SUSAN BABINE

Marblehead, MA 01945 (781) 608.7003 sbabine1@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY EXECUTIVE

Dynamic hospitality professional with progressive leadership experience in the hospitality and restaurant industry. Highly
skilled at developing and delivering business development strategies in support of growth, event management, customer
experience, competitive advantage and enterprise goals. Exceptional management skills augmented from years of hands-
on operational experience with demonstrated success in recruiting, developing and retaining talent.

Areas of Expertise
Sales & Marketing Business Development Catering Operations Strategic Planning
Team Building Guest Relations Strategic Planning Account Management
Client Relationship Revenue Strategies Financial Planning Hotel Operations
EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS
HAWTHORNE HOTEL, Salem, MA 2014 - Present
Event and Meeting Management Manager, Wedding Coordinator
Serve as the manager on duty to ensure seamless operational execution and the delivery platinum level customer service
Manage large scale weddings, special events and functions, large corporate meetings; oversee staffing and set team
priorities with an emphasis on quality/service, and reinforce standards through consistent training, feedback and
performance monitoring

CONCORDS COLONIAL INN, Concord, MA Apr 2016 - Dec 2016

Director of Sales & Marketing
Evaluated current sales practices of the sales andcatering department to best maximize function space and
optimize pricing
Spearheaded business development through the launch of integrated marketing campaigns to accelerate sales
growth
Recruited, hired, developed and retained high performing teams of hospitality professionals; created a culture
focused on quality, customer service and operational execution
Established weekly/monthly/annual revenue goals and key performance metrics (KPMs) for catering team to
target and exceed
Developed financial forecasts and budgets; monitored and reported financials and other data to meet mandated
results
Partnered with General Manager to engage the community and strengthen the hotels presence with local
organizations

FINZ SEAFOOD AND GRILL, Salem, MA July 2008 - March2014

Event Manager | Sales & Catering
Developed marketing strategies to shift the business from a primarily social event client-base towards more
corporate, association and non-profit customer events; leveraged industry network and client relationships to
increase sales
Introduced a disciplined and analytical approach to financial management across reporting, forecasting and
budgeting
Partnered with chefs on developing and implementing creative and seasonally based menus
Secured reputable outside vendors and negotiated discounted rates without compromising quality or service

Trained and coached a seasonally changing event staff on proper execution of events and delivery of exceptional
customer service, setting the standards for client relationship management
Delivered consistent expectations on performance and timing to measure outcomes and identify additional needs
for training
Selected Accomplishments

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 Successfully managed the full cycle of over 125 catered events annually
Aggressively pursued new business opportunities through industry relations, outbound sales calls and timely
responses to all catering inquiries increasing revenues by 30% year over year to $575K
Established a client-focused environment resulting in increased repeat and referral clients in all market
segments

NXTevent, Boston, MA 2007 - 2008

Director of New Business Development
Led business development efforts focused on capturing market share and accelerating growth; structured and
communicated a customer facing messaging to position NXTevent as the industry leader in the destination and
event space
Performed extensive customer research, monitored industry trends and analyzed competition to uncover new
opportunities, deliver revenue growth and strategically enhance profitability
Sourced new customers through cold calls, referrals, networking and attending B2B conferences across the
country
Qualified leads, successfully negotiated with corporate customer, closed deals and maximized existing accounts
Selected Accomplishments
Effectively communicated the value proposition for company services, displacing a direct competitor from Best
Buy and Leading Hotels of the World accounts resulting in $700K of managed revenue

HAWTHORNE HOTEL, Salem, MA 1997 - 2007

Director of Sales & Marketing
Developed and executed segment based marketing plans inclusive of detailed strategies and anticipated
outcomes
Established financial goals for sales manager to achieve $1.2M in group and corporate transient revenue
Created and distributed reports measuring financial results and short and long term strategies to address
shortfalls to revenue
Managed marketing and media purchases across all leisure, corporate, transient, international and group markets
Leveraged the Delphi features to identify growth opportunities, revenue sources track trends and generate sales
action plans
Proactively identified new opportunities, revenue streams, and sales strategies to ensure business growth and
aggressive competitive positioning
Served as the acting General Manager during critical budgeting phases
Selected Accomplishments
Successfully managed a marketing budget $572K to drive $9.1M in total hotel revenue
Sourced and contracted hospitality marketing firm to integrate all hotel marketing materials including print and
web design; introduced pay-per-click strategies and email marketing campaigns in advance of our
competitive set
Negotiated value based terms with the Peabody Essex Museum in the first phase of a long-term corporate
partnership
Facilitated the negotiations to bring the first MIT Tech Reunion to leave the MIT Campus to the city of
Salem
Consistently exceeded budget by directing strategies that penetrated companies as General Electric, Waters
Corp, Genzyme
Collaborated with Front Office Manager in yield management practices and procedures including pricing,
market-mix management, and inventory controls through all distribution channels to maximize average rates
and revenues
Recipient of the Award of Excellence for significant contributions made to the hotel
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL AFFLIATIONS

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, Amherst, MA

Hotel, Restaurant, and Travel Administration with a concentration in Recreation Management

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TRAININGS
Buyer-Seller Relationships, Train the Trainer, Fair Hiring Practices, Prevention of Harassment Policies
BOARDS
Executive Board and Board Member - North of Boston Visitor and Convention Bureau
Board Member - Salem Chamber of Commerce
Executive Board and Board Member - Destination Salem
Marketing Committee - Destination Salem
Greater Boston Visitor and Convention Bureau Meeting Professional International
Historical Hotels of America