Holly Le Du

Desert Hot Springs *****

760-***-**** ad01ty@r.postjobfree.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyledu/

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Solutions-oriented, high-energy professional with extensive hospitality management experience. Achieves high event sales goals and drives profitability by establishing superior customer service standards, building high-performing teams, and executing powerful sales strategies. Optimizes stakeholder relationship management by leveraging strategic negotiation skills and creating a culture of cross-functional collaboration. Facilitates business development by ensuring optimal customer acquisition and retention. Demonstrates boundless commitment to supporting and achieving the goals of all partners.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Event Creation and Management

Sales Generation and Quality Control

Strategic Business Development

Customer Acquisition and Retention

Budget Management and Cost Control

Resource and inventory Management

SELECTED KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Part of opening team in fall 2022 for Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert under Oak View Group, OVG 360.

Significantly increased sales at Bloomingdale’s taking the department from #12 to #6 in the country, by creating and event managing weekly cooking demonstrations. Utilized extensive network to recruit prominent Bay Area chefs, publicized and brought product visibility to the store.

Organizer of the Berkeley Spice of Life Festival with the North Shattuck Association for 5 years including recruiting all wineries for wine tastings, setting up cooking stage with local chefs and arranging for the culinary students to participate, and organizing donations for the silent auction.

Organizer of Chef Stage at the Lafayette Food and Wine Festival for 3 years with Viking Range as a sponsor.

Designed and coordinated all details of the chef stage for the Alameda County Fair. Enlisted Viking Range Corporation as sponsor, designed dual kitchens, and oversaw stage construction. Recruited 45 volunteer chefs, hired 5 entertainment chefs scheduling 160 hours of fair presentation for a period of 17 days which drew approximately 475,000 visitors

EXPERIENCE

Oak View Group-Acrisure Arena Thousand Palms, CA Sept-Dec 2022

Catering Manager- Responsible for catering for the hockey team and visiting teams, as well as events around the entertainers and their needs, and community events held at the arena

● Hire staff to work various ongoing events

● Respond appropriately to emails surrounding catering needs throughout the arena

● Create BEO’s for all events with Tripleseat and disseminate them to the concerned staff by email and hard copies

● Work with the chef to create menus for a diverse range of clients

● Order all essential catering single usage items

● Order all essential catering rentals as needed for events

Omni Resorts and Hotels Rancho Las Palmas, Rancho Mirage, CA Mar-April 2022

Catering Sales Manager - Respond to all event inquiries in a timely manner, sending out a brochure of our catering services and resort, with an invitation to visit the property.

Give planned and unplanned tours of property venues that correspond best with the desires of clients.

Sell venues and make contracts maximizing the time and space of each venue, bringing in its highest value.

Establish relationships with bridal couples and families to create a memorable experience

Work with clients and banquet team to create events and corresponding menus.

Stayed in continual contact with clients, vendors, and team members to assure the smooth production of the current event, making changes in menus and/or floor design as needed leading up to each event.

Follow through with careful planning of details using the established methods of the resort and its chosen systems of Delphi and Opera.

Supervise events as needed until assured of banquet team and clients’ satisfaction.

DoorDash Palm Springs, CA 2020-2022

Prepared foods courier Using a mobile application, picking up food from restaurants and delivering it to clients

Bricoventures Nantes, France 2015 - 2019

General Director - cofounded entrepreneurial venture holding responsibility for business development and sales of oil conditioning technology for commercial fryers in France.

Utilized well-honed analytical skills to develop a list of potential in-country clientele drew on well-honed cold calling techniques to connect with key decision makers – pitched large companies including Disneyland and KFC France

Managed 65 prospects worth $74M+ by creating and refining a restaurant database. Served as clients’ primary point of contact as the regional sales manager in France; attended tradeshows, developed partnerships, and conducted sales pitches. Delivered customer support while leading product testing and demonstration. Created documentation and advertisements in French.

Secured $85K+ in sales by implementing a product-focused approach to generate stakeholder buy-in.

Frylow, Ltd San Francisco, CA 2013 - 2014

Sales Representative – for a company using revolutionary technology to condition the oil in commercial food fryers that dramatically increases the life span of cooking oils.

Drew on polished platform skills to present the cost savings benefits of the product to restaurant managers

Provided in-depth product training for restaurants and sales training for companies interested in selling Frylow

Boosted product sales by targeting high-end restaurant chains; performed cold calling, online networking, and product trial follow ups. Secured $22K+ in sales by negotiating with Restaurants Unlimited. Reduced frying oil costs by ~60% for 30+ clients.

“Holly – Restaurants Unlimited Inc. requires very high standards from all of our vendor partners and you definitely stepped up to meet our needs and exceeded our expectations.” – Theo LaConte, Supply Chain Manager.

Paula Le Duc Catering San Francisco, CA 2011 - 2014

Catering Cook level 2 – based on culinary knowledge, event expertise and high energy level was recruited to join the team of this global gourmet catering company.

Participated in large, elegant signature events some of which included SalesForce – 14,000 attendees, Oracle Treasure Island Gala, and multiple events for Steve Jobs

Bloomingdale’s San Francisco, CA 2008 - 2011

Culinary Consultant – Boosted culinary department ranking from 12 to 6 despite a recession by increasing foot traffic and customer engagement; grew email signups from ~350 to 2,000+ by creating social media advertisements as well as monthly newsletters and calendars. Conducted cooking demonstrations and secured product discounts by solidifying vendor relationships.

Incorporated marketing activities to generate sales activity by creating a monthly newsletter and publicizing a calendar of events which measurably increased traffic

Utilized in-depth product knowledge to optimize sales team productivity by conducting meetings and training on kitchen equipment and cross-selling strategies attract buyers, also trained and mentored sales associates

Boosted revenue by adopting a consultative sales strategy to grow bridal registries by ~30%.

Increased customer visit duration by 45-60 minutes by securing high-profile chefs to initiate cooking demonstrations. Quadrupled monthly demos by leveraging professional network and delivering free promotional advertising.

North Shattuck Association Berkeley, CA 2005 - 2008

Event Coordinator – recruited to assist and organize high-level events for this landmark grouping of restaurants, boutiques and galleries considered to be the birthplace of California Cuisine.

Drove foot traffic by managing annual “Spice of Life Festival” events. Obtained recipes and created chef booklets and coordinated with chefs, wineries, and restaurants in region.

Launched monthly food tours and biannual “moving feast” events by partnering with a culinary tour guide.

Assisted in creation of the “Buy Local Berkeley” campaign

Montclair Bistro Oakland, CA 2006 - 2007

Banquet and Special Events Sales Manager – recruited to attract clientele and manage the banquet facility for this upscale dining establishment.

Grew breakfast banquet revenue by targeting Business Network International (BNI) stakeholders

Directed end-to-end website development, secured tourist magazine advertisements, and participated in community events.

Managed on-the-spot reservations despite high customer flow by optimizing floor layout

“It was a pleasure working with Holly at Montclair Bistro…she has distinguished herself as an innovative and dedicated team player within the fields of culinary event sales and planning.” – Michelle Ann Caabay-Brokstein, General Manager.

EDUCATION

Associate of Occupational Studies California Culinary Academy 2005

Hospitality and Restaurant Management

Bachelor of Arts Saint Mary of Moraga 1998

Medieval Studies with an emphasis on French, Art, and History

Bachelor of Arts (unfinished) University of Arizona 1982-1984

American Indian Studies with an emphasis on Anthropology and Education

Completed additional classes toward MBA: Leadership Skills, Brand Building, Marketing, Finance

SKILLS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Bilingual: English/French, HAACP trained, Microsoft Office Suite, Delphi, Opera, Micros, Squirrel, Aloha, Total Party Planner, Triple Seat, Caterease, Open Table, Tour Management

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Volunteer Organizer Taste of the Nation San Francisco - 2007

Appointed to position of Auction Chair

Volunteer Fundraiser American Heart Association Gala 2003 - 2004

Event Volunteer UCSF Taste for the Cure 2001

Responsible for recruiting headline chef and fundraising for this Breast Cancer Research function

Volunteer California Culinary Academy Foundation 1999 – 2000

Fundraiser and Auction

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