Thursday, June 17, 2010

Ann McAuliffe '06

Sales & Services Manager,
Visit Jacksonville

q: What do you do?

a:  I assist three sales managers at Visit Jacksonville, the Convention and Visitors Bureau for Northeast Florida. Some of my responsibilities include sending out leads, collecting hotel proposals and forwarding information to clients. When groups confirm their meeting for the Jacksonville area, I handle all of their service requests.
q: What's your favorite part of the job?
a: There is a new challenge every day. I focus a lot on the sports market so am constantly sourcing fields, parks and courts.
q: What's the greatest challenge?
a: Since being recently promoted, my biggest challenge is knowing where all the parks and fields are located and what would work best for specific groups.
q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?
a: I mainly stay in contact with Jen Sandler Rosenthal ’06. We have actually known each other since high school.
q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?
a: At the beach or the mall.
q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?
a: Pursuing my MBA online with Saint Leo University. I am halfway through the program.
q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?
a: UCF helped me out a lot. While working with groups that are bringing conventions to the city, I utilize a lot of the information I learned from my event classes as far as set-ups and square footage requirements. It was also a shock to my bosses when they hired me that I already understood the workings of a CVB.
q: Your favorite class?
a: Definitely Quality Brewing & Fine Beer. By learning so much about beer, I came to love and appreciate it even more.
q: A UCF memory?
a: It always seemed to be a challenge for me and my friends to figure out where to go during lunch breaks for school, considering the many options along I-Drive. I also remember visiting the parks before, after, and sometimes during class breaks.
q: Favorite meal in Orlando?
a: The beef empanadas from Café Tu Tu Tango are my absolute favorite!
q: On your iPod?
a: I know it’s cliché, but I really do have everything on my iPod, from 80s to Rap to Pop to Country. If it’s a good song, it’s on my iPod.
q: Little known fact about you?
a: It shocks people how much I love, know about, and follow sports...especially football.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Jessica Parrot '04

VIP Services Representative,
Treasure Island Resort & Casino

q: What do you do?

a: Manage exclusive services for "high-roller" guests at a AAA Four Diamond hotel on the Vegas strip. I check them in, answer questions, and set up them up with limos, dinners, shows, VIP lounge, and so on.
q: What's your favorite part of the job?
a: Seeing Vegas from the casino side, which is driven by financial motivation, marketing and psychology. It is a business continually improving its ability to learn what will make people spend their money. I also love all of my co-workers.
q: What's the greatest challenge?
a: Guests that are not classified as VIP players but ask to use our services. This is tricky because we want to treat all guests like royalty, but we need to keep VIP services available only to our best customers. We have to be diplomatic.
q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?
a: Here in Vegas, I've had the pleasure to get together with Don Richardson '89, after discovering him through this blog.
q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?
a: Hiking in Red Rock Canyon, climbing Mount Charleston, boating on Lake Mead or doing Bikram yoga. Occasionally I will go to the hotel pools but prefer to relax away from the strip when I'm not working. The non-stop party you see on T.V. is reality. Where I live is totally different; it's suburbia, similar to Waterford Lakes.
q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?
a: Having the courage to go for it! I moved to a new city where I didn't know anyone and had no guarantees. It taught me a lot about myself.
q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?
a: The classes teach you about working with people and building relationships. You also get a well-rounded foundation of knowledge about the industry.
q: Your favorite class?
a: The two classes I took with Dr. William Fisher. One was Restaurant Management. He is so engaging.
q: How could the hospitality program have been better?
a: With the addition of more focused classes, specifically Casino Management. Also it would be helpful to have a course like "foreign language for tourism" to learn key phrases to communicate with tourists from a variety of countries. It could also explain worldwide traditions and customs. For instance, our casino does not use $50.00 bills because they are considered bad luck. The Wynn Las Vegas, across the street, does not have a fourth floor due to tetraphobia, an Asian superstition associating the number four with death.
q: A UCF memory?
a: Study abroad at the Universite d'Angers, France. The other Rosen College students and I met people from all over the world, and got to see hospitality from a European perspective. Another unforgettable time is when my sorority ΔΓ partnered with the ΔΥ fraternity for Homecoming. It was like a scene from a movie when we won!
q: Favorite meal in Orlando?
a: The lobster ravioli at Bravissimo. Also, Bizzarro's Famous NY Pizza on the boardwalk in Indialantic.
q: On your iPod?
a: The whole gamut, so I have music to match my mood....including country, punk, emo, oldies, reggae and dance music.
q: Little known fact about you?
a: I studied Tae Kwon Do for five years and earned my Black Belt.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Daniel Elkin '08

Guest Service Associate,
Orlando International Resort Club
Daniel is pictured with his co-worker Angela

q: What do you do?
a: Provide guest services at a Wyndham Vacation Ownership resort, including check-ins and check-outs, night audit and overseeing housekeeping and maintenance requests.
q: What's your favorite part of the job?
a: Interacting with people. We have a good time here. It's an awesome team and we mix and match responsibilities.
q: What's the greatest challenge?
a: Saturdays. There are a lot of check-ins on Saturdays.
q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?
a: Pat Barrett '07, who works at Tuscawilla Country Club.
q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?
a: In my bed or golfing.
q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?
a: I just bought a house.
q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?
a: The instructors were great, not just teaching us the fiscal side of the business but also guest satisfaction. They taught us how to be caring to guests. Without them, we wouldn't have our jobs.
q: Your favorite class?
a: Exploring Wines of the World.
q: How could the hospitality program have been better?
a: It was located so far from Main Campus, and the bus was often overcrowded.
q: A UCF memory?
a: Tailgating, and good times with my ΦΔΘ fraternity.
q: Favorite meal in Orlando?
a: The Pasta Verde at Giovanni's in Oviedo.
q: On your iPod?
a: Hip hop from a few years ago.
q: Little known fact about you?
a: I used to work in the Box Office at the UCF Arena.