Dionne Hesley

Experience

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  Limited Too, Inc.

  Jan 2004 - Jan 2007

  Assistant Manager

  • Assisted in managing and leading retail team of ten employees. • Participated in daily objective planning, responsible for opening and closing procedures, inventory control, floor sets and cash handling.

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  San Diego State University: Center for Teaching and Learning

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2009

  Student Coordinator

  • Assisted with the preparation and execution of faculty and staff informational meetings and luncheons. • Coordinated logistics for 200 guests in annual symposium and planned author Tracy Kidder’s keynote lecture and visit to SDSU.

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  Volunteer San Diego

  Jan 2009 - Jan 2009

  Service Events Coordinator

  Assisted in logistical planning and coordination of events, created and maintained project budgets, facilitated communication with clients and assisted in evaluation of events.

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  Omni Hotels

  Jan 2009 - Jan 2015

  • Detail all aspects of group programs including room blocks, food and beverage, billing and on-site coordination in a 362 room, Four-Diamond, downtown property with 11,000 square feet of meeting space.• Manage 243 groups ranging from 10 – 300 attendees resulting in 31,271 total room nights and $2.2 Million in Food & Beverage revenue. • Grew ADR by $7.87, Room Rental by $39,424 (30%) and Banquet Revenue by $563,140 (34%) since Q2 2013.• Cultivated strong relationships with group contacts during the initial planning phase that continued through the fruition of the program.• Coordinated and implemented Advance Deposit SOP and reformatted Hotel’s Group Resume to increase efficient communication throughout all departments. • Manage Conference Services Coordinator, their daily tasks and projects and supervise all groups assigned to them. Meno dettagli • Simultaneously supported four Group Sales Managers by prioritizing and managing their varied work loads to meet deadlines.• Maintained account files ensuring content such as contracts, contract addendums, post convention reports and client correspondence was current and arranged appropriately.• Prepared and distributed correspondence relevant to Group Sales and Conference Services, including booking notices, letters, contracts, proposals, and site inspection notifications while ensuring all communication was 100% accurate.• Provided support to Catering and Conference Services by assisting with blocking space in Delphi, Creating BEO’s and Resumes and assisting in the set up and organization of Pre-Cons.• Navigated and responded to a variety of on-line RFP tools such as StarCite, CVENT and Speed RFP. Meno dettagli • Interviewed, hired and trained a team of six Bartenders and Servers.• Coordinated and executed all large party reservations and special events from reserving space, preparing special menus and providing on-site support.• Assisted in menu planning and design, construction and pricing of beverage list, inventory control and ordering.• Created marketing plans and materials as well as organized multiple events to increase business flow and drive revenue.• Completed end of day procedures to ensure POS revenue reports were congruent with employee sales reports and all cash drawers were balanced.• Worked closely with outside vendors to ensure timely ordering and delivery of products. Meno dettagli

  • Conference Services Manager

    Mar 2013 - Jan 2015

  • Express Conference Services Manager

    Jan 2012 - Mar 2013

  • Sales Coordinator

    Feb 2011 - Jan 2012

  • Sales Leader in Development

    Feb 2011 - Jan 2012

  • Front Office Supervisor

    Jan 2010 - Feb 2011

  • Terrace Bar Supervisor

    Apr 2010 - Jan 2010

  • Front Desk Agent

    Jan 2009 - Apr 2010

  • Terrace Bar & Grille Server

    Jan 2009 - Jan 2009
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  Evolution Hospitality - Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf

  Jan 2015 - Feb 2016

  Senior Event Manager

  • Planned and executed 46 programs ranging from 15-250 attendees in a 316-room property with 19,000 square feet of meeting space.• Anticipated and catered to all needs of clients before, during, and after events by maintaining constant communication and follow up; actions led to an increase of customer satisfaction.• Oversaw Catering and Event Coordinator, organized and implemented onboarding and offered continuous training and mentoring resulting in their promotion to Event Manager.• Supported Director in creating and updating weekly, monthly and quarterly forecast and budget, tracked actuals, and provided analysis and corrections to variances. Meno dettagli

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  Omni Hotels & Resorts

  Feb 2016 - Mar 2020

  Convention Services Manager

  • Executed 100 groups per year with upwards of 500 attendees for 511-room, Four-Diamond, Convention Property with 26,000 square feet of meeting space.• Managed 106,436 guest rooms, $22 million in guest room revenue and grew food and beverage revenue by 56% to $3.93 Million.• Specialized in City-Wide, Corporate, Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Government groups and Professional Sports Teams.• Developed and maintained event operations budget, identified spending categories, researched costs and completed spend analysis, led negotiation of pricing with vendors, and supported the team in adhering to budget constraints.• Created comprehensive event resumes, directed day-of event logistics and event teams, led third-party and vendor relations and managed communications throughout events.• Revitalized in-house SOPs and lead hotel operations team in training and implementation of new standards.• Contributed to hotel planning team that routinely finished #1 in the Convention Collection by consistently achieving high scores in Medallia each year since 2016. Meno dettagli

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  Freelance

  Apr 2022 - Jan 2023

  Independent Event Planner

  • Task Force Event Services Manager at L’Auberge Del Mar, specializing in detailing and servicing all Weddings and Social Events.• Supported Conference Service Team at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in detailing and executing large scale meetings and events from April 2022 - July 2022

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  Noble House Hotels & Resorts

  Jan 2023 - now

  Senior Event Services Manaer

  • Act as the primary point of contact for clients, including wedding planners, meeting planners, brides and grooms, to ensure all event details are communicated and executed as planned.• Provide excellent customer service throughout the event planning process, answering questions, offering guidance, and providing expertise when needed.• Work closely with wedding and meeting planners to coordinate event logistics, including setting timelines, organizing the flow of events, and managing the venue’s space for ceremonies, receptions, meetings, and other events.• Assist in the selection of event layouts, decor, seating arrangements, and other aesthetic elements, ensuring the venue reflects the client's vision. Meno dettagli