Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Personal Achievements And Adventures
References
Affiliations
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Sandra Vogel King

Minneapolis,MN

Summary

Competent Director of Events with proven ability to develop creative, effective and successful event strategies. Possesses excellent communication and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive working relationships. Adept at managing all aspects of event planning including logistics, venue selection and catering.

Overview

26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Director of Events

LIVE NATION SPECIAL EVENTS
04.2019 - Current
  • Negotiate Space, Assist with Catering Arrangements, Event Proposals, Site Inspections
  • Researched and identified new vendors and suppliers to obtain competitive pricing.
  • Coordinated transportation and parking arrangements for guests and vendors.
  • Produced concept plans for high-profile corporate meetings and events.
  • Fulfilled contractual obligations for rehearsal and day of event coordination.
  • Analyzed event costs to identify areas of improvement and cost savings.
  • Negotiate and Close Contracts
  • Build/Generate Sizable Data Base of Local Corporate, SMERF, CVB, Hotels, Vendors
  • Monitors Changes in Sales/Special Events Industry and Develop Strategies
  • Building Relationships with Local Industries, Corporations, Hotels, Non-Profits
  • Strategic Planning and Forecasting
  • Enhanced event experiences by meticulously planning and executing high-profile corporate, non-profit and wedding gatherings.
  • Generated significant cost savings through efficient budget management and effective vendor negotiation tactics.
  • Enhanced event experiences by meticulously planning and executing high-profile corporate gatherings.
  • Delivered memorable events that exceeded client expectations, leading to increased repeat business and referrals.
  • Streamlined event logistics by implementing innovative project management strategies to ensure seamless execution.
  • Cultivated lasting relationships with key industry partners, expanding the company''s network of reliable service providers.
  • Championed a culture of continuous improvement within the team, fostering professional growth and heightened performance standarEnsured compliance with all regulatory requirements pertaining to health, safety, and risk management during event execution.
  • Managed complex timelines and resource allocation for multiple concurrent projects without compromising quality or efficiency.
  • Achieved measurable success in meeting clients'' objectives while adhering to strict deadlines and tight budgets.
  • Skillfully negotiated contracts with venues and suppliers for favorable terms that benefited both parties involved in the event planning process.
  • Elevated customer satisfaction levels by consistently delivering exceptional service throughout all stages of the event lifecycle.
  • Led post-event evaluations to identify areas for improvement and implement necessary changes for future success.
  • Deftly navigated unforeseen challenges or obstacles during live events while maintaining a calm demeanor under pressure.
  • Consistently met and exceeded revenue goals by identifying new business opportunities and expanding the company''s client base.
  • Developed comprehensive event proposals tailored to specific client needs, demonstrating a deep understanding of their objectives and priorities.
  • Established clear objectives and goals for each event, drove execution toward goals and measured and monitored results to track impact.
  • Oversaw event happenings in progress, answered guest questions, acted quickly to resolve problems and trained and supported 25 team members and volunteers.
  • Trained and supervised event staff to complete tasks on time.
  • Developed creative themes for events and created related activities to engage attendees.

Director of Events and Convention Services

HRI LODING/HILTON HOTELS
06.2017 - 04.2019
  • Responsible for all event and catering sales efforts: planning, touring, pricing and convention services
  • Achieved and Exceed All Quarterly and Annual Sales and Budgets
  • Enhanced event experiences by meticulously planning and executing high-profile corporate gatherings.
  • Generated significant cost savings through efficient budget management and effective vendor negotiation tactics.
  • Lead Project Manager for NFL Super Bowl 52 in 2018 and NCAA Final Four in 2019
  • Oversee Event Operations and Culinary Departments
  • Develop and maintain SOP's
  • Conduct tours/entertain potential clients
  • Develop annual sales budget with team
  • Generate new and on-going business through use of Delphi database input, report generation and maintenance
  • Regularly participate in local, industry and/or national networking events in order to access new contacts for new accounts/business
  • Review all banquet event orders and daily/weekly banquet sheet to ensure accuracy
  • Supervise Conference Services Manager

Senior Director of Events

HYATT REGENCY-BLOOMINGTON MN
11.2015 - 05.2017
  • Responsible for sales and event detailing of over $2M in annual sales
  • Opened Hotel Implementing SOP's, Menus and Service Standards
  • Conduct all marketing outreach and sales warm and cold calling to corporate businesses for event bookings
  • Ensure comprehensive event planning, event monitoring and guest satisfaction for all client parties
  • Management of all social media channels for elevated brand awareness
  • Drove the Ryder Cup 2016 Event Logistics and Planning -Standard Life Investments
  • Achieved departmental goals by developing and implementing strategic plans and initiatives.
  • Streamlined operations for increased efficiency with process improvements and automation.
  • Optimized project timelines by effectively delegating tasks and prioritizing workload among team members.

Associate Director of Catering Sales & Development

D'AMICO CATERING
01.1998 - 01.2015
  • Awarded 'Most Consistent Sales Performance' for producing $1.5M in sales for seven consecutive years and surpassing annual sales quota
  • Achieved 'Top Catering Sales Person' on a 20-person team for food, beverage and room rental sales 18 out of 25 years
  • Managed cross-functional teams for multiple large-scale projects, successfully completing each on time and within budget constraints.
  • Enhanced employee performance through targeted training programs and regular feedback sessions, resulting in higher productivity levels.
  • Mentored junior staff members, providing guidance on professional development opportunities and career progression paths within the company.
  • Utilized advanced analytics tools to identify trends in consumer behavior, informing future product development plans.
  • Actively participated in industry conferences and networking events, increasing company visibility and creating valuable connections with peers.
  • Managed client retention for 400-600 events annually resulting in $1.5-1.8M of repeat revenue
  • Cultivated strong client relationships with top companies in Minnesota including: General Mills, Medtronic, Cargill, Land O'Lakes, US Bank, Wells Fargo and Regis Corporation
  • Won bids and planned of high profile events including: MN Vikings Tailgating Parties at McNamara Alumni Center, Mall of America Opening for 10,000 people, Republican National Convention Media Event for 5,500 people at Mill City Museum, 100th Birthday Gala for Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Nordstrom Openings and countless others
  • Worked with Director of Sales to develop and implement annual team marketing and sales strategies for exclusive venues (Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Mill City Museum, Walker Art Center, McNamara Alumni Center) and semi-exclusive venues resulting in improved sales and brand awareness for venue partners
  • Guided a team of 15 sales and event planners on client outreach strategies which resulted in a 15% overall increase in food and beverage sales
  • Lead project manager for all staff education on wine menu resulting in 25% increase in wine sales
  • Managed team training, operational logistics, event and menu planning, client transitioning and marketing for launch of new venues and events: World Series, Super Bowl, Final Four Tournaments, Earle Brown Heritage Center, Calhoun Beach Club and Republican National Committee
  • Managed department heads, chefs, operations and wait staff to generate department 'buy in' for event excellence, coordinated service, efficiency and customer satisfaction
  • Managed executive chefs to design global themed, seasonal, gluten-free and vegetarian menus, small plates, upscale bar food, and stadium and tailgating fare for sales and event staff use at 40+ properties
  • Created menu reference books for culinary operations and event sales team which produced quality and consistency in D'Amico Catering cuisine
  • Pioneered cost effective in-house menu management, which saved D'Amico Catering thousands of dollars annually
  • Team trainer for Caterease and Phase I, II and III custom software for event planning, e-calendar and reporting to maximize efficiency of sales reporting and projection, as well as food and beverage inventory and management
  • Led design and launch of three generations of websites for the D'Amico restaurants and catering.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - International Relations & Spanish

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, TWIN-CITIES

Skills

  • Content Creation
  • Creative Direction
  • Contract Management
  • Budget Management
  • Strategic Planning
  • Problem Solving
  • Time Management
  • Event Marketing
  • Logistics Coordination
  • Client Relations

Personal Achievements And Adventures

  • Bicycled Across the United States, Self -Supported
  • Bicycled Greece, Spain, Italy, France
  • Climbed Mt Hood, Rainier in USA
  • Climbed Chimbarazo and Cotopaxi, Ecuador
  • Climbed Pica De Orizaba, Mexico
  • Climbed Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa
  • Climbed Island Peak and Kala Pathar, Nepal Himalayas

References

  • Jill Halfond, Senior Sales Manager, Hilton Bloomington, 651-747-7982, Jillhalfond@bloomingtonhilton.com
  • Fred Shepherd, President, Event Architects, 612-685-4546, Fred@eventarch.com
  • Rachel Bruzek, Associate Director of Catering, D'Amico Catering, 612-701-8014, rbruzek@damico.com
  • Corinne James, Assistant General Manager, HRI Lodging/Hilton Hotels, 4996-(763) 226, corinne.james@hilton.com
  • Becky Ness, Sales, HRI Lodging/Hilton Hotels, +1 (612) 859-9153, becky.l.ness@hilton.com

Affiliations

  • Pickleball, Hiking with my dogs, Gardening, Bicycling, Camping, anything in the outdoors!

Certification

FAU Hospitality and Travel Certificate

Timeline

Director of Events

LIVE NATION SPECIAL EVENTS
04.2019 - Current

Director of Events and Convention Services

HRI LODING/HILTON HOTELS
06.2017 - 04.2019

Senior Director of Events

HYATT REGENCY-BLOOMINGTON MN
11.2015 - 05.2017

Associate Director of Catering Sales & Development

D'AMICO CATERING
01.1998 - 01.2015

Bachelor of Arts - International Relations & Spanish

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, TWIN-CITIES

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Sandra Vogel King