ROBERT SMIT
Long Beach,CA
Summary
Results-driven executive with extensive experience in strategic leadership and operational excellence. Proven track record in driving growth, optimizing processes, and fostering team collaboration. Exceptional skills in strategic planning, financial management, and stakeholder engagement. Adaptable and reliable, consistently achieving high-impact results in dynamic environments. Experienced leader with strong background in guiding teams, managing complex projects, and achieving strategic objectives. Excels in developing efficient processes, ensuring high standards, and aligning efforts with organizational goals. Known for collaborative approach and commitment to excellence.
Overview
43
43
years of professional experience
Work History
General Manager
Legends Global
Long Beach, CA
08.2022 - Current
- Flagship venue for Legends Global on a 50-acre campus including a convention center, exhibit hall, meeting rooms, grand ballroom, 13,500 seat Long Beach Arena, 3,050 seat Terrace Theater, 800 seat Beverly O’Neil Theater and 13.5-acre music festival lot
- Economic Impact $327 million in fiscal 2025
- $60 million total operating revenue with over 250 events, 650+ event days annually; +17% growth YOY
- Created new marketing and digital marketing departments launching new entertainment focused website
- Managed $50 million capital improvement plan
- Increase of events +40%, event days +26%, attendees +33% to 1.2 million from 2022 to 2025
Director – Americas
Mews Hospitality
New York, NY
05.2021 - 07.2022
- #1 International Hospitality Technology Company with over 12,000 properties worldwide
- Led US expansion during Pandemic growing to 150 clients in year one
- Supervised customer success, sales, marketing, support and onboarding
- Directed cross-functional teams to implement innovative customer service solutions.
- Fostered partnerships with stakeholders to enhance service offerings and brand visibility.
Regional Vice President
Prospect Hotel Management / DBA Autocamp
San Francisco, CA
04.2019 - 03.2021
- Startup experience with a luxury boutique outdoor hospitality experience company with three properties in operation, two opening in 2020 and five in 2021
- Coordinated design and implementation of “Contactless Operating Model” during Covid-19 to reopen properties
- Responsible for guidance, supervision and growth of property operations, revenue management, sales and marketing, creative food and beverage concepts of a portfolio of hotels while driving quality, overall guest satisfaction, associate satisfaction, total revenue and profitability
President and Principal Consultant
Pacific Global Hospitality
Los Angeles, CA
08.2018 - 07.2022
- Hospitality Consulting & Asset Management for Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants and Bars
- Focused on strategic plans, renovation, technology improvements and capital improvement plans
- Successfully repositioned hotel, restaurant and bar assets in Palm Springs
Vice President & General Manager
Richfield Hospitality/Kahler Hospitality Group
Rochester, MN
12.2016 - 08.2018
- Multi-property responsibilities of six hotels with 1,371 rooms and suites including five star, Marriott upscale full service, Residence Inn, select service, independent properties
- Implement Operational Excellence Standards increasing overall quality, service and profitability
- Improve revenue management, social and digital media improving overall sales and marketing efforts
- Implemented IDeaS G3 RMS for independent hotel group
- Champion and implement new loyalty program for all F&B outlets to increase traffic by +30%
- Increased F&B Revenue by +$1.6 million, +39%; Net Profit by +24% over LY
- Trailing 12 month Overall Total Revenue +$3.2 million, +6% in 2017 versus LY; Flow-through +59.8%
Vice President of Operations
YHB Hospitality Group
Long Beach, CA
01.2011 - 11.2016
- Multi-property responsibilities of eight assets including full service, select service, independent hotels with management agreements with Marriott, IHG (Intercontinental Hotel Group), Carlson brands and four independent resort golf courses in Hawaii
- Key focus areas include asset management, organizational management, operational efficiency, food and beverage, sales and marketing, ecommerce, revenue management, financial controls, hotel budgets, annual business plans, property operations, technology, and capital improvements.
- Implemented new catering, food and beverage concepts with golf courses and hotels.
- Let $30 million renovation and building of new all-suite hotel in Long Beach, California
- Over $120 million in Total Revenue with YOY growth of 10% and exceeded Budget House Profit annually.
General Manager
Packard Hospitality Group
Los Angeles, CA
12.2008 - 12.2010
- Responsibilities included 450 room full-service hotel and 150 room resort and conference center
- Focus on stabilizing hotels due to several hotel ownership and management changes
- Improved RevPar Index 119.6%; RevPar Index Change % increase +40.1%
- Improved Guest Service Ranking to #3 of 26 properties (October 2009)
- Sales Group Booking Pace +42% increase over prior year
- IHG Overall Satisfaction Score 90.81 YTD versus 85.0 Brand Average
- IHG RevPAR over 100% for first time in over 3 years
- IHG RevPAR YTD +66.1% versus -3.5% for Comp Set, a +72.2% RevPAR Index Change
General Manager
Island Hospitality Group
Los Angeles, CA
02.2008 - 11.2008
- Full-service Hilton Hotel with 309 rooms with 21,000 square feet of meeting space
- Focus on stabilizing hotel and property renovation
- Improved RevPar Index from 80% to 92% and increasing monthly
- Improved Hilton QA Score from 26% to 89%, April 2008
- Exceeded Overall Guest Satisfaction Index Brand Average +2%
Vice President of Operations
Pinnacle Hotels USA / Excel Hospitality Group
San Diego, CA
09.2006 - 02.2008
- Supervise operations, sales, marketing, revenue management, and Ecommerce for growing portfolio of 18 hotels with nine brands including Hilton, Marriott, Holiday Inn, La Quinta and Wyndham
- Implemented new technology, marketing intelligence, ecommerce and revenue management tools including Hotel SalesPro, Hotel ServicePro, Hotellegience and MarketVision, Pay-Per-Click, and SEO
- Achieved Total Revenue increase of $5.2 million, +24.8% over prior year
- Improved GOP by $3.3 million, +30.2% over prior year
- GOP % of 54.5%, July YTD a +2.3% point increase over prior year
- Flow-through increase +63.6% compared to prior year, +139% compared to Budget YTD
- Total Portfolio RevPar Change Index % improvement of +15% over prior year
Regional Vice President - Western Region
Atria Senior Living Group
Los Angeles, CA
11.2005 - 09.2006
- Supervise upscale Retirement and Assisted Living Communities in Greater Southern California
- Responsible for over $30 million regional operations budget with total portfolio revenue of $80 million
- Improved portfolio Total Revenue by +12% over Budget. NOI increase by +10% over Budget
- Implemented Dining Room improvements to improve Resident Satisfaction Scores by +6% points
Regional Director of Operations and General Manager
Sunstone Hotel Properties
San Diego, CA
10.2004 - 09.2005
- Hilton San Diego / Del Mar, 257 room full service hotel with 17,000 square feet of meeting space
- Implement Strategic Repositioning Plan after $6 million renovation
- Year over Year revenue growth $2.1 million, $1 million NOI increase over 2004
- Improved RevPar Index from 90% to 96.4%, Hilton Quality Assurance Score, 92.9% in 2005
- Improved Overall Guest Service Scores by +10 points, 92% Associate Satisfaction Index
Regional Director of Operations and General Manager
Sunstone Hotel Properties
Riverside, CA
08.2000 - 10.2004
- 300 room full-service hotel with 14,000 square feet of meeting space
- Supervise Portfolio of 10 hotels in Southern California, Arizona, and Colorado including, Marriott, Starwood, IHG and Hilton Brands
- Successful $5 million renovation and conversion from Holiday Inn Select to full-service Marriott
- Developed and implemented new F&B concepts including Martini’s Lounge, Espresso & More and Olio Ristorante
- #1 GSS Scores in Sunstone Hotels Marriott portfolio for two consecutive years
- Marriott Financial Excellence Award, 2004 and General Manager Leadership Excellence Award, 2004
- Improved GOP from $800,000 in 1999 to $3 million in 2004, +275% increase
General Manager
Lodgian Hospitality
Riverside, CA
09.1999 - 08.2000
- Full service 300 room hotel with 14,000 square feet of meeting space
- IHG ‘Quality Excellence Award’ 1999, 2000 and 2001, Acquisition Team of the Year, 2001
- Improved Market Share and RevPAR index three consecutive years
- #1 in Guest Satisfaction and Total Quality for three consecutive years Greater Los Angeles Geo-group
- Quality Evaluation Score of 962, November 2001
- Exceeded Budget Revenues, GOP and NOI for three consecutive years
General Manager
Westmont Hospitality Group
Los Angeles, CA
03.1997 - 09.1999
- 211 room full-service hotel converted to boutique upscale hotel
- Coordinated three-million-dollar renovation and repositioning of this West Los Angeles landmark hotel located near the campus of UCLA
- Hotel received highest Quality Evaluation Score of 940 points March 1998
- #1 Quality Evaluation for all full-service High Rise hotels in the Greater Los Angeles Geo-Group
- RevPAR increase of 31% and Total Revenue increase 34% for year ending 1998 versus 1997
- GOP Improvement of over $1 million dollars in 1998 over 1997
- June 1999 YTD RevPar Index 103.6% versus 82.7% in 1998
Director of Rooms Operations
Hilton Hotels Corporation
Los Angeles, CA
12.1996 - 03.1997
- 340 room full-service hotel with 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting space
- Assisted in conversion to Doubletree Hotel standards
- Improvement of Rooms Revenue over Budget by $50k in January 1997 by implementing revenue management strategies
- Coordinated conversion budget and project timeline with corporate office
Operations Analyst
Hilton Hotels Corporation
Anaheim, CA
05.1995 - 12.1996
- Executive Management position reporting to Area General Manager
- Full Service 1,576 room Anaheim Hilton & Towers with 100,000 of meeting space, largest hotel in Southern California adjacent to the Anaheim Convention Center
- Monitor and evaluate hotel productivity and performance. Present and implement programs to streamline staffing, enhance productivity and improve guest service. Prepared monthly hotel forecast.
- Special projects management including preparation of $20 million-dollar renovation budget
- Coordinate and produce annual $70 million-dollar hotel business and marketing plan
- Assist Area General Manager of nineteen hotels in the implementation of the Hilton Cluster organizational concept including presentations, monthly meetings and communication
- Achieved over $600,000 in operational savings in less than three months for Hilton cluster hotels
Management Positions
Hilton Hotels Corporation
Greater Los Angeles
01.1983 - 01.1997
- General Manager
- Assistant General Manager
- Director of Rooms Operations
- Special Projects Manager
- Operations Analyst
- Properties include Anaheim Hilton and Towers, Burbank Airport Hilton and Towers, Whittier Hilton, Embassy Suites Downey, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Red Lion/Doubletree Hotel
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Honors
University of Michigan
Ann ArborEducational Institute of The American Hotel And Lodging Association
Skills
- Leadership and team building
- Strategic planning
- Financial management
- Budget and forecasting
- Operations management
- Problem resolution
- Professional development
- Training and coaching
- Client relations
- Technology improvements
- Project management
- Facility management
- Union contracts and negotiation
Accomplishments
- Best Convention Center Far West, Stella Award, 7 consecutive years
- Best of the Best Award, Smart Meetings Magazine, 3 consecutive years
Timeline
General Manager
Legends Global
08.2022 - Current
Director – Americas
Mews Hospitality
05.2021 - 07.2022
Regional Vice President
Prospect Hotel Management / DBA Autocamp
04.2019 - 03.2021
President and Principal Consultant
Pacific Global Hospitality
08.2018 - 07.2022
Vice President & General Manager
Richfield Hospitality/Kahler Hospitality Group
12.2016 - 08.2018
Vice President of Operations
YHB Hospitality Group
01.2011 - 11.2016
General Manager
Packard Hospitality Group
12.2008 - 12.2010
General Manager
Island Hospitality Group
02.2008 - 11.2008
Vice President of Operations
Pinnacle Hotels USA / Excel Hospitality Group
09.2006 - 02.2008
Regional Vice President - Western Region
Atria Senior Living Group
11.2005 - 09.2006
Regional Director of Operations and General Manager
Sunstone Hotel Properties
10.2004 - 09.2005
Regional Director of Operations and General Manager
Sunstone Hotel Properties
08.2000 - 10.2004
General Manager
Lodgian Hospitality
09.1999 - 08.2000
General Manager
Westmont Hospitality Group
03.1997 - 09.1999
Director of Rooms Operations
Hilton Hotels Corporation
12.1996 - 03.1997
Operations Analyst
Hilton Hotels Corporation
05.1995 - 12.1996
Management Positions
Hilton Hotels Corporation
01.1983 - 01.1997
Bachelor of Arts - Honors
University of Michigan
Educational Institute of The American Hotel And Lodging Association
AWARDS
- Marriott International – General Manager Global Leadership Excellence Award
- Marriott International – Financial Excellence Award
- Packard Hospitality Group – Best Hotel Turnaround Award
- Sunstone Hotels – Chairman’s Circle Award and Service Excellence Award
- Business Press - Nominated as one of the “Top Companies to work for in the Inland Empire”
- IHG - Most Improved Overall Satisfaction Score
- IHG - Quality Excellence Award, Three Consecutive Years
- IHG - #1 in Guest Satisfaction and Total Quality Greater Los Angeles Geo-group, Three Consecutive Years
COMMUNITY
- Long Beach CVB – Chair, Vice-Chair, Executive Board, Board Member
- Brentwood Area Chamber of Commerce – President
- Brentwood Community Council – Member Representing Chamber of Commerce
- Riverside Downtown Partnership Restaurant Council – Chair
- American Heart Association - Inland Empire Chapter, Executive Board of Directors
- Rotary Club of West LA/Brentwood – President Elect
- American Heart Association – West LA Chapter – Board of Directors