Vanessa Heckendorn
Zephyr Cove
Summary
Dedicated and organized Hospitality Leader with a proven track record in property management. Expertise in leading properties through complex ownership transitions while maintaining high staff retention and operational excellence. Specialized in Forbes Travel Guide standards, fiscal responsibility, and fostering a culture of excellence through proactive mentorship and guest conflict resolution.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
General Manager
Hotel Becket
04.2024 - 01.2026
- Ownership Transition Leadership: Successfully navigated the property and staff through a complex ownership transition, serving as the primary anchor for operational continuity and converting from an independent property to a branded property.
- Team Retention & Morale: Maintained a high staff retention rate during the transition by implementing transparent communication strategies and proactive cultural leadership; prevention the typical "turnover spike" associated with new ownership.
- Full Property Oversight: Directed all aspects of the 109 room property, including Front Office, Housekeeping, Maintenance, and F&B, ensuring daily operations remained seamless through the management shift.
- Human Resources: Led full-cycle Human Resources operations including recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, mental health support and guidance, corrective action documentation, terminations, exit interviews, payroll, scheduling and benefits administration.
- Sales: Managed all sales inquirers from initial RFP response to final contract execution, diversified revenue streams by building relationships with niche client segments, including sporting teams and professional K9 institutes.
- Financial Oversight: Managed the total property P&L, focusing on labor cost controls and vendor contract renegotiation to optimize the flow for incoming ownership group.
- Stakeholder Liaison: Acted as the vital link between the outgoing and incoming owners, delivering critical operational data, assist assessments, and strategic recommendations to ensure successful handover.
- Service Standards: Upheld high-end service levels throughout the transition, ensuring that guest satisfaction scores remained consistent despite internal organizational changes.
Director of Operations
Hotel Becket
08.2021 - 04.2024
- Operational Leadership: Directed all daily front of House and Heart of House operations, ensuring peak efficiency and service consistency.
- Financial Stewardship: Managed the Rooms Department budget and monitored property-wide P&L and finances to maximize profitability.
- Strategic Collaboration: Partnered with Facilities to execute property improvements and guest room enhancements, assisted in the successful launch and operation of the onsite F&B outlet.
- Talent Development: Collaborated with HR to recruit, onboard, and coach a high-performing team, providing ongoing leadership development for senior staff.
- Executive Representation: Acted as a key stakeholder in monthly ownership meetings, weekly revenue management calls, and sales/marketing strategy sessions.
Guest Service Manager
Edgewood Tahoe Resort
12.2018 - 08.2021
- Multi-Departmental Oversight: Managed 50+ team members across Concierge, Bell, Valet and Transportation departments at a premier luxury resort.
- Standards & Training: Authored comprehensive departmental manuals, training guides, and SOP checklists to ensure rigorous service quality.
- Forbes 4-Star Achievement: Successfully trained staff in Forbes Travel GUide rating protocols, directly contributing to the property's attainment of a Forbes 4-Star rating.
- Guest Loyalty: Partnered with Leisure Sales and Marketing to curate bespoken experiences for Consortia guests and high-profile onsite events.
- Process Improvement: Implemented sophisticated traffic flow logistics for large-scale events and led comprehensive accident investigations in coordination with Risk Management.
- Strategic Support: Worked alongside the Revenue Management team to optimize room assignments and resolve complex billing and guest relation issues.
Skills
- Operations: Rooms Division Oversight, P&L Management, Budgeting & Forecasting
- Leadership: Team Building & Coaching, Cross-Factional Collaboration, Human Resources Strategy
- Guest Experience: Brand Standards, Forbes 4/5 STar Training, VIP Relations
- Strategic Planning: Revenue Management, Sales & Marketing Alignment, Ownership Reporting
Certification
Best Western General Manager Training
Timeline
General Manager
Hotel Becket
04.2024 - 01.2026
Director of Operations
Hotel Becket
08.2021 - 04.2024
Guest Service Manager
Edgewood Tahoe Resort
12.2018 - 08.2021