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Director of Activities

Location:
Indian Wells, CA
Posted:
April 22, 2017

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Resume:

CHRISTOPHER FIZER E-Mail: ****************@*****.*** Skype: chrisfizer Telephone: +1-760-***-****

Global Luxury Hospitality Executive specializing in Business Development across all key resort sectors including: Events, Activities, Sports, Entertainment, Leisure, Recreation, Lifestyle, Guest Relations and overall Guest Service. Delivering performance excellence and creating authentic, world-class guest experiences through strategic leadership, culture transformation and exceptional, personalized service. Proven ability to combine vision, creativity and strong business acumen with well-developed project management and leadership qualities to support pre-opening and opening efforts, branding-rebranding initiatives, program development and sales, positioning all resort products and services for success.

• Strong background in resort operations; customer focused, building enduring relationships with guests.

• Developing and leading guest experience initiatives; creative and dynamic with keen eye for details.

• Driving guest centric culture by creating awareness and understanding of importance of experiences.

• Extensive experience across Asia/ Pacific, Europe, Caribbean and Mexico, including remote islands.

• Sophisticated written and verbal communication skills; speak basic Japanese, Korean and French. AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Strategic Business Planning • Project Management • Program Development • Pre-Opening Operations Guest Relations • Public Relations • Event Management • Leadership • Team Building & Development Public Speaking • Microphone • Presentations • Marketing Communications • Five-Star Caliber Service OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

Ultra-Luxury Boutique Resorts (60 rooms) • Luxury Resorts (800 rooms) • Master Planned Communities

(3,500 homes) • Premium Cruise Lines (3,200 passengers) • All-Inclusive Resorts (800 rooms) INTERNATIONAL BRAND BACKGROUND

Auberge Resorts Collection • The Ritz-Carlton • Celebrity Cruises • Starwood • Hyatt • Club Med PRE-OPENING PROJECTS

Chileno Bay Resort & Residences • Resorts World Bimini • Sani Resort/ Oceania Club (Ikos Oceania) PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

Auberge Resorts Collection • Chileno Bay Resort & Residences; Los Cabos, Mexico 2016 Activities Manager (contracted for pre-opening project)

- Ultra-luxury contemporary boutique resort featuring 60 guest rooms, including 32 villas, 450-foot three- tiered pool, world-class service and plethora of adventures at H20 Cave.

• Curated activities menu and signature experiences, created training manuals and SOP, selected OS&E and cultivated relationships with vendors while managing critical path and concept development. Associa • Sun City Shadow Hills by Del Webb; Indio, CA, USA 2016 Lifestyle Director (recruited by Auberge Resorts Collection)

• Implemented new activities and services while offering warm, gracious hospitality and engagement, improving resident/ employee satisfaction at 55+ active community with 7,000 residents.

• Demonstrated achievements managing operations of events, activities, clubhouses, tours, clubs, concerts, reservations, website and community magazine while implementing resident-focused culture.

• Increased sales to events by 135% by instilling an engaging atmosphere and quality, service culture. Club Med/ Pacific Islands Club; Turks & Caicos, Florida, Punta Cana, Guam & Saipan 2015/ 2000-2005 Chief of Sports (recruited by Hyatt in 2005 and Zaya Nurai Island in 2015)

• Managed and monitored execution of service and safety at tennis/ squash, sailing, waterski, snorkeling, SUP, flying trapeze and fitness/ land sports; liaised with Club Med Academies at flagship property.

• Supervised 50 international employees; proven ability to manage a multi-cultural team effectively.

• Served as public-facing representative at events in Japan, South Korea, Caribbean and Pacific Islands. The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas; St. Thomas, USVI 2014 Recreation Manager (recruited to return to Club Med)

• Championed brand’s vision for product and service delivery while leading execution of guest activities at 30-acre tropical estate highlighted by Lady Lynsey, the resort’s 53-foot luxury catamaran, and Jean- Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program; lead 25 ladies and gentlemen. Resorts World Bimini; Bimini, The Bahamas 2013

Director of Activities and Events (contracted for pre-opening/ rebranding project)

- Luxurious and modern 750-acre cruise destination resort featuring 480 luxury villas, 230-slip marina, 10,000 square foot world-class casino, private charter planes and 32,000 ton casino cruise ship.

• Conceived activities/ tours menu and cultivated positive culture surrounding offerings to enhance guest experiences; presented menu to Owner, President, VP & GM at corporate office, resort and cruise ship. The Westin Mission Hills Resort Villas; Rancho Mirage, CA, USA 2010-2012 Director of Fun (recruited by Resorts World for pre-opening project)

• Generated revenue records by creating eye-catching collateral to promote/ sell products and services.

• Enhanced Supervisor Effectiveness Score (+42 points) and Supervisor Engagement Score (+40 points).

• Surpassed Satisfaction with Activities and Helpfulness of Activities Staff Scores; directed 15 associates. Fiesta Resort & Spa-Saipan; Garapan, Saipan, MP 2008-2009 Guest Services Manager (recruited by Starwood)

• Spearheaded implementation of guest activities program and health and wellness opportunities for internal customers while serving as point person for community events; oversaw team of 15. Sani Resort & Oceania Club; Halkidiki, Greece 2008 Activities Manager/ Assistant Entertainment Manager (contracted for pre-opening seasonal project)

- Unique hideaway within family-owned/ privately developed 1,200-acre ecological reserve, with yacht marina and six exclusive hotels, offering wide range of leisure facilities and luxury accommodations.

• Recruited, interviewed, hired, trained, developed and managed international teams of singers, dancers, activities/ fitness instructors and kids club team; guided team of 30. Celebrity Cruises; International Itineraries 2006-2008 Sports and Activities Coordinator (recruited by Sani Resort)

• Hosted activities and events on microphone for discerning travelers in The Baltic, The Mediterranean, Russia, North Africa, Hawaii, Alaska, Panama Canal, Caribbean, Central and South America. Hyatt Regency Guam; Tumon, Guam, USA 2005-2006

Recreation Manager (recruited by Celebrity Cruises)

• Revamped pool service while generating revenue highs for summer Camp Hyatt program as well as generating additional departmental revenue as tennis instructor/ hitting partner; managed team of 20. EDUCATION

Marshall University

Bachelor of Science, Leisure Services

Honors: National Dean’s List & University Dean’s List



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