Mazen A. Iskandar

Experience

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  Hyatt Hotels Corporation

  Jan 1989 - Jan 1990

  Housekeeping Supervisor

  Housekeeping . 900 Room Property.

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  Omni Hotels & Resorts

  Jan 1990 - Jan 1994

  Front Desk Manager, 800-room property
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  InterContinental Hotels & Resorts

  Jan 1994 - Jan 1996

  Director of Front Office Operations / Resident Manager

  ▪ Luxury Property Management: Managed 321-room luxury property encompassing front office, reservation department, executive floors, concierge, business center, P.B.X., parking garage, hotel shuttle service, and 7 independent lobby luxury retail stores. ▪ Leadership/Team Builder: Oversaw 61 employees, assistant managers, and managers during day, and entire hotel and staff after regular working hours, including two restaurants, lobby café, bar lounge, and pool area.

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  Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites

  Jan 1996 - Jan 1997

  Director of Front Office Operations, Rooms Division

  ▪ Operations/Hotel Management: Managed room operations of 221-room franchise hotel covering front desk, reservation, night audit, door attendant, and security personnel.▪ Tour Group Management: Organized and prepared for large tour groups, including check-in and check-out; consisted of significant portion of hotel business.

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  Paper Moon Restaurants

  Jan 1997 - Jan 1998

  General Manager

  ▪ General Manager/Leadership: Led 200-seat Italian restaurant in heart of Georgetown District of Washington D.C.; oversaw staff of 30 people covering kitchen, waitstaff, bartenders, and hosts. ▪ Night Club/Management: Managed night club aspect of business 3 nights per week; in addition to large bar with 4 bartenders; added 2 small bars in separate areas to relieve main bar pressure allowing for better customer service and increased sales. ▪ VIP Accommodation/Sales Expansion: Created new VIP section with enhanced bottle service, targeting higher spending clients and increased sales by 15% per night. ▪ Partnerships/Customers: Collaborated with independent club promoters, attracting substantially more traffic with upscale demographic and higher spend clientele filling the V.I.P section; enhanced venue reputation. Show less

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  Listrani's Italian Restaurant-3 locations

  Jan 1998 - Jan 2007

  Owner- Multi Unit Manager

  ▪ Startup/Acquisition: Purchased and revamped existing 100-seat operation with robust pickup and delivery business. ▪ Recruiting/Training/Operations: Hired, trained, and directed 60 staff and supervisors over 3 locations; revamped menu, pricing, inventory supply chain, food handling, and preparation procedures; reduced food waste and cost. ▪ Point of Service Terminal (POS)/Cost Control: Installed new POS system, resulting in more accurate food cost control and financial audit process. ▪ Incentive Sales Program/Revenue Growth: Initiated liquor sales incentive program for wait staff, increasing sales, margins, and average check amount; boosted wait staff gratuities and reduced waitstaff turnover. ▪ Community Engagement/Advertising Campaign: Initiated marketing and advertising campaign, community engagement, and exposure; increased traffic and sales by 11% in first year. ▪ Expansion/New Locations: Opened and set up 2 more locations; negotiated leases, obtained licenses, hired/trained staff; installed computer systems, processes, and procedures. ▪ Marketing/Cross Campaign: Negotiated cross-campaign advertising with local businesses, reducing costs and increasing exposure to new markets and customers. ▪ Negotiation/Margins: Re-negotiated bulk products/supplies with suppliers; reduced pricing for all 3 stores, further improving margins. Show less

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  Edible Arrangements

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2017

  Owner/Manager

  ▪ Leadership/Revenue Growth: Oversaw daily operations of franchise store with 5 employees and $525,000 in sales, increasing sales to $784,000 in 5 years. ▪ Sales Training/Incentives: Led Sales Agents to upsell by providing professional sales training and incentive program; increased average ticket, sales, and customer satisfaction; improved employee retention.▪ Marketing/Advertising: Rolled out aggressive multi-layered, local marketing and advertising campaign in coordination with franchise corporate office.▪ Negotiation/Profits: Coordinated with franchise corporate office to re-negotiate supplier prices in bulk orders; saved additional funds, expanding profit margins. ▪ Sales/Recognition: Stores recognized as #1 and #2 in sales amongst 30 stores in Virginia for 9 years, and store #72 in sales out of 1100 stores in franchise corporation.▪ Store Opening/Staffing: Opened store #2, including staffing and training new employees; set sales goals and targets, plus customer service standards.▪ Process Management/Profit Margins: Implemented processes of franchise company; successfully launched store, meeting sales and profit margin targets. Show less

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  Firehook Bakery

  Jan 2017 - Jan 2019

  General Manager

  ▪ Operations/Turnaround: Hired to overhaul business suffering reduced revenue, substandard customer satisfaction, and food cost overrun.▪ Employee Performance Management: Implemented effective staff changes and dismissals, plugging high employee turnover; hired qualified team members, delivered intensive cross-functional training, and instilled motivation through labor-friendly scheduling.▪ Profitability/Cost Containment: Improved overhead costs through efficient scheduling, strict inventory turnover, tight supply ordering procedures, and reduced theft; increased profitability.▪ Customer Expansion/Cashier Stations: Increased foot traffic by operating additional cashier stations and training cashiers to promote and sell higher priced items/specials; increased sales by 5% in 2017 and 13% in 2018, expanding profit margins.▪ Ratings/Social Media: Enhanced social media reviews and ratings, up by 2 stars, with continual focus on customer experience; invited and encouraged sharing feedback with staff. Show less

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  HIGH STREET CAFE-RESTAURANT

  Jan 2019 - Mar 2023

  General Manager

  ▪ Operations/Financials: Recruited to evaluate restaurant operations that defaulted on lease payments and profit disbursement; avoided litigation by identifying mismanagement, closing restaurant, removing management, and securing company assets.▪ Strategic Business Plan Development: Designed new business plan and conducted financial feasibility studies for 3 different business concepts to fill restaurant space.▪ Negotiation/Business Deal: Successfully attracted and screened reputable tenant with top dollar per SF contract; secured company revenue stream and ROI.▪ Business Expansion: With business partners, planned, executed, and opened 2 restaurants, bar, and speakeasy lounge in separate company property; coordinated with architects, city zoning, licensing, and contractors on demolition and build out. Show less

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  Carmine's NYC Family Style Italian

  Apr 2023 - Sept 2024

  Front of House Manager, Beverage Manager

  Managed 60 front of house staff as well as bar operations.