RYAN GULLION
Houston,TX
Summary
Leveraged diverse hospitality experience to maintain exceptional standards and capitalize on competitive advantages, enhancing overall guest satisfaction and operational performance.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
General Manager
Blossom Hotel
Houston
01.2023 - 09.2023
- Transitioned property from owner-managed for first year of operation to management company
- Working to reposition the property from a Houston Medical Center property to an Upper-Upscale Boutique hotel in proximity to a $4 Billion Bioscience research and development hub
- Ensured property was marketed properly on its own website, maximized SEO, and visibility into Consortia Programs and the leisure market
- Achieved unprecedented 100% RevPar Index by optimizing rate strategy with Corporate Revenue Management Team, balancing Transient and Group Markets through strategic daily collaboration
- Elevated Guest Satisfaction rankings to top performer in local competitive set across Online Travel Agencies and TripAdvisor by personally engaging with guest feedback and strategically focusing team efforts to drive revenue in absence of Corporate RFP accounts
- Consistently ranked in top ten of Houston Market's 450 properties by implementing performance-driven team training, personalized review management, and innovative associate incentive program, resulting in 62% revenue and 56% RevPar growth year-over-year
- Established robust financial controls in purchasing, labor management, and expenses by implementing BirchStreet purchasing program, generating 125% initial NOI increase and $1.3 Million NOI improvement within first six months
General Manager
Hotel Derek
Houston
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Transitioned property from one ownership group to another while coordinating management company change. Provided all financial due diligence information, managed and reconciled all business interruption insurance funds, coordinated both seller's and buyer's cash reconciliation, and ensured proper expense accounting for both entities
- Increased food and beverage revenue by up to 30% –112K– by identifying underserved markets for Banquets and Catering and identifying previously unidentified revenue sources in both Social and Corporate Segments
- Acquired business interruption claim disbursement of 2.3M in addition to general liability claim of 4.3M by liaising with legal team as a result of fire sprinkler damage
- Worked closely with Restoration Contractor to properly demolish damage, repair, and return damaged inventory to sellable status within three months
- Directly responsible for providing all due-diligence information and transferring business records to seller to maintain compliance with data retention policies as they relate to a publicly-traded entity
- Capital Project for new Cooling Tower from sourcing materials, identifying Contractor and providing all necessary information to Ownership in order to replace system on an accelerated timeline due to the sale of the property
General Manager
Hotel Alessandra
Houston
01.2017 - 01.2021
- Responsible for managing pre-opening Operating Equipment and Supplies budget
- Property was opened on time despite construction and supplier issues related to Hurricane Harvey
- Pioneered global partnership with Samsung to implement innovative in-room tablet and task watch system, reducing service errors by 99%. This also allowed dynamic pricing based on guest profiles and demand property was able to seamlessly accommodate large groups with specialized menu items, an example of this would be accommodating the Saudi Royal Family
- Surpassed F&B Revenue and Profit targets despite 50% reduction in event space during development phase; earned recognition from Houston Chronicle as top hotel restaurant and received 10 F&B industry awards –2018–2019–
- Ranked #11 in U.S. News & World Report's Best Hotels in the United States and maintained #3 position among 540 Houston hotels on TripAdvisor –2019–
- Cultivated high-performing team of 85 staff members through strategic recruitment and development initiatives, resulting in 30% reduction in turnover year-over-year
- Led hotel design and construction process, garnering multiple prestigious awards including Interior Design's #2 ranking for Cool and Captivating Lobbies and Design Award's Best Hospitality Design –2018–2019–
General Manager
Hotel Sorella CityCentre
Houston
01.2008 - 01.2016
- Consistently achieved #1 market index score (STR report) and earned annual Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards, outperforming luxury competitors including Four Seasons and St. Regis
- Drove substantial business growth, increasing managed property inventory by 300% and managing P&L for three owner entities with $22M total revenue
- Successfully launched and operated 10K sq. ft. Meeting and Event Centre, generating $2M annual revenue, while overseeing completion and leasing of condominium units
- Led 175-member staff with focus on professional development, resulting in 50% lower turnover than industry standard and development of five future General Managers and six Sales/Marketing executives, this included personal mentoring as well as leading group training sessions
- Implemented innovative guest loyalty program improvements and training initiatives which included leading for all 175 associates that achieved highest company-wide guest satisfaction scores annually as verified by emailed guest surveys
Education
Bachelor of Science - Hospitality Administration
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Las vegas01.1998
Skills
- Achieved high team performance by implementing effective leadership strategies Drove successful project outcomes through cohesive team dynamics Fostered an environment of innovation and collaboration that resulted in improved team engagement
- Analyzed and diagnosed issues to develop targeted resolutions, improving overall service quality
- Implemented strategic operations management practices to ensure seamless coordination across departments
- Engaged with colleagues to enhance teamwork and drive collective performance
Websites
Accomplishments
- Achieved 62% revenue growth and 56% RevPar increase year-over-year through tactical strategies.
- Generated $1.3 million NOI improvement within first six months of implementing financial controls.
- Reduced service errors by 99% with innovative in-room technology, enhancing guest satisfaction.
- Ranked consistently in top 10 of Houston market's 450 properties for exemplary management.
Timeline
General Manager
Blossom Hotel
01.2023 - 09.2023
General Manager
Hotel Derek
01.2021 - 01.2022
General Manager
Hotel Alessandra
01.2017 - 01.2021
General Manager
Hotel Sorella CityCentre
01.2008 - 01.2016
Bachelor of Science - Hospitality Administration
University of Nevada, Las Vegas