General Manager/Controller

Management Style: Briefly describe your management style: I develop my teams with a large degree of respect for their abilities, step by step goal checklists that are easy to monitor and extract the most talent from each employee that is possible and to always find the time to work side by side with my managers and line employees to show my commitment for success and a sleeves rolled up approach in all departments. Hospitality stands for great customer service, attention to detail and providing the customer's satisfaction that always must be met to their standards and needs. We are also in this industry to provide entertainment and service with moments that matter for all of our guests. A drive for excellence and humor injected game plan have all been part of my style for years and it will continue to be used in all of my endeavors to continue my future success. Which hospitality companies you most admire, and why do you admire them? Marriott Corporation They have weathered the storm of times with all levels of their hotels and resorts nation wide. Their stringent training and ability to adhere to Standard Operating Procedures is a mark of a company who strives to succeed above its competition. Carlson Companies A Minneapolis based company that has the right mix of hotel expertise and branding divisions. They handle both their customers and employees with the same kind of attention and respect. They are always on the list of the best companies to work for in the United States, year after year. Benchmark Management They are leaders in the conference center world and have always known when to expand and when to pull back in bad times. They realize that it is not the volume of properties that provide success, but quality of their properties. They maintain many management contracts with owners over long periods of time that reflect their success and attention to detail. What have been your most significant career accomplishments? Why were they significant? In my current position I have turned around a struggling luxury property that had low occupancy levels, inattentive and poor customer service on all levels and a inefficient food and beverage operation. Over the past seven years I have marketed and grown our occupancy from high 60's to mid nineties, while raising monthly REVPAR from $1750 to $2475. Our commercial outlets have been 100% filled for the past five years and have been written for an average length of 7 to 10 year terms. This was achieved without the expense or direction of Realtors. The food and beverage operation is now very successful with the right mix of meetings and weddings to support the overhead. All of these have been under my control and direction with little to no help from the regional staff managers. On every property that I have worked on there are still managers and contacts that have learned that real teamwork can be achieved with the right mix of kindness, respect and a open mind to trying new and creative ideas for the properties overall success. You could call these managers and my list of references and receive the same message that I have made an impact in their work ethics, teamwork skills and their family life/work mix. I strive to be the kind of manager that people never forget. What are the most important traits that you will bring to your next employer? 1. Extreme loyalty to my job and team. 2. Always operate the property as if I was the owner and the asset was mine to lose or success to gain. 3. A high degree of operational, sales and financial expertise that will be used every day to its fullest. What motivates you? 1. Teammates working together for a common cause . 2 People who say that it can't be done. 3. My family and friends. I have a support network in this arena that most people are jealous of. What types of things frustrate you? 1. People who say that isn't my job! 2. Managers that micro manage with no intent of really helping a cause other than their own! 3. an unsatisfied customer that we did not try to save before they left. What technical areas do you feel strongest in? 1. Operational team building and developing people skills. 2. Financial analysis, budgeting and P/L success. 3. Sales and marketing experience in hotels, resorts, country club,and commercial properties in both good and bad economies. How do you train/develop employees? 1. respect 2. kindness 3. never requiring work from them that I would not do and establishing fair and useful deadlines for their success. 4. using humor, direct one on one talks and the ability to read both the good and bad areas of all my employees and develop them through a step by step goal program. 5. Properly rewarding with salary increases when earned and always providing a thank you and a slap on the back for them always doing the best job they can! What do you look for when hiring employees? In our industry you have to have a servants heart. Energy, kindness and a person who knows what respect is. Not OCD, but they must have an overwhelming desire to provide customer service at all times and never stop striving for excellence! Give an example of where you served as, and how you were a mentor: In my current position of General Manager, I worked as a mentor to develop my parking ramp manager to the rank of operations manager over a year of training. He always had the potential, but no one before me saw the hidden skills, attention to detail and loyalty that I saw in him. He had to develop a managers mind and eye to managing and training his staff, but it was accomplished after a complete year to the amazement and awe of all! What was the most difficult situation you have dealt with? How did you handle it? What would you do differently next time? A devious and lazy sales associate on my current position. She was written up in numerous areas over the past half year on performance, but mostly pertaining to a bad attitude toward other employees. I would not let it continue as long as it did and I would force the regional office to take a stand quicker on this kind of employee. What did you learn from the last employee you had to fire or lay off? This person was the same sales person listed above. I learned that a person like this is really not just a bad apple, but a rotten one. Her attitude to others, when I was not around, was demeaning and often cruel. I will always treat attitude problems as quickly and efficiently as job performance issues in the future. It affect morale on many levels. Goals: Describe the day-to-day working environment that will best utilize your skills. A property that needs an organized effort and clean up in many areas. I will bring a sense of urgency and teamwork to the table. A good solid staff, but under utilized and under trained would fit my background and experience levels. A day to day working environment that could use excitement, attention to property and customer service detail and an infusion of proper operating standards are all elements of creating new success. An environment with a daily review of sales and marketing strategies is critical in today's competitive market. What characteristics do you look for in a progressive company? Number one would be the ability to change with the times and economic business conditions to survive any weather. One who wants to form a partnership with its employees and trusts them to do the job that they were hired to do. Companies and owners who do not feel that they need to micro manage on a daily basis. Companies who can step back but supply support when needed most. Companies who are proactive and are looking to expand or contract at the right times. What position(s) do you feel ideally suited for today? General Manager,Regional Property Manager or Operations Manager. In the finance world I am qualified for Controller or Director of Finance positions. What position(s) would you like to have in five years? Vice President of Operations in a corporate setting of a Management company. What areas of your background would you like to strengthen? Sales and Marketing due to the changing economical conditions.

Resort Manager

Saint Paul, MN