General Manager Customer Experience

Norman 'Doc' Hayes

Dynamic self-starter with extensive notable experience in business, restaurant, and nightclub management. Has successfully supervised over 200 employees, in addition to controlling sales volume and operating budgets in excess of $20M. Establishes and maintains a proactive and positive culture, yielding employee retention and increasing sales. Leads with respect, sound judgment, and superior problem-solving.

Professional Experience

Senior General Manager Harper’s Waterfront

Edgewater, Md 07/2024-Present (Seasonal)

Leadership & Operations Management: Directed daily operations of a high-volume, fine dining waterfront restaurant, managing a team of 50+ staff. Ensured exceptional service and guest satisfaction through effective hiring, training, and performance evaluations.

Financial Oversight: Achieved revenue growth through strategic menu pricing and cost management. Utilized QuickBooks and Excel for financial tracking, P & L reports and analysis.

Customer Experience Enhancement: Implemented feedback systems and personalized dining experiences, increasing repeat clientele by 20%. Managed reservations with OpenTable and Toast POS.

Event Coordination: Coordinated high-profile events, enhancing the restaurant’s reputation as a premier venue.

Menu Development: Collaborated with the executive chef on seasonal menus, increasing variety and customer satisfaction.

Vendor Relationships: Negotiated favorable terms with vendors, ensuring high-quality ingredient supply and cost efficiency.

Marketing & Community Engagement: Executed marketing campaigns and community events, boosting local visibility and attracting new customers.

Compliance & Safety: Maintained a spotless health inspection record. Certified TIPS graduate & listed as licensee representative for management agreement. Maintained and implemented COVID-19 safety protocols.

Estimates food, liquor, wine, and other beverage consumption to anticipate amounts to be purchased or requisitioned.

Facilitates pre-meal briefings with the Chef and Restaurant Managers to educate restaurant staff on menu items including ingredients, preparation methods and unique tastes.

Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.

Ensures cash control and liquor control procedures are followed by all Restaurant, Bar/Lounge and Service employees.

Food & Beverage Director Atnightgroup, LLC

Fort Washington, MD 04/2005-Present

●Provides full-service hospitality management direction to restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, performance venues, and event centers at over 18 locations in the WDC area.

●Specializes in management of restaurant and nightclub process improvements & recoveries, adaptations to the new normal in staff recruiting, retention and training. Extensive hands-on expertise in opening new, and reformatting existing venues & locations.

●Guides companies in their efforts to develop and sustain new business in all aspects of Food & Beverage Service.

●Conducts assessments of organizational business practices. Successful business turnaround aggregate in excess of $3.5M.

●Provides economic, managerial, financial, operational, recruiting, and strategic planning advice for food and beverage operations.

●Has developed and implemented efficient key strategies for increasing effectiveness, culture, and productivity to achieve company goals.

●GM & Owner Vno Wine Bars (2) 06/2023-Present

General Manager Martini’s Restaurant & Lounge

Fort Washington, MD 10/2003-10/2016

●Opened Martini’s Restaurant & Lounge in 2003

●Managed all aspects of 6,000 sq ft. Upscale food and entertainment venue

●Maintained a reputation for the newest cocktails and hottest food trends

●Successfully operated an average annual revenue in excess of $4M

●Organized and implemented coursework & programs for onboarding, training and retaining crewmembers & managers. Lowered turnover rates by 27.9%

●Selected as one of five finalists for Tavern/Bar of the Year

●Added a highly successful comedy club to the venue, featuring both local and national comedians including performers from HBO, Showtime, Movies, and Television shows such as DEF Comedy Jam, and Bounce TV.

●Managed a team of over 30 employees

Founder/Executive Director Erikka A. Hayes Foundation Inc. 501(3)(C)

Fort Washington, MD 01/2007-Present

●Mr. Hayes founded the 501(3)(c) IRS approved Non-Profit organization honoring his daughter’s memory. The Erikka A. Hayes Foundation (EAHF) was created to educate and cultivate future leaders in the hospitality, restaurant, nightclub and food-service industry by providing structured learning, mentoring, scholarships and real-life work experience, and for industry professionals, providing ongoing tools to expand their knowledge base, increase professional skills, and receive industry-recognized credentials for the economically and socially disadvantaged.

●Yearly, EAHF has provided scholarships in culinary arts and related fields to promising students who otherwise might not have the opportunity. Mr. Hayes signed a multi-year contract with Prince Georges Community College (PGCC) to provide off campus certified Bartending Academy training to students. Initially, SAM (Service Academy of Maryland) will host all bartending training for PGCC students as well as walk-in workforce development clientele. In the near future SAM will add food and beverage and management service classes for all. As a function of SAM’s bartending schools, the nationally acclaimed TIP’s alcohol awareness training and certifications are administered.

General Manager Club Elite Nightclub & Restaurant

Temple Hills, MD 10/1997-08/2013

●Managed all aspects of 10,000 sq ft. upscale food and entertainment venue seating over 300

●Venue hosted weddings, meetings, fundraisers, special engagements, as well as regular performances by local and nationally known bands, comedians, and performers

●Successfully operated an average annual revenue in excess of $5M

●Worked with Foundation staff to coach, train, and develop managers, crewmembers, and trainers.

●Directed all functions pertaining to administrative, financial, compliance, budgeting, operating, and purchasing

●Managed a VIP Off-premise catered fine dining line of business

●Managed a team of over 50 employees

Professional Memberships/Awards/Certifications

Serving on the Board of Directors for the Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM) for over 11 years with varying responsibilities including Chairman of the Board, Ram Executive Board, Secretary, & Treasurer. Board Chair for RAM Political Action Committee (RAMPAC).

Selected in as one of five finalists for the RAM “Restaurateur of the Year Award.”

Executive Advisory Board Member of the Prince George’s Community College Hospitality and Tourism Institute

The Erikka A. Hayes Foundation (EAHF) won the prestigious Winchester Homes Communications Service Award. This award is presented yearly for local based organizations that have gone above and beyond in their mission to give back to the community.

oEAHF participated yearly in the ANATY (A Night at The Yards) annual charity fundraiser. All proceeds from A Night at The Yards supports Living Classrooms’ educational programs for youth and young adults living in high-risk environments. Living Classrooms are serving over 18,000 youth and young adults in the national capital region as a 501 (c) (3) organization. Recently, EAHF helped Living Classrooms garner $120,000 in donations.

oEAHF participated yearly in the Food & Wine Festival at National Harbor. This was a major festival held in suburban Maryland where a portion of the proceeds ($10,000 annually) went to the foundation to help fund the scholarship program.

ABRA Manager’s License

TIPS 'Train The Trainer" Certified

SERV Safe Food Handler Certified

Certificate in Food & Beverage Service; Hospitality Management

Certificate in Point-of-Sale Systems Toast POS, Toast Payroll

Certificate in Business Management

Northern Virginia Community College Alexandria, VA

Military and Contractor Experience

Program Director, PSI, International Fairfax, Va.

Program Director, Internal Revenue Service/TRW Contract

Program Director, US Marine Corp, Clarendon, Va.

Program Director, FDA, Rockville, Md. National Heart Lung & Blood Inst, National Inst of Health, Bethesda, Md.

Division Director USN Intelligence, Suitland, Md

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