Nichole Cook
Truckee,CA
Summary
Veteran Director of Events and Catering with top-level skills meeting client expectations. Likeable personality and customer-focused background coupled with expertise with C-level executives. Established relations and earned repeated business from an array of clients including: Nordstrom’s, Apple Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and many more. Ready to tackle new challenges and build success by providing stellar customer service and exceeding client expectations.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
President Photography Business
Inc One LLC
Truckee, CA
08.2006 - 10.2019
- Photographed high-quality images for various print and digital projects.
- Scheduled and booked locations for photo shoots, working collaboratively with clients and contacts.
- Consulted with clients to discuss commission ideas and style preferences to create mutually agreeable project parameters.
- Defined and recommended detailed solutions to capture images.
- Determined and adjusted subject position, props and lighting equipment while selecting camera angles to optimize final product.
- Digitally edited photos to enhance appearance.
- Managed team of fifteen employees, overseeing hiring, training, and professional growth of employees
Event Director
Harry’s Hofbrau Resturants & The Carvery Catering
Redwood City, CA
09.1996 - 01.2005
- Developed and maintained year-round calendar of events, raised brand awareness and drove organic engagement with consumers and partners.
- Surveyed and analyzed event and strategy success and orchestrated improvements that increased attendee satisfaction and revenue numbers.
- Established clear objectives and goals for each event, drove execution toward goals and measured and monitored results to track impact.
- Enhanced client satisfaction ratings by scheduling on-site service requests, managing show logistics and booth functionality needs to meet demands.
- Supervised onsite team of caterers, audio-visual technicians, and facility management team.
- Coordinated florists, photographers, videographers, musicians, officiants and ceremony participants during rehearsals and pre-ceremony, ceremony and reception events.
- Fostered relationships with local and national wedding suppliers to obtain best price, quality, and delivery of products.
- Evaluated existing plans, processes and events planning services to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Spearheaded community event space online presence, mobilized public relations and created brand awareness increasing bookings by 25% on average.
- Built and implemented cost reduction strategies and industry best practices, reduced event expenses and streamlined planning and delivery
- Oversaw event happenings in progress, answered guest questions, acted quickly to resolve problems and trained and supported team members
- Developed and maintained year-round calendar of events, raised brand awareness and drove organic engagement with consumers and partners
- Managed venue, labor and technical efforts of internal and external partners to successfully execute over thirty events per month
- Managed administrative logistics of events planning, event booking and event promotions
- Evaluated existing plans, processes and events planning services to identify opportunities for improvement
- Interviewed clients to understand event scopes of work, establish budgets and determine timelines for venue selection, guest list finalization, and rehearsal, ceremonies, and receptions
Education
Bachelor Of Business Administration - Hospitality Resort Management
Graphic Design For Print
Skills
- Maintain high level of client satisfaction
- Friendly demeanor with Can Do Attitude
- Excellent Communication Skills
- Team Hiring and Oversight
- Operations management
- Event planning proficiency
- Menu development
- Marketing knowledge
- Budgeting understanding
- Project management software
- Workflow planning
- Cost controls
Accomplishments
- Hired and supervised team of fifteen staff members over the course of eight years for the Carvery Catering.
- Collaborated with executives in the development of high level events and meetings.
- Secured and successfully handled every aspect of meeting and events for groups such as: Moffit Air Field - including all details for a 2,000 person event with accuracy and efficiency which led to a successful event leaving a lasting impression on attendees and the hosts.
- Built client relations by taking one Nordstrom store location and expanding to servicing over 10 Nordstrom food and beverage events for their half yearly sale events.
- Successfully launched a Photography company with a small team of partners while servicing over ten-thousand families over thirteen years.
Community Fundraiser
o Successfully launched TEA Smiles a North Lake Tahoe Fundraiser for Tahoe Expedition Families, raising thousands of dollars for the school.
o Donated 100’s of New Born Baby Photo Sessions to needy families.
o Helped deliver and raise awareness for operation Turkey, giving families in need a Turkey for Thanksgiving.
Timeline
President Photography Business - Inc One LLC
08.2006 - 10.2019
Event Director - Harry’s Hofbrau Resturants & The Carvery Catering
09.1996 - 01.2005
Sierra Nevada University - Bachelor Of Business Administration, Hospitality Resort Management
On-line Study - , Graphic Design For Print