Business Development Sales Manager

TAMARA CHATMAN CLARKE m: 240-***-****

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

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Vision-driven change agent with career-long record of hospitality operations, business development, and event management success for leading organizations. Proven talent for aligning business strategy and objectives with established hospitality development and relationship management paradigms to achieve maximum operational impacts with minimum resource expenditures. Growth-focused thought leader with expertise spanning revenue analysis, event management, negotiations, financial forecasting, Government, Corporate & SMERFE events, catering, issue resolution, team leadership, client relations, and project management. Exceptionally dedicated professional with keen interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills, as well as budget management, policy adherence, and process enhancement expertise.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

HILTON WASHINGTON DC/ROCKVILLE HOTEL & EXECUTIVE MEETING CENTER, DRIFTWOOD HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT, ROCKVILLE, MD

SENIOR EVENT MANAGER

September 2022 to Present

• Ensure Group Sales events are detailed and paid in full within 7 to 20 days of arrival in Sertifi.

• Work closely with Food & Beverage and Accounting teams to ensure precise billing.

• Extreme attention to detail.

• Assists DOSM with weekly sales topics.

• Assist Group rooms Coordinator with guest reservations and cancellations.

• Award HHonors points at the end of a paid event.

• Tasks as assigned.

SENIOR EVENT & CATERING SALES MANAGER

November 2019 to March 2020; October 2021- September 2022

• Actively controlled the organization and execution of one-time social events, repeat corporate activities, and events of the SMERFE market.

• Orchestrated all logistics and details regarding banquet event orders.

• Helped transition the team with a new software Delphi.fdc.

• Performed all duties and requirements for Delphi.fdc.

• Assisted in the hiring process of the Catering and Convention Service Manager.

• Studied and evaluated performances of the Catering and Convention Service Teams, ensuring productivity and efficiency.

• Sustain current knowledge and understanding of food and audio visual; to up-sell and cross-sell clients based on needs and suggestive selling.

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON WASHINGTON DC NORTH/GAITHERSBURG, MARSHALL HOTELS & RESORTS, GAITHERSBURG, MD SENIOR CATERING MANAGER, September 2019 to November 2019 DIRECTOR OF CATERING, July 2018 to September 2019

• Employed control and authorization over the organization and execution of one-time social events, corporate activities, and events of the SMERFE market.

• Orchestrated all logistics and details regarding banquet event orders.

• Educated, guide, and mentor all incoming staff in Delphi.fdc.

• Served as Delphi.fdc Administrator.

• Performed all duties and requirements for Delphi.fdc and meeting broker lead catcher.

• Studied and evaluated performance of the Catering and Convention Service Teams, ensuring productivity and efficiency.

• Chart successful course of development through maintaining a focus on goals and services for the entire team.

• Sustained current knowledge and understanding of food and audio visual to up-sell and cross-sell clients based on needs and suggestive selling.

• Composed and implemented all hotel outside catering guidelines and room rental pricing guidelines.

• Collaborated with the Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage to develop the hotel’s core and holiday menus.

• Formulated and submitted client proposals and contracts with the goal of securing lucrative sales.

• Navigated negotiations with clients to obtain trust and repeat business. HOLIDAY IN GAITHERSBURG, B.F. SAUL, GAITHERSBURG, MD November 2017 to July 2018

CATERING SALES MANAGER

• Carried out the alignment of objectives regarding SMERFE event sales of the hotel, not including holiday parties.

• Cultivated professional relationships with new businesses as well as retained current clients through multiple platforms, including Wedding Wire, Wedding411, and Knowland.

• Partnered with the Operations team to provide superior customer service and ensure full guest satisfaction.

• Served as tag team member alongside the rooms SMERFE manager on numerous events.

• Supported the area Director of Catering with menu planning.

• Presided over all facets of client billing, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.

• Accomplished all duties in accordance with hotel quality and productivity standards. HILTON WASHINGTON DC/NORTH GAITHERSBURG, STEPSTONE HOSPITALITY, GAITHERSBURG, MD June 2017 to November 2017

GROUP & CATERING SALES MANAGER

• Facilitated all group sales and events within the SMERFE market.

• Prospected, solicited, and secured current and fresh groups and rooms-only business in order to attain established goals.

• Liaised directly with Convention Services and Operations teams to achieve complete guest satisfaction.

• Delegated and finalized banquet event orders as required. EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON- CHEVY CHASE PAVILION, TWO ROADS HOSPITALITY, WASHINGTON, DC November 2016 to June 2017

SALES & EVENTS MANAGER

• Directed and oversaw all group sales and events across the SMERFE market.

• Obtained, structured, and completed all details regarding banquet and catering functions for self and two other Sales Managers.

• Demonstrated expertise as the onsite guest contact throughout events.

• Achieved all goals through continuously mining current and new group and catering-only business.

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON BETHESDA-WASHINGTON DC DAVIDSON HOTELS & RESORTS, BETHESDA, MD CATERING SALES MANAGER August 2015- July 2016

BUSINESS TRAVEL MANAGER July 2016- November 2016

• Attained promotion to Business Travel Manager with-in one year due to productivity and efficiency.

• Spearheaded the Hotel's Extended Stay Business.

• Administered the migration of local and national negotiated accounts from competitor property to our property.

• Monitored and maintained corporate account rates for local and national accounts.

• Partnered with the Sales team through quoting and booking guest room blocks which involved event space.

• Engineered the training and personal development of the Event Sales and Planning Assistant and Sales Administrator.

• Awarded the 2015 Fourth Quarter "Manager of the Quarter" Recipient.

• Retained sole accountability for the hotel's social business for event space-only affairs.

• Interfaced with the Sales team in finalizing banquet event quotes involving food and space related issues as well as booking guest room blocks that involved catered social events.

• Responsible for the training and personal development of the Event Sales and Planning Assistant.

• Appointed as Lead Coordinator for MeetingBroker, new market leads for the entire Sales Team.

• Aligned objectives and bridged communications with the Director of Events throughout payment tracking audits.

• Generated weekly catering reports, such as event summaries and banquet event order packets. HILTON WASHINGTON DC NORTH/GAITHERSBURG, DAVIDSON HOTELS & RESORTS, HIGHGATE HOTELS, GAITHERSBURG, MD February 2007 to July 2015

SENIOR CATERING MANAGER

• Promoted from Convention Services Manager to Catering Manager within three months of employment.

• Received the Gaithersburg-Germantown Exceptional Volunteer award in 2010.

• Accepted the Distinguished Sales and Catering Recipient for 2011.

• Studied, appraised, and interpreted monthly revenue utilizing the hotel’s intranet system.

• Organized and conducted bi-yearly competitive pricing analysis of hotels within our competitive set.

• Teamed with the Controller and Director of Catering regarding Monthly Profit and Lost Statement issues.

• Arranged, disseminated, and oversaw all Hilton E-events leads for the Catering Team.

• Expedited all scheduling and preparations for meeting room inventory through Hilton E-events intranet system.

• Trained, directed, and assessed the Catering Assistant and Sales Assistant and all new team members.

• Produced detailed weekly catering reports, including event summaries and banquet event order packets.

• Reviewed and updated the payment tracking system on a weekly basis.

• Facilitated consistent team building success through avid communication and meetings within and outside of our Catering Department.

• Functioned as primary Delphi Administrator.

• Supported team members with meal suggestions and upgrades as well as the Group Sales team with leads during a period of time when the Hotel was without a DOS and Sales Manager.

• Contributed to the success of the Hotel’s profit margin via monthly, quarterly, and yearly statements.

• Represented the Hotel professionally through the Gaithersburg Police Foundation and Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce Memberships.

• Advanced community champion initiatives for the Hilton Blue Energy Team.

• Serves as Gaithersburg Police Foundation Board Member and Vice Chairperson. REFERENCES

• Available Upon Request

Contact this candidate