Laura Ayan

Experience

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  Alternative Breaks

  Jan 2011 - Jan 2012

  Board Member- Public Relations Coordinator

  •Responsible for advertising and promoting the organization to campus and community stakeholders to stimulate interest in service learning projects at home and abroad.•Organized multiple informational nights which recruited 150 students to the Alternative Breaks Program. •Helped create socially conscious citizens through education and direct service by encouraging participants to critically think and react to problems faced by communities in which they are involved.

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  American Cancer Society

  May 2011 - Aug 2011

  Intern

  Intern May 2011- Aug. 2011•Helped organize the local Relay for Life of Frankenmuth by creating the program and schedule of the event. •Assisted in recruiting more than 10 teams for the local Making Strides against Breast Cancer event which contributed to raising $185,000 in the fight against breast cancer.

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  Of Hampton Inn & Suites Flint/Grand Blanc at Lodgco Management

  Sept 2013 - Apr 2014

  Sales Coordinator

  • Handle guest complaints and requests in a professional and empathetic manner• Respond to all sales inquiries accurately, timely and in a professional manner • Solicit past and new group business based on hotel’s needs• Proactively sell banquet and meeting room space• Generate contracts for incoming business• Negotiate competitive rates with cooperate and non-cooperate cliental.• Preserve up-to-date, detailed, organized, updated cliental information.• Develop strong client relationships through professional communication.• Complete weekly required sales reports• Exceed guest needs and expectations in an efficient, creative, and practical manner.• Conduct tours in order to sell hotel and book large group business. Show less

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  Interstate Hotels & Resorts

  Apr 2014 - Oct 2017

  Oversee 514 rooms and 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space for the Marriott, Courtyard, and Residence Inn . Responsible for achieving annual goals over $1 Million in group guest room revenue and over $150,000 in catering revenue. Accountable for growing RevPAR by increasing group guest room and catering revenue for business associated with the following market segments: Sports, Military, Education, Religion and Fraternal.Initiating, developing, and maintaining relationships with key decision makers and influencers such as tournament directors through consistent, genuine and professional communication. Show less •Responsible for overseeing and maintaining all existing accounts in the special corporate and group (including corporate group and SMERF) market segments. •Responsible for prospecting and qualifying new accounts and saturating current accounts. •Directly involved in revenue management for the Hotel by actively participating in weekly revenue generation calls to create and execute tactical hotel positioning related to revenue maximization. •Experience in forecasting for both group and transient. •Responsible for training and developing front desk associates to assist in “selling” the Hotel. •Responsible for hotel pricing. Successfully executed RFP process for 2 consecutive years. •Responsible for digital marketing for the Hotel and creating packages and promotions based on need times to drive RevPAR. •Develop and execute annual and quarterly property action plans for short and long term Hotel growth.•Plan and implement specific action steps to follow-up and successfully achieve goals and action plans. Show less

  • Senior Market Sales Manager- Marriott, Courtyard, Residence Inn

    Mar 2016 - Oct 2017

  • Sales Manager- Courtyard by Marriott

    Apr 2014 - Mar 2016
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  Interstate Hotel & Resorts, Now part of Aimbridge Hospitality

  Jun 2018 - Apr 2022

  Manage business transient and corporate group for the 514 room Marriott Auburn Hills Campus at Pontiac. Campus includes a full service Marriott with 15,000 Sq. Ft. of flexible meeting space, an extended stay Residence Inn, and a select service Courtyard.Initiate and develop authentic professional relationships with new and current corporate accounts to drive business and increase market share.Seasoned in Vertical Marketing, Account Saturation, Hotelligence, FOSSE, and MARSHA.Resourceful and proficient in prospecting and qualifying business generating opportunities and partnerships.Skilled in presentation, closing business, respectfully and creatively deconstructing objections, and obtaining commitment. Show less

  • Director of Sales- Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Airport

    Jan 2021 - Apr 2022

  • Area Director of Sales & Marketing

    Mar 2020 - Jan 2021

  • Director of Sales- Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Airport

    Aug 2018 - Mar 2020

  • Task Force Assistant Regional Director of Sales

    Nov 2019 - Jan 2020

  • Market Senior Sales Manager - Marriott, Courtyard, and Residence Inn

    Jan 2018 - Aug 2018

  • Task Force- Director of Sales

    Jun 2018 - Jul 2018
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  Greenleaf Hospitality Group

  May 2022 - now

  Director of Sales Radisson Kalamazoo