Kara Hinton

Experience

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  North Carolina Zoological Park

  Jun 2011 - Aug 2011

  Special Events and Marketing Intern

  • Aided in the planning and execution of all summer events at the NC Zoo• Assisted the Public Relations team in filming Zoo Files, a video series aired on local NC TV Networks• Implemented new marketing techniques using social media and other promotional tactics to increase ticket sales

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  Wesley M Measamer CPA, PA

  Sept 2011 - Jun 2014

  Business Administration Assistant

  • Bookkeeping and record keeping for major businesses in the Eastern, NC area• Provided confidential financial data entry into various programs• Contributed basic accounting skills to help in the preparation of tax returns for clients• Coordinated client visits, phone conferences, and meetings• Performed various administrative tasks and duties• Worked 20-30 hours a week while in school full-time and maintained campus wide leadership roles as East Carolina’s Student Body Secretary, Panhellenic Recruitment Director, President of Delta Zeta Sorority, and other positions Show less

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  Lilly Pulitzer

  Aug 2012 - Mar 2013

  Delta Zeta Greek Ambassador

  • Selected out of over 2200 applicants to serve as the Delta Zeta Greek Ambassador in the Lilly Pulitzer Greek Ambassador Program's first year• Spent 10-15 hours per month promoting and educating Delta Zeta Chapters nationally about the Lilly Pulitzer Sorority Collection• Provided feedback from consumers to Lilly Pulitzer• Built excitement and awareness about the Sorority Collection by posting on Facebook, sending emails, and by creating a Delta Zeta Lilly Pulitzer Twitter account• Encouraged chapters to place group orders and assisted in placing the order• Helped generate over $50,000 of group sales in 6 months• Informed chapters of new products and any news about the Sorority Collection• Participated in monthly conference calls with the Lilly Pulitzer marketing team Show less

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  East Carolina University

  Nov 2012 - Apr 2014

  • Corresponded with the Executive Council and other branches on matters of Student Government Association business• Served as the chief communications liaison between the SGA and the student body• Served as Chief Clerk of the SGA Undergraduate Senate by taking minutes for all meetings and keeping attendance for all Senators• Maintained minutes for the Executive Council and all actions, events, projects or any other initiative the SGA participated in throughout the year in an orderly fashion• Ensured that transitional binders are composed in a logical and useful manner• Compiled the contact information of all contributing SGA members and maintained past SGA executives contact information in a database for future use• Worked in conjunction with the Chief Information Officer and Chief Clerk Pro Tempore of the legislative branch in maintaining the SGA website and social media Show less • Planned, implemented, and evaluated all Formal Recruitment activities• Revised, published and distributed the rules to each NPC chapter • Kept the Recruitment Chairs of each NPC chapter informed of all activities pertaining to recruitment.• Met regularly with the Recruitment Chairs from each NPC chapter to go over plans and rules for Formal Recruitment.• Served as co-editor for all recruitment publications with the Public Relations Director.• Spoke to all chapters to discuss and ensure understanding of Recruitment and rules for all active sisters.• Planned, coordinated, and participated in Get a Clue, Get the Scoop, and Orientation with the Assistant Recruitment Director.• Supervised and assigned duties to the Assistant Recruitment Director. Show less

  • Student Government Association-Student Body Secretary

    Apr 2013 - Apr 2014

  • Panhellenic Recruitment Director

    Nov 2012 - Dec 2013
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  Aladdin Travel & Meeting Planners

  May 2013 - Dec 2015

  • Collaborated with clients and senior meeting planners on arranging banquet event orders, creating travel itineraries, conducting site research, performing contract reviews, editing lodging and transportation manifests, delivering travel documents, and designing marketing materials• Identified top travel stories in the news on a daily basis to compose a weekly electronic newsletter• Enhanced computer skills by producing and maintaining Cvent Registration Sites and preparing invitations lists, name badges, and welcome kits• Proofread all Aladdin marketing and event materials• Handled shipping of event supplies and equipment• Represented Aladdin at various events as onsite event management• Established agendas and schedules for various events including conferences, programs, business trips, group travel, and family vacations, locally and worldwide Show less

  • Cvent Specialist

    Aug 2013 - Dec 2015

  • Groups and Meetings Intern

    May 2013 - Aug 2013
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  Gold Key | PHR

  Jul 2014 - Apr 2019

  • Preparation for, and facilitation of, critical path CEO meetings including those with local, state, and national political leaders• Coordination/orchestration of projects or commitments directly involving the CEO and his direct reports• Independent leadership of special CEO-initiated projects including the opening of two multimillion-dollar hotels in Coastal Virginia• Coordinated and executed large scale political events, corporate events, and social events• Managed domestic and international travel logistics to include transportation, accommodations, food & beverage, ports of call, customs, and meetings for small to medium sized groups• Developed draft communication on behalf of the CEO and executive leadership and/or research in support• Performed complex and confidential administrative functions including composing written correspondence, transcribing dictation, creating reports, and drafting business plans• Maintained professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, and establishing personal networks Show less • Responsible for developing plans which ensure the implementation of events and entertainment at all hotel and restaurant outlets that are effective and aligned with revenue expectations and expense budgets• Collaborated across various departments to create and execute the company’s event and entertainment marketing calendar that generates cover growth and improvements to top line revenue performance• Managed a national entertainment venue and hired 10+ national recording artists to perform including Old Dominion, The Wailers, Third Eye Blind, and Matisyahu• Managed 3 local entertainment venues with 75+ various genre bands and 600+ performances• Managed an entertainment budget of $500,000• Secured $300,000+ of corporate sponsorships for entertainment • Innovation and implementation of unique signature events including craft cocktail classes, beer master classes, wine dinners, culinary creations, and holiday events for 12 award winning restaurants• Provided onsite management and vendor coordination at all marketing events and entertainment• Developed and ensured all print and digital marketing collateral was accurate, implemented in a timely manner and adhered to brand standards• Maximized sponsorship investment by coordinating all marketing program benefits and execution for sponsored events Show less • Handpicked by the Corporate leadership team to lead the transition task force for the $168M sale of Gold Key Resorts’ time sales company and related timeshare resorts to Diamond Resorts• Managed due diligence items across 8 functional teams• Maintained a high level of trust with Executives in both companies to handle confidential information as well as the hub of communication for associates affected by the transition • Served as Editor of the weekly company newsletter and daily pre-shift topics Show less • Maintained a leadership role with development of project work to include but not limited to: operating business plans, Board of Directors meetings, training materials, revisions to company documents, all processes and measurement development• Managed and monitored of weekly/monthly operating key criteria including Capital Spending, Guest Feedback, Revenue and Financial performance, Human Resource Turnover Analysis, and Quality assurance • Assisted in creating the weekly company newsletter and daily pre-shift topics and served as Editor• Aided in the execution of all division specific projects Show less • Assisted Executive members and their assistants with any assigned tasks• Answered company phones and greet guests and visitors while creating lasting positive impressions and strengthening guest relations• Responsible for managing mail and shipping orders, inventory, and conference rooms• Maintained a clean and organized work area including desk, reception area, pantry, and office supply closet• Interpreted data from various programs and create informational charts • Collaborated with the janitorial service on keeping the office building clean and to standard Show less

  • Executive Assistant to the CEO

    Nov 2017 - Apr 2019

  • Events Marketing Manager

    Mar 2016 - Nov 2017

  • Transition Coordinator

    Oct 2015 - Mar 2016

  • Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Resort Operations

    Nov 2014 - Oct 2015

  • Corporate Receptionist

    Jul 2014 - Nov 2014
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  Cherry Bekaert

  Jun 2019 - now

  • Provide strategic guidance and mentorship to administrative staff, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.• Oversee productivity across Advisory Administrative Teams, serve as a career advisor, and be the primary contact for leadership on escalated concerns. • Collaboration with external and internal teams to ensures compliance and assist with risk management.• Effective communication with stakeholders, evaluating resource capacity, and identifying opportunities for process improvement.• Develop and implement strategies to enhance partner engagement and drive revenue growth. • Manage day-to-day operations of partner alliances, collaborate with cross-functional teams on marketing and sales programs, and address operational issues with corporate, legal, and compliance teams. • Maintain strong relationships with partner organizations.• Report on partnership performance and ROI to senior leadership, ensuring consistent and healthy partnerships. Show less • Oversee day-to-day office operations for Cherry Bekaert Corporate Headquarters inclusive of two locations in Richmond (~125 associates and partners)• Manage vendors, service providers, and property management for both offices• Work directly with Chief of Staff and leadership to ensure implementation of Firm policies and procedures• Partner with Firm and office leadership to drive office culture• Organize in-person and virtual engaging events for associates and partners including happy hours, Diversity & Inclusion events, busy season activities, office meals, and volunteer/philanthropy event• Manage $25k+ Employee Benefits Budget by ensuring office financial objectives are met, preparing annual budget, and planning expenditures• Champion implementation of virtual platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Yammer• Supervise local office administrative staff by coaching and guiding staff to ensure top performance• Cultivate an inclusive environment in-office and virtually by preparing and facilitating orientation and onboarding for all new hires• Spearhead efforts for campus recruiting at Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University and maintain relationships with the school contacts and the internal recruiting team• Develop firmwide and office wide relationships to unite the shared services department for smooth interactions and efficient processes Show less

  • Senior Manager, Advisory Operations + Alliances

    Aug 2024 - now

  • Alliance Success Manager

    Mar 2022 - Aug 2024

  • Office Services Lead

    Jun 2019 - Mar 2022