Christene O'Neill

Experience

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  Rockleigh Country Club

  Jan 1995 - Jan 1999

  Catering Sales Manager

  Instrumental in startup of a 4 star catering facility, well-known establishment which achieved $5 million in sales by 1999.Played role in establishing club as one of the best in New Jersey. Knowledgeable in Kosher Catering.

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  Nyack Seaport Center for Cultural Events

  Jan 1999 - Mar 2001

  Director of Catering

  Directed catering and banquet operations for 4-star catering facility, off premise catering and upscale restaurantIncreased sales by 20% through implementation of aggressive sales promotions and redesigned menus• Negotiated with suppliers to reduce costs of supplies

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  Radisson Hotel/Crowne Plaza, Paramus

  Mar 2001 - May 2007

  Director of Catering

  Promoted services for private and corporate events of up to 300 people, Designed and personalized menus in concert with clientele, increased sales revenue by 30% in 2006.Managed food and beverage budgetsRecruited, trained and supervised staff of 20

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  Holiday Inn

  May 2007 - Aug 2011

  Director of Catering

  Augmented top- and bottom-line revenue through innovative marketing and sales techniques. Mentored a 15-member team. Collaborated cross-functionally to generate new business opportunities and worked with the sales team to create competitive packages for clients. Oversaw department budget. Key Contributions: Grew company’s annual revenue by $2.5M/25% through curation of integrated marketing and sales plan Grew profit margin by 20% on vendor related services after fostering positive rapport with key contacts Show less

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  DoubleTree By Hilton (formerly the Sheraton)

  Aug 2011 - Jan 2016

  Director of Catering

  Promote a modern fast paced facility with 502 sleeping rooms and 20,000 square feet of banquet space to change the image and market to upscale clientele.4-Times Honored recipient of Millionaire’s Club Awards for selling $1.6M (2012 & 2015).Generated more than $4 million in annual sales in food, beverage and accommodations.Devised the marketing plan to target new business development and strategic planning to maximize growth and profitability. Analyze and project catering goals. Managed the overall budget for the catering departmentPersonally manage account calls, presentations, and negotiations.Responsible for building and developing a strong catering team through coaching and team building exercises to maintain a high level of customer service and satisfaction. Accountable for new market identification and penetration, large-scale contract negotiations and high-end event logistics and execution.Organize group sales, special meetings, reservations, menu planning/development, and requirements for convention facility which includes, detailing banquet event orders, preparing detailed resumes, arranging room set-ups and coordinating audio visual services.Responsible for selling catering services and accommodations to organizations and businesses for major conventions and large social functions (Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs) for up to 1000 guests. Solicit and obtain new accounts as well as, maintain existing clients by conducting site tours and entertaining to establish a working relationship.Establish and maintain rapport with community organizations.Partnered with Executive Chef to create innovative menus targeting new clientele.Implemented contractual clauses to capture revenue by structuring deposits and payment schedules.Work closely with all other hotel departments to ensure all events are executed properly.Following up post-program with clients to obtain feedback and evaluations to implement and execute future events. Show less

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  Embassy Suites by Hilton Berkeley Heights/American Beauty Events

  Jan 2016 - Nov 2018

  Director of Event Sales

  Substantially exceeded initial revenue targets for hotel launch by utilizing proactive and effective marketing and sales strategies while on the pre-opening and opening team.Assess current market trends to uncover potential new business opportunities. Prepare and execute annual budget and marketing plans. Review weekly sales and budget activity with General Manager (Director of Sales & Marketing). Oversee the activities of sales agents, convention service manager, and coordinator to meet organizational objectives. Generate client interest through tours, entertainment events, and networking within the community.Key Contributions:· Led efforts to launch hotel in April 2018; opened with $1.5M in commitments, exceeding individual goals by 30%. · Exceeded 2018 opening budget projections overall by 25% after developing a marketing campaign that effectively promoted high-end venue.· Initiated and established relationships with top-tier Fortune 500 companies such as L’Oréal, Celgene, Nokia, Merck, and Amazon. · Successfully managed new sales team and hotel budget, which resulted in each member exceeding sales projections by ~10%.· Implemented unique and individualized site inspections to drive closing of groups.· Increased client engagement by 35% through the establishment of winning training resources centered around clients and salesforce needs. Show less

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  FairBridge Inn & Conference Center

  Dec 2018 - Jan 2020

  Assistant General Manager/Director of Sales

  Oversaw daily operations and sales of a 254 room hotel with 12,000 square feet of meeting space. Increased hotel revenue by 20%. Spearheaded efforts to increase hotel scores.

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  Marriott International

  Jan 2020 - Jan 2022

  Director of Sales at the SpringHill Suites Albuquerque

  Manage all sales and marketing along with event services activities. Scope of accountability includes strategic planning, competitive analysis, market positioning, new business development, new product instructions, staff training and development, building strategic partnerships and building/maintaining client relationships.

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  Intermountain Hotels

  Jan 2022 - now

  Area Director of Sales