Dave Buckalew '05

Owner,
Buckalew Hospitality

q: What do you do?

a: I run my own Orlando-based hospitality consulting firm. I specialize in mystery shopping services for hotels and working with meeting planners to find customized staffing and service solutions.

q: What's your favorite part of the job?

a: The freedom to take time off when I want and, when I'm working, create my own schedule. Unless a project dictates start and end times, I usually decide when I start in the morning and finish for the evening. If a social event comes up, I can juggle my schedule to attend.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: Sales. I'm definitely not a salesman. Once I have the business I'm great at maintaining and operating it, but the initial sell is where I need improvement. I rely on the competitive advantage of being quick on technology and fast to respond with communication.

q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?

a: Yes. I truly enjoy keeping in touch with classmates including Mike Fisch ’04 and Scott Mifsud ’03.

q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?

a: At a baseball game or UCF sporting event. (Interviewer note: Dave had a Longoria jersey hung up in his car and was headed straight to a Tampa Bay Rays game following our interview.)

q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?

a: Getting married to Erica Acquavita ’04, a Rosen College graduate who I met in high school, and buying a house.

q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?

a: UCF, particularly Rosen College, helped me develop my network. I also was able to gain crucial experience doing the required internships. I was really involved in the student clubs and associations which helped me to develop and pursue the clients I have today.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: More emphasis could have been put on sales and entrepreneurship in the industry. You certainly learn the theory and operations side from a manager standpoint; however, there is a big difference between owning the business and running the business. I learned most of this stuff on the road.

q: A UCF memory?

a: Parties, road trips, Main Campus and Homecoming week.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: Wings...at Buffalo Wild Wings, Johnny’s Filling Station or McWell’s.

q: On your iPod?

a: Not enough songs yet. Somewhat diverse so far: The Killers, Coldplay, DMB, U2, Journey and Blink-182.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: I have a personal goal to see games in all 30 Major League Baseball parks in the U.S. So far I've been to 11 of them. This Summer, I have a trip planned where I'll watch games in nine parks.