Nikki Ritzenthaler

Experience

• 

  Belleville Area Little League

  May 1999 - Aug 2003

  Senior Umpire and Referee

  Single senior female umpire in the league. Umpire and referee spring and summer league games and state finals for female teams ages 8-18.

• 

  Bell Tower Hotel

  Jan 2003 - Oct 2006

  Front Desk Clerk

  Direct the front desk, manage reservations and train new employees. Provide a concierge service for guests and ensure each guest receives outstanding service. Oversee, serve and clean continental breakfast. Work 24 hours per week with full-time academic course load.

• 

  Mayer Brown LLP

  Dec 2006 - Aug 2009

  Conference Services Coordinator

  • Coordinated town hall events, videoconferences, web conferences and teleconferences for flagship Chicago office• Supervised activities of Conference Services staff ; efficiently managed 36 conference rooms and three town halls• Planned and executed event logistics for conferences and events with attendance levels from 20 to 1800 attendees • Work with 17 international offices and client companies to connect virtual conferences. • Operate as primary liaison with internal departments (i.e. catering, audio/visual, information services, security, set-up crew) to plan event logistics. • Arrange client and internal meetings with attendance levels ranging from 2 to 400 attendees.• Assist in creating the Chicago Conference Services procedure manual and train new employees. Show less

• 

  Chicago Cares

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2009

  Volunteer and Team Coordinator

  Facilitator of Playback Program, a weekly detention-alternative anger management program for Englewood high school students Team coordinator for bi-weekly grounds and landscaping project in Alfred Caldwell Lily PondTeam coordinator for Chicago Public School beautification project

• 

  Union Beverages

  May 2007 - Apr 2008

  Distributor

  Practice on-site marketing promoting wine and liquor productsInteract with consumer base maintaining extensive product knowledge.

• 

  Lamothe House Hotel and Frenchmen Hotel

  Mar 2010 - Aug 2012

  • Oversee all hotel operations, supervise and train staff of 25, handle inventory and contractors, ensure guest satisfaction• Delegate responsibilities, organize complex projects, and establish priorities consistent with hotel objectives Manage day-to-day front desk operations at the Lamothe House Hotel and Frenchmen Hotel, two boutique hotels built in the 1800s located in the French Quarter / Faubourg Marigny. Manage team of 11 front desk agents. Create procedure manual and make sure procedures are followed. Review agents' work and record agent errors. Create schedule. Order supplies. Provide concierge service, make reservations, take calls, respond to emails, field guest complaints. Operate front desk at each property. Provide concierge service, make reservations, take calls, answer emails, field guest complaints.

  • General Manager

    Aug 2011 - Aug 2012

  • Front Desk Manager

    Dec 2010 - Aug 2011

  • Front Desk Agent

    Mar 2010 - Dec 2010
• 

  French Quarter Guest Houses

  Jul 2012 - Nov 2019

  Oversee all aspects of operations of four unique, historic hotels including staff development, team building, guest relations, sales and marketing, human resources, budget and forecast management. Provide vision, leadership and strategy to inspire team members to deliver exceptional service, exceed guest expectations, and drive results. Develop resolution and handle all issues in positive, respectful manner. Encourage synergy among individuals and all departments through open communication, approachability and transparency. Lead by example with fairness and consistency. Understand dynamic revenue management and drive financial success. Execute innovative sales and marketing campaigns. Prepare annual budget, monitor weekly P&L, and develop strategies to enhance profit and control cost. Foster cooperative relationships with vendors, neighbors and communities. Committed to delivering consistent, exceptional results to ownership with strong understanding of their priorities and expectations. Show less

  • Senior General Manager

    Aug 2018 - Nov 2019

  • General Manager

    Jul 2012 - Aug 2018
• 

  One11 Hotel

  Jan 2020 - May 2021

  General Manager

  Opening General Manager of the first hotel to open in the historic French Quarter in over 50 years. Bring forth operational perspective and guidance to ownership, management company, construction, architect, and design team for 83-room luxury accommodations. Establish opening needs and procure opening supplies and equipment. Organize hotel top to bottom. Hire and train opening staff. Create and implement SOPs consistent with ownership and management expectations. Develop creative PR, Marketing and Sales tactics to open new-build hotel during Covid-19 pandemic Show less

• 

  RITZ Consulting

  Jan 2022 - now

  Business Owner

  I provide expert guidance to boutique hotels, property managers of short-term and month-long rentals, and retail companies. My role involves a comprehensive range of responsibilities and achievements, including:Technology Integration: Incorporating integrative SaaS technology solutions for Property Management Systems(PMSs), workflow optimization, schedules, payroll, and accounting. Integrating PMS to various Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) such as Airbnb, Vrbo, booking.com, Expedia, etc. Revenue Management: Implementing effective revenue management strategies to maximize profitability.Renovation Oversight: Overseeing property renovations, working directly with shareholders and vendors to ensure projects are completed to expectations, on time, and within budget.Employee Management: Vetting candidates, training new and existing employees, and building detailed employee handbooks with custom Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).Auditing and Reporting: Auditing short-term rental (STR) listings, running labor productivity reports, and recommending strategies to reduce labor costs. Pulling and sharing KPI reports, presenting MoM and YoY progress and rooms for improvement based on custom index goals. Staff Training: Assisting in leading regular staff training meetings to enhance team performance and productivity.Sales and Marketing: Developing and executing sales and marketing plans, including creating email blasts, social media calendars, and conducting SWOT analyses. Show less

• 

  Kickback Properties

  May 2022 - Aug 2023

  Chief Operations Officer