Manager Assistant

Connie J. Harris

**** ****** ***

Marietta GA ***08

******.********@******.***

Cell: 904-***-****

Dedicated hospitality leader with 34 years of experience in “big box”, convention, resort, and business hotels. Consistently achieve a high level of performance for our guests, associates and owners. Excellent interpersonal skills, result driven, and an old-fashioned work ethic.

Respected coach and leader of customer-focused teams; including Guest Experiences, Safety, Green teams to instill a shared, enthusiastic commitment to customer service, safety/security and environmental initiatives.

Areas of Expertise

Customer Service Management

Expense control

Hotel Openings

Marketing Plans

Menu Engineering

Productivity Results

Mentoring & Training

Cost-Reduction Strategies

Concept Launches

Professional Experience

THE WHITLEY HOTEL, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL 09/19 to 8/20

Director of Food and Beverage

The premier hotel in Buckhead Atlanta. 506 guest rooms and 70,000 square feet of meeting space. Position was eliminated in August due to Covid.

Selected Contributions:

Reduced beverage cost from 20% to 18.5% by cross utilization of product.

Replaced VIP amenity program with more cost effective luxury options.

Significantly reduced food cost from 41% to 24%. Conducted menu engineering project to mirror restaurant and room service offerings. Established prep sheets for each culinary kitchen to reduce labor and to prevent several kitchens prepping like items. Overlapped banquet, club lounge, and associate cafeteria food items to reduce amount of product on hand. Cross trained culinary talent into each kitchen to reduce labor. Worked with Catering and Sales teams to menu match to aid in efficiencies.

Worked to reopen F&B operations during Covid pandemic ensuring a safe environment for guests and team members, obtained 100% on local health inspection.

OMNI HOTELS & RESORTS, LOUISVILLE KY 09/17 to 9/19

Director of Food and Beverage

Opening Director for a ground up construction 612 guest room hotel, with 226 luxury appartments. Responsible for 8 food and beverage venues including Pin & Proof Speakeasy with bowling lanes and 100,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space. Cultivated all bourbon programming throughout the resort including customization of bourbon barrel blends and picks.

Responsible for pre-opening budgets and purchasing of all food and beverage OS&E.

Selected Contributions:

Certified Executive Bourbon Steward

Increased Trip Advisor ranking from 74 to 21 within two years

Improved employee satisfaction results from 4.3 to 4.6

Earned a spot on the Urban Bourbon Trail

HYATT REGENCY ORLANDO, ORLANDO FL 11/13 to 4/17

Assistant Food and Beverage Director/Sustainability Manager

Led transitional team for conversion from Peabody to Hyatt with 9 food and beverage venues and 325,000 square feet of meeting space.

Selected as project lead for Carpedia. Successful completion of full hotel analysis and implementation in labor management systems. Developed tools and monitoring techniques to ensure project goals for financial improvement of $1.5M-$2.5M.

Selected Contributions:

Hosted the first Hyatt General Manager Global Summit

Developed and promoted 6 managers/supervisors

Achieved revenue of $75M and 46% profit in Food and Beverage

Increased engagement scores for the division 4.15 to 4.46

Directed the performance of 30 managers for top results

Implemented all corporate mandated programs, and established all Hyatt standards

Showed great improvement in NPS for meeting planners, increase from 74.7 to 85.1 (2017 88.1)

Leader of the Hotel Safety Team, won National Safety Council award 2015

Member of the Women of Hyatt

Beta test hotel for mobile pool side ordering

Installed draft beer systems, lowering costs and increasing revenues

HYATT REGENCY MONTEREY, HYATT CARMEL HIGHLANDS INN

6/11 to 11/13

EAM Food and Beverage

Selected Contributions:

Responsible all food and beverage operations for two hotel properties.

Increased service satisfaction from 49.1% in 2012 to 54.6% in 2013.

Engagement Grand Mean up to 4.13 from 3.91, Accountability from 3.92 to 4.13, managers scores also up, Grand Mean 4.04 to 4.43, Accountability from 4.49 to 4.72.

Carmel Highlands also had impressive growth, Grand Mean up 4.37 from 3.81, Accountability 4.42 up from 3.71.

Organized all banquet space renovations and lobby lounge redesign.

HYATT REGENCY JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville, FL

4/08 to 6/11

EAM Food and Beverage

Led a team of 16 managers and department heads and 127 associates. Showed good results in Maritz meeting planner surveys and individual guest surveys. Fostered an environment in which guests enjoyed a high level of service, where employees were engaged and motivated to deliver top box performance. Maintained all aspects of a $13 million budget.

Selected Contributions:

Gallup scores improved year over year, managers from 4.52 to 4.60, associate scores increased from 4.25 to 4.30. Total hotel increased from 4.41 to 4.51.

Promoted out 3 managers to other properties and promoted and 7 managers internally.

Increased EcoSure results currently at 92% for 2010 versus 2008 of 77%.

Beverage cost year end results of 19.3%, food cost 23.1%.

Upgrades throughout the division to include appearance of banquet buffets, coffee breaks, outlet menus, bar design, table tops, amenities, front desk, Regency Club, and airline crew lounge, all with very tight budget constraints.

Hyatt Regency Austin — Austin, TX

2/06 to 4/08

EAM Food and Beverage

Led the food and beverage division to increase top line revenue, enhance guest experiences, rolled out all corporate mandated programs. Successfully implemented Impact training with 3-meal associates, banquets, and convention services teams. Coached and mentored 9 managers and department heads for enhanced performance. Managed P&L, revenue, inventory, merchandising and cost controls. Maintained high standards in guest satisfaction, TABC rules and regulations, food sanitation, and LRA standards. Implemented all Profit Improvement suggestions for cost savings and waste reduction. Instrumental in a new lobby bar concept, Perks retail outlet, as well as the 3-meal restaurant.

Selected Contributions:

Transformed Perks coffee operation with a full build out to include expanded menu offering and retail establishment. Exceeded all revenue targets through average check and impulse shopping.

Introduced Impact training programs to enhance employee performance and helped build a motivated team.

Beta hotel for scheduling payroll cost analysis.

Designed new bar and lounge for guest dining pleasure and ease of execution for the staff.

Additional Hotel Experience

GRAND HYATT TAMPA BAY — Tampa Bay, FL 11/05 to 1/06

Interim Food and Beverage Director

Led the food and beverage team during the absence of the director. Created a coffee corner in the lobby bar for grab and go service. Built a back bar display to increase beverage sales. Developed a fun pool menu and increased food and beverage sales. Created new appetizer menu for the lounge area to increase average check.

HYATT REGENCY CHICAGO --- Chicago, IL 10/04 to 11/05

Assistant Food and Beverage Director

Helped in leading the food and beverage division in the 2019 room property. Completed renovation in the 3-meal restaurant with a contemporary look and feel including reenergizing the staff with a brand new menu concept. Simultaneously we opened Hard Drive, an upscale nightclub in the atrium of the hotel to include VIP areas, bottle service, DJ’s, and dancers. Next was the full renovation of the Big Bar which my team was instrumental in the full execution of the planning and opening processes. Developed a new amenity program and all new outlet menus.

HYATT REGENCY ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 6/04 to 10/04

Assistant Food and Beverage Director

Worked for a brief 4 months before promotion to Chicago.

Banquet Manager 4/01 to 6/04

Position encompassed the Convention Services Floor Manager, Banquet Beverage Manager, Banquet Manager, and Off-Premise Catering.

McCoy’s Bar and Grill Manager 3/00 to 4/01

Managed a staff of 30, developed an intense training program for each position in the department, and executed incentive programs to keep staff and mangers motivated.

WESTIN CORPORATION

WALT DISNEY WORLD SWAN HOTEL- Lake Buena Vista, FL 4/94 to 3/00

Kimonos and Lobby Court Lounge Manager

Involved in all aspects of the operation of the authentic Japanese sushi restaurant and the upscale cigar lounge.

Assistant Restaurant Manager, Palio 6/93 to 4/94

Effectively managed all aspects of a 220 seat fine dining Italian restaurant. Created wine incentive contests, developed a private dining room concept and group dining packages.

HYATT CORPORATION

PARK HYATT CHICAGO, Assistant Food and Beverage Manager 1991 to 1993

HYATT LINCOLNWOOD, Assistant Front Office Manager 1991 to 1991

HYATT REGENCY CAMBRIDGE, Assistant Executive Housekeeper 1990 to 1991

HYATT REGENCY CHICAGO, Hotel Assistant Manager 1989 to 1990

HYATT REGENCY CHICAGO, Public Area Manager 1988 to 1989

HYATT REGENCY CHICAGO, Team Leader Housekeeping 1987 to 1988

HYATT REGENCY CHICAGO, Front Desk Supervisor 1987 to 1987

HYATT REGENCY CHICAGO, Front Desk Clerk 1986 to 1987

EDUCATION

Echols International Hotel School, Chicago IL 1985 to 1986

South Suburban College, South Holland IL, Associates of Business Management Degree 1984 to 1986

CARE Certified (Alcohol Awareness) 2016 Active Shooter Training 2016

Serve Safe (Food Handlers Certificate) 2016 Executive Bourbon Steward Certification 2017

Blood Borne Pathogens 2016

First Responder Training 2016

Code of Ethics 2016

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