David Chad Anthony Carlson
Jackson
Summary
Hardworking and passionate job seeker with strong organizational skills eager to secure Travel Sales Leader position. Ready to help team achieve company goals.
Senior travel industry professional equipped to elevate client experiences and streamline booking processes. Adept at leveraging industry knowledge and innovative solutions to secure optimal travel arrangements. Strong collaborator, ensuring seamless team operations and adaptability to evolving client needs. Excel in client relationship management, itinerary planning, and problem-solving to deliver top-tier results.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Travel Agent
AAA Michigan
02.2020 - Current
- Provided exemplary customer service to new and existing clients, which helped build lasting relationships and secure new travel assignments
- Advised customers on necessary travel documents and visa requirements to successfully reach planned destination
- Arranged travel accommodations for groups, couples, and special needs clients
- Supervised payments via credit and debit cards and handled sensitive information with professionalism and discreteness
- Followed up after trips to understand what did, and did not, go well on their trip to avoid issues in the future
- Increased sales annually with vendors, such as TTC, through my first three full years. Am currently on pace to exceed last years $163K in sales
- Collaborated with colleagues to create and promote special travel packages
- Assisted with the learning for new travel agents and Travel Member Representatives
Travel Member Representative 1
AAA Michigan
05.2018 - 02.2020
- Helped large volume of customers every day with positive attitude and focus on customer satisfaction
- Responded to customer calls and emails to answer questions about products and services
- Educated and engaged customers with new bank products and services
- Handled complaints with prompt, courteous service to uphold professional reputation
- Learned and maintained in-depth understanding of product and service information to offer knowledgeable and educated responses to diverse customer questions
- Maintained and managed customer files and databases
Test Kitchen Chef
Busch's Fresh Food Market
09.2015 - 05.2018
- Created new and unique hot bar items for grocery store lunch guests
- Shopped daily in the store to ensure the freshest ingredients were being utilized
- Prevented cross-contamination from utensils, surfaces, and pans when cooking and plating meals for food allergy sufferers
- Handled and stored food to eliminate illness and prevent cross-contamination
- Prepared meals from scratch using authentic, popular recipes to generate repeat business
- Cooked memorable dishes that brought new customers into establishment
- Disciplined and dedicated to meeting high-quality standards
- Implemented food cost and waste reduction initiatives to save money
- Maintained well-organized mise en place to keep work consistent
- Oversaw grill, stove, and oven, and cleaned equipment after every shift
Commissary Chef
Busch's Fresh Food Market
05.2013 - 09.2015
- Trained kitchen staff to perform various preparation tasks under pressure
- Scheduled and oversaw the daily operations for up to 30 employees
- Inventoried food, ingredient, and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders
- Handled and stored food to eliminate illness and prevent cross-contamination
- Checked freezer and refrigerator prior to each shift to verify correct temperatures
- Monitored line processes to maintain consistency in quality, quantity, and presentation
- Coordinated with team members to prepare orders on time
- Oversaw grill, stove, and oven, and cleaned equipment after every shift
- Assisted with menu development and planning
- Trained and managed kitchen personnel and supervised related culinary activity
Assistant Manager
Panera Bread
07.2006 - 07.2011
- Supervised day-to-day operations to meet performance, quality and service expectations
- Monitored cash intake and deposit records, increasing accuracy, and reducing discrepancies
- Completed regular inventory counts to verify stock levels, address discrepancies, and forecast future needs
- Offered hands-on assistance to customers, assessing needs, and maintaining current knowledge of consumer preferences
- Mentored team members to enhance professional development and accountability in workplace
- Generated repeat business through exceptional customer service and responded to customer concerns with friendly and knowledgeable service
- Created employee schedules and delegated assignments to align coverage with forecasted service demands
- Made hiring recommendations to increase company's productivity and profitability with quality workers
- Opened and closed location and monitored shift changes to uphold successful operations strategies and maximize business success
- Cultivated positive rapport with fellow employees to boost company morale and promote employee retention
Education
No Degree - English
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MINo Degree - English
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TNAssociate of Arts - Culinary Arts
New England Culinary Institute
Montpelier, VT06-2001
High School Diploma -
Northwest High School
Rives Junction, MI06.1993
Skills
- Retail Sales
- High-Volume Environments
- Travel Itineraries
- Credit Card Payments
- Client Needs Assessment
- International Reservations
- Global Destinations
- Air Travel Coordination
- Travel Bookings Processes
- Personnel Scheduling
- Client Relations
- Hotel Booking
- International and Domestic Guided Tour Preparation
- International and Domestic Cruise Booking
- Travel Insurance
- Motivational Leadership
Accomplishments
CTA and Luxury Travel Certified. Top 10 in ACG, and Top 20 in the nation in Delta Vacations sales in 2023. Self-Published author.
Certification
- CTA - Certified Travel Associate
- Certified Luxury Travel Advisor
Additional Information
Became interested in photography nine years ago. Created a Facebook and Instagram page dedicated to this subject. Originally Michigan travel based, but now trying to expand it to World Travel., Had written a series of notes over the course of a few years, life lessons to teach my son. At the request of friends, I inquired into how to publish these myself and have now published two books through Amazon, while incorporating my photos into the books.
Timeline
Senior Travel Agent
AAA Michigan
02.2020 - Current
Travel Member Representative 1
AAA Michigan
05.2018 - 02.2020
Test Kitchen Chef
Busch's Fresh Food Market
09.2015 - 05.2018
Commissary Chef
Busch's Fresh Food Market
05.2013 - 09.2015
Assistant Manager
Panera Bread
07.2006 - 07.2011
No Degree - English
Western Michigan University
No Degree - English
The University of Tennessee
Associate of Arts - Culinary Arts
New England Culinary Institute
High School Diploma -
Northwest High School
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