Heather Henson
New York,NY
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Dual Sales Manager
AC NYC Times Square & Hampton Inn Times Sq Central
Manhattan, NY
09.2023 - Current
- I split my time between two amazing properties located near Times Square in Manhattan. Offering 290 guest rooms at AC Hotel New York Times Square along with 300 guest rooms at Hampton Inn New York Times Square Central.
- Built new long-lasting client relationships through excellent customer service and consistent followups.
- Optimized territory management plans by analyzing data on customer demographics, preferences, and buying patterns.
- Evaluated competitor offerings to adapt sales strategies and maintain competitive advantage.
Senior Sales Manager
Doubletree By Hilton
Jersey City, NJ
03.2022 - Current
- Exceeded sales goals by 10-30% every quarter of 2022
- Grew sales and boosted profits, applying proactive sales strategies
- Quickly mastered the SMERF market - a main driver of revenue for this property
- Established and cultivated solid business relationships with new and existing customers
- Coached and counseled staff resulting in immediate increases in lead conversions through efficient management of room blocks - ultimately resulting in staff advancement
Group Sales Manager
Conrad New York Downtown
New York, NY
01.2019 - 04.2021
- Increased new business securing multiyear contracts increasing profits year over year and exceeding individual and team sales goals
- Successfully negotiated detailed Group sales contracts, booking a steady stream of meetings, events and guest suite room blocks at an all-suite property offering 463 luxury suites & 30,000.00 sq feet of event space
- Expanded designated markets of Law, Retail/Fashion, Consumer Products, Entertainment, Media, Publishing, Pharmaceutical, Medical, Manufacturing, Chemical, Transportation, Automotive, Food & Beverage, Government, and University & Education, and Tour & Travel
- Attended industry shows, conventions, and other meetings with primary mission of expanding market opportunities
Catering Sales Manager
DoubleTree By Hilton
San Jose, CA
01.2015 - 01.2019
- Exceeded personal sales goals of over 1.3 million annually
- In charge of catering sales; negotiating contracts & generating a steady stream of revenue from meetings and events
- Grew catering market to include Tech fairs/Expos with thousands of attendees
- Increased profits year over year, utilizing expertise in space utilization for a property of 505 hotel rooms & 48,000 sq feet of event space with two 10,000- square-foot ballrooms and 14 additional meeting rooms
- Expanded markets for corporate meetings, weddings, funerals, holiday parties, and board meetings
- Maintained top survey ratings from new and repeat clients exceeding expectations of both clients and hotel management- Hilton Worldwide
- Supported Director of Catering taking full responsibility for mentoring, managing and training catering sales and events administrative team
Director of Catering
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Sunnyvale, CA
01.2014 - 01.2015
- As department head and executive management team member, oversaw departmental hiring, training, motivating, scheduling of staff
- Handled full P&L responsibility including budgeting, forecasting, and creation of a venue pricing scale, generalized billing and invoice resolution policies
- Actively coached sales managers on all aspects of new business development: managing & maintaining client relationships with intent for repeat interactions, prospecting and developing clientele and industry connections, departmental processes & procedures, event design & management, timeline management, negotiating contracts, exceeding sales goals, running BEO meetings, outside sales, and inventive networking
- Developed strategic marketing plan resulting in 25% increase in new leads
- Designed collaborative selling techniques managing the catering sales office and managed banquet staff
- Defined and exceeded sales goals, increasing sales by 18%
- Established and maintained vital working relationships with vendors
Regional Manager
SBC Restaurant Group, LLC
Norwalk, CT
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Raised standards at two restaurants within the SBC restaurant group: Nola Oyster Bar and Southport Brewing Company
- Oversaw training program for proper booking and execution of events in restaurants, private dining rooms, bar areas & outside patio
- Ensured meticulous process was followed including: first contact, inquiry tracking, response time, menu planning, pricing, BEO, contracts, floor plans /room setup, timelines, tastings, rentals, linen, staffing, event meetings, and training
- Created full new catering menu resulting in new VIP clients including: GE capital, Stolt-Nielsen, Diageo, Bridgewater Associates
- Ran detailed complex events for VIP clients /complex events /corporate catering deliveries
- Built, implemented and oversaw all front of house training & testing: new hire, menu descriptions, beer, wine and liquor, seasonal menus, special events & promotions, steps of service standards, running a door/wait, phone etiquette, OpenTable, and POS systems
- Front of house scheduling, P&L, Proper maintenance of employee files and records, POS programming
General Manager /Director of Events
The Goose
Darien, CT
01.2011 - 01.2013
- As the face of the restaurant running the door 5-7 days a week and fully responsible and accountable for every aspect of this 6.5 million per year restaurant
- Events and The restaurants image Online ad placement, Interviewing and hiring, Building training programs, Training, Scheduling and Managing a staff of 40+ Servers, Hostesses, Bartenders & Support staff, P&L, Liquor inventory & ordering, Supply inventory & ordering, POS programming, Social media; Google, Facebook, Yelp, Constant Contact, Grubhub, Urbanspoon, MenuPages, etc
- Online image management, Website updates & programming
- Open Table; Reservations, Guest tracking, Mailing lists, Promotions, Guest birthdays Guest preferences
- VIP client catering deliverers
- Onsite event planning from start to finish: Social Corporate, Bereavement, Charity events & Fundraisers; GE capital, Stolt-Nielsen, Diageo, Tip a Cop, Big Assist, Blue Wave Football Fundraisers, The Darien Road Race, etc
- Offsite catering, Menu development (seasonal, promotional, catering & daily specials) with executive Chef Piergiorgio Nanni
Hospitality Manager
PJ Clarke’s, Sidecar
New York, NY
01.2010 - 01.2011
- Of the respected NYC landmark restaurant P.J
- Clarke's & SIDECAR above Clarke’s Accountable for all marketing, membership and hotel concierge programs - Reaching out and building relationships with all chief concierges in Midtown Manhattan hotels and implemented a successful hotel guest rewards program
- Fully responsible for SIDECAR membership program, Managed staff and the floor of the full service restaurant /event buyouts five days a week
Head Server /Head Trainer /Supervisor
Mickey Mantle’s
New York, NY
01.2003 - 01.2010
- Handled fast paced a la carte service more than 20 tables and 40 customers, with consistently the highest lunch receipts of over $3,000 at high volume location on Central Park South provided exemplary personal care with top survey ratings and consistent regular customers including many public figures; famous athletes, actors, producers, reporters, performing artists, TV & radio show hosts and government officials
- Personally trained every new hire server
Banquet Captain
Bite Catering
New York, NY
01.2004 - 01.2007
- Orchestrated the setup/ Service/ Breakdown of high end offsite catered events in homes, offices, hotels & museums for writers, actors, politicians & executives in Manhattan & the Hamptons
Head Banquet Captain
Amuse
New York, NY
01.2003 - 01.2005
- Fully responsible for exceeding guest expectations when running onsite events Managed events from start to finish with minimal or no supervision
- Managed and scheduled internal banquet staff of 20+ for events of 10-200+ attendees
- Coordinated event set-up & breakdown
- Gracefully interacted with all customers including, actors, politicians, executives and diplomats Conducted tours of the four in house banquet rooms
Banquet Server
Restaurant Associates
New York, NY
01.2003 - 01.2004
- I was involved in the running of many amazing events in NYC
- Galas at Lincoln Center with 5000+ attendees, Art openings at the Guggenheim museum, The Sopranos wrap party at Rockefeller Center 3000+ attendees, The republican national convention aboard the intrepid sea, air & space museum Carnegie hall events, American Museum of Natural History events, The US Open, etc
- Gracefully interacted with all customers including, actors, politicians, executives and diplomats
Fine Dining Assistant /Banquet Server
Demercurio’s
Redding, CA
01.2000 - 01.2003
- Chef Cal DeMercurio and crew taught me fine dining service standards, food knowledge Responsible for onsite hostessing, ensuring accurate seating and meal planning for large events including: pharmaceutical conferences, 7 course wine maker dinners, Offsite catering
Education
High School Diploma -
Santa Clara Valley Academy
Santa Clara, CA06.2000
Skills
- CRM Management: FDC/Salesforce, Delphi, Caterease
- System Software: TopLine, Sertifi, Knowland, OnQ
- Microsoft Office: Teams, Excel, Powerpoint, Word
- POS systems: All Major systems, Micros, Aloha, Squirrel, Positouch, OpenTable
- General Management: Forecasting, Payroll, Cash Management, Scheduling, Multitasking, Menu development, Building training programs, Payroll, Inventory, Liquor and supply ordering
Accomplishments
- 2020 Bright Light Badge (Soar) – Recognized October 2020 - All-Hotel Commercial Update for superior professionalism and hard-work in support of my client, one of the top legal firms in the world. Hilton CleanStay and EventReady protocols helped close the deal, resulting in $350K guestroom revenue, 1184 RNs, $100K meeting room rental, and reopening of in-room dining!
- 2019 Certificate of Recognition for going above and beyond while exemplifying the service culture of the Conrad New York Downtown
- 2017 DoubleTree by Hilton Sales Team of the Year
- 2017 Q2 North American Top Revenue, 2nd Place in this competition of over 800 Hilton Worldwide Sales Managers.
Affiliations
2019 - 2020 Tunnels to Towers - Served as liaison from event participants to Vice Chair Janis Hannan between rooms and event locations
2015 – 2018 American Diabetes Association - Committee Member / Champion Tent Chair: Oversaw recruiting volunteers, organizing, designing and managing the Champions Tent at Tour de Cure and other Silicon Valley events
2015 –2018 Chamber of Commerce SVO Member - Silicon Valley Organization: Active member involved in monthly meetings and networking, young professional and community events
2010 - 2013 Big Assist, Blue Wave Football Fundraisers, The Darien Road Race, Tip a cop - Partnered with local charities to fundraise at The Goose
Timeline
Dual Sales Manager
AC NYC Times Square & Hampton Inn Times Sq Central
09.2023 - Current
Senior Sales Manager
Doubletree By Hilton
03.2022 - Current
Group Sales Manager
Conrad New York Downtown
01.2019 - 04.2021
Catering Sales Manager
DoubleTree By Hilton
01.2015 - 01.2019
Director of Catering
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
01.2014 - 01.2015
Regional Manager
SBC Restaurant Group, LLC
01.2013 - 01.2014
General Manager /Director of Events
The Goose
01.2011 - 01.2013
Hospitality Manager
PJ Clarke’s, Sidecar
01.2010 - 01.2011
Banquet Captain
Bite Catering
01.2004 - 01.2007
Head Server /Head Trainer /Supervisor
Mickey Mantle’s
01.2003 - 01.2010
Head Banquet Captain
Amuse
01.2003 - 01.2005
Banquet Server
Restaurant Associates
01.2003 - 01.2004
Fine Dining Assistant /Banquet Server
Demercurio’s
01.2000 - 01.2003
High School Diploma -
Santa Clara Valley Academy
Summary
Highly organized and detail-oriented individual with many years of sales, management, and event planning experience wishing to elevate a high quality, high service level environment.
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