Kendle Petrie
706 Kennington N. Nashville, TN 37214
504-428-4799 / kpetrie14@gmail.com
OBJECTIVE:
As a seasoned Sales, Catering, & Conference Services Professional with two decades of progressive experience, I am
seeking a Senior Management role to increase revenue by maintaining client relationships, maintaining employee
retention, and ensure successful execution of all daily operations for a return on investment for all parties involved.
• Successful achievement at 100 – 150% of quarterly goals
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Delphi, CI, Catertrax, Lightspeed and Opera
• 10% increase in ADR over need dates
• Impacted year over year Sales revenue by $80,000.00
• Cross Trained in Front Office, Housekeeping, Laundry, Kitchen, Etc.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:
06/2021 – 12/2021 Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown Director of Convention Services
• Responsible for the management and planning of meetings/conventions and related activities.
• Attend Banquet Event Order (BEO) and staff meetings and perform as a team leader for all hotel department staff
participating in the event delivery process
• Coordination of all group business as it follows the turnover process
• Maintain well documented, accurate, organized and up to date file management
• Develop customer profiles and maintains an effective trace system
• Develops strong customer relationships through appropriate client communication
• Follow up on all client needs and inquiries in an efficient and expedient manner
• Focus on revenue-generating activities that maximize selling time through retaining accounts/clients, maximizing
account yield opportunities
• Detail the program with the client including verification and modification of space requirements, audio-visual,
times, equipment, menus, themes/decorations, etc. Prepare the appropriate resumes and paperwork to ensure
quality service and effective communication as the client liaison for the hotel
• Manage function details and related activities to ensure that program requirements are satisfied
• Anticipate and handle customer complaints and/or problems to ensure quality product delivery, customer
satisfaction and repeat business
• Oversees all billing details for hotel groups to include processing of deposits, direct bill applications, credit card
authorizations and coordination with accounting
• Monitor and control individual client event budgets and details to maximize revenues and minimize expenses
while ensuring delivery of a quality product
• Attend and lead preconference meetings as needed. Coordinate the pre-con between the client and hotel staff and
review the details of the BEO with all parties
• Close out all groups to include pickup in sales system (Delphi) and commission owed, including processing with
accounting
06/2017 – 04/2020 Sodexo USA Director of Catering & Convention Services
• Oversee all online systems and use of catering programs to direct daily catering events including food
production, inventory, product deliveries, invoices, and procurement operations.
• Maintain all sales processes for catering and conference services to generate and maximize revenue for
gross profit
• Establish and maintain a safe work environment including both food and physical safety in order to
comply with all regulatory policies and procedures
• Complies with budget requirements by controlling costs (i.e. labor, inventory, equipment, materials) and
adjusting when necessary
• Creation of responsibility roster for specific work functional activities
• Provide direction and oversight of entire staff to ensure timely open and closing of functions
• Billing, collections, and resolution of customer complaints and issues
• Culinary skills trainings, and menu development and costing
• Cost control alignment with the budget efforts, and review P&L monthly with upper management
• Cultivate and Maintain all Vendor partnerships
10/2014 – 06/2017 Maison Saint Charles Hotel & Suites Director of Sales
• Direct and manage all group, transient, and catering/banquet sales activities
• Partner with restaurant and local catering companies for outsourcing of food & beverage for events
• Prepare, implement and compile data for the strategic sales plan, monthly reports, annual goals, sales
and marketing budget, forecasts and other reports
• Develop rates/revenue strategies through review of competitive data and demand analysis
• Weekly RevMax Meetings
• Sales presentations, property tours, and customer relations meetings
• Conduct/attend daily and weekly strategic sales and management meetings
• Coordination efforts with advertising and public relations departments; and
• Hotel representation at community gatherings and industry organizational events
10/2012 – 10/2014 Royal Sonesta Hotel Houston Executive Meetings Manager
• Negotiated sales agreements for groups and partnered vendors
• Maintained partnership with the global sales office, key account managers, and meeting planners
• Coordinated efforts regarding client, hotel staff through proposal requests, group resumes, weekly pick
up reports, post event reports, banquet event orders, and banquet checks to maximize accuracy and
secure repeat business
• Negotiation of pricing terms and conditions of products, labor and services, service and vendor partner
agreements
• Relative market share research to pursue new business on the books
• Direction of solicitation calls utilizing Knowland Report, LexisNexis, Convention Calendar, Past
History, and Lost Business Report
6/2008 – 10/2012 Brookdale Senor Living Sales Manager
• Collaboration efforts with Director of Sales in implementing strategic sales plans to achieve
community and company goals
• Successfully negotiated all issue resolution for potential residents
• Managed lead database to successfully convert prospects to residents
• Hosted events including luncheons and tours for community groups
• Special events and promotions planning and coordination
8/1999 – 5/2008 Hilton Hotels, New Orleans Sales Manager
• Acted as liaison between clients and upper management
• Initiated verbal and written communication inclusive of Group Resumes, Weekly Pick-Up Reports,
Post Event Reports, Banquet Event Orders to group meetings and department managers
• All negotiations for pricing / terms, conditions of products, labor and services, service and vendor
partner agreements
• Directed clients and conduct site visits, board meetings, menu tasting and assistance through
all preliminary planning
• Attended internal / external meetings inclusive of forecast, menu review, city-wide pre / post-
convention meetings
• Attended internal / external training and industry events
• Direction of solicitation calls ensuring consistent achievement of monthly booking goals
EDUCATION
Christian Liberty Academy Arlington Heights, IL
Our Lady of Holy Cross College New Orleans, LA
SKILLS
Hilton Sales Training – 2008-2010
• Director of Sales Orientation
• Sales College
• Leading the Culture Sales Training
• Customer Really Matters Tiers 1 and 2
• Diversity Training Tiers 1, 2, and 3
• Customer Focused Selling Tiers 1, 2, and 3
Sonesta Collection Sales Training – 2012-2014
• Management Development Series
• Master Connections – Sales Productivity
• Training the Trainer – Designated Trainers Program