind in the US. Heavy celebrity clientele contact. Promoted in 1994 to oversee IBU (Independent Business Unit) at Valet services. Grossly problematic in areas of service and profitability when I took over, this operation was soundly profitable and service superior in 1 month. Further promoted to Valet/Uniforms Manger with a multi-million dollar budget and purchasing power for uniforms annually. Further promoted to Asst. Laundry Director, which included previous duties and the addition of a 40 person, in-house, state-of-the-art laundry facility.

OTHER HOTEL EXPERIENCE / SPECIFIC HOSPITALITY TRAINING:

- Guest Service Manager / Head Concierge The Blackstone Hotel Chicago

- Overnight Manager/Department Head The Ritz Carlton, New York City;

- Officer Staff /Front Desk The Carlyle Hotel, New York City

- Ivor Spencer, School of Hotel Butlering (Head Butler to Queen Elizabeth II)

- International Fabric Care Institute Baltimore, MD – distinction

Other positions and skills garnered:

Freelance Writer (Ad copy)

Tresco Publishing and Urban Response, Canton, OH

Executive Program Producer (Business TV)

Kingsgate Productions, London, England

Development Manager

Valid Data, London, England

Director of News/Ad & Features Writer

Midland Radio Station, Longford, Ireland

Education:

BA (Summa Cum Laude) 1st Major: Communications (Print/Broadcast Journalism)

Berry College, Rome, GA 2nd Major: Speech/Theatre

Leaving Certificate (Ireland) St. Mel’s College, Longford, Ireland (Honors Graduate)

Honors and Memberships:

2012 “CAMME” Winner (Industry Award “Best Resident Services” - Greater Chicagoland Area); “Presidents Club” Reside Living (Company Recognition for Top Performers); Accredited Les Clefs d’Or Concierge; FHA Certified; Ex-Chairman of Fundraising and Ethics Committees CHCA (Chicago Hotel Concierge Association); Content Editor/Developer CHCA website; 2004 CHCA Co-Chair of Mayor Daly’s “We’re Glad You’re Here” Tourism initiative; “Stars of the Industry” (Hospitality) multiple nominations; Presidential Scholar for Creative Writing; Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities; Alpha Chi (Scholarship); Lambda Sigma (Leadership); Irish Actors Equity; Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG); Writer’s Guild of America; National Award-winning Screenwriter (“Pilot Project”/ Best Sitcom); "Scriptapalooza"/National Semi-Finalist “Reality Concept”); Advisor to the President NCA (National Concierge Association; Chicago Chapter); Contributor to “Concierge Preferred” magazine; Profile Features in Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor and Hotels.com (See LinkedIn profile).

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