LEYLA NICHOLS
Nokesville,VA
Summary
Hospitality Professional offering over 10 years of proven experience in event planning, customer service, and utilizing business management knowledge to create contract negotiations and write proposals. Experienced in performing tasks under short deadlines ensuring proper execution of duties with the utmost quality. Self-starter who is driven to contribute to the overall success of an organization at all levels. Met business needs through collaboration in cross-functional teams that provided accurate analysis and provided timely responses for various problems related to event planning. Career supported by a Bachelor of Business Administration.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Owner
General Conference Services, LLC
01.2010 - 01.2020
- Provided bids to federal government agencies and completed 250+ contracts as Prime Contractor with full financial responsibility on contracts up to $500K+
- Oversaw Firm Fixed-Price contracts requiring hotels for conferences; coordinated guest room lodging, conference space, food & beverage service, audiovisual and event management support for up to 1K+ attendees
- Awarded ranking as top 10 of Small Business Vendors and 5th of top 100 Women-Owned Small Business Vendors.
Director, Global Accounts
HelmsBriscoe
01.2010 - 01.2020
- Served as industry broker for company with 35K total combined accounts; represented corporate, government, education, and non-profit organizations to book ideal hotel venues and oversaw contract meetings for conferences
- Maintained $1M+ in total hotel guest revenue for 4 years; utilized customer service strategies, strong communication skills, and ability to solve problems to meet client's needs
- Awarded Top-producing associate and developed accounts that maintained company's high performance in planning and venue booking
- Secured 20+ hotels for domestic and international conferences and student programs; contacted accommodation departments to verify hotel availability, location, and catering capabilities
- Identified deficiencies and capability gaps in organizational planning and resolved complex issues through collaborative problem solving.
Conference Center Sales Manager
Hilton Atlanta
01.2008 - 01.2010
- Secured largest Internal Revenue Service contract valued at $2M; oversaw completion of contracts, verified vendors, and maintained communication with clients to ensure event met expectations
- Oversaw use of 100K square feet of meeting space, and 1K+ guest rooms; led 40 employees in completing contracts, managing convention sites, and sales training
- Cultivated climate that valued teamwork, collaboration, and performance-based metrics; resulted in increased overall retention and decreased personnel turnover rate.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Marketing -
Georgia State University
2005
Skills
- Mac / Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Office, Access, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, SharePoint
- Administrative Oversight
- Budget Administration
- Business Management
- Sales Leadership
- Staff Management
- Business Development
- Team Oversight
- Marketing
- Customer Relations
- Business Administration
- Strategic Planning
- Contract Management
- Budget Development
- Project Management
- Bidding Processes
- Consulting
- Negotiation
- Small Business Operations
- Staff Hiring
- Verbal and Written Communication
- Relationship Building
- Cost Reduction
- Leadership Abilities
- Conflict Resolution
- Performance Monitoring
- Decision Making
- Time Management
- Sales Management
- Creative Thinking
- Problem Solving
- Negotiation and Persuasion
- Cost Analysis and Savings
- Professional Networking
- Sales Development
- New Business Development
- Attention to Detail
- Entrepreneurial Personality
Websites
Overview Of Key Attributions
- Exceptional Customer Service: Strong communication skills. Proficient in developing strong relationships with clients by developing trust and exhibiting credibility.
- Independent and Team Player: Enjoy collaborating with colleagues, clients, and customers, as well as completing tasks independently. Eager to motivate and inspire others to deliver their best.
- Organized and Motivated: Skilled in maintaining order. Able to seamlessly multi-task long and short-term priorities to generate desired results.
Key Attributions
- Hospitality
- Inventory Management
- Process Improvement
- Talent Acquisition
- Office Management
- Oral/Written Communication
- Event Planning
- Sales | Marketing
- Business Administration
Timeline
Owner
General Conference Services, LLC
01.2010 - 01.2020
Director, Global Accounts
HelmsBriscoe
01.2010 - 01.2020
Conference Center Sales Manager
Hilton Atlanta
01.2008 - 01.2010
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Marketing -
Georgia State University