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.

Gary Deel '07

Assistant Director of Security,
Rosen Shingle Creek

q: What do you do?

a: Help manage the loss prevention and emergency procedures for a 350-acre resort property with over $1 billion in assets; this includes overseeing 70 staff members, five supervisors and six managers.

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

a: Working with the people here, and making a difference in their careers whether they get promoted here or go on to another organization. I'm blessed to have a great team under me.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: My age. Some people, as human nature has it, will naturally view me as a ‘23 year-old kid’ rather than an industry professional. I'm managing people who have been leaders in this industry for 15-20 years and are two to three times my age, so the situation requires an enormous amount of tact and humility. 

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

a: Jen Sandler Rosenthal '06 who works here at Shingle Creek and my fiancé, Ilyssa Backer '04 who works at Rosen Centre.

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

a: I'm currently in law school four nights a week, plus finishing my master's degree at Rosen. I teach Introduction to Hospitality at Valencia College. Also, I'm involved in Kung Fu.

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

a: Receiving a full-ride scholarship to Florida A & M law school. It's an honor.

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

a: Learning the fundamentals of the hospitality industry. Basically, I'm running the security for a small city of 1500 people which include all kinds of positions: engineers, golf course maintenance people, waitresses, chemical specialists, chefs, finance professionals, spa technicians, etc....there are so many job categories and I understand their functions because of my degree. In a career setting, I would have to work 3-4 lifetimes in this business to know how everyone works together, but learned this overview quickly - completing my bachelor's degree in just three years total.

q:How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: I finished my course work for the master's in a year and change, but the thesis process is more complicated than was advertised, and has cost me several additional semesters of time and tuition above and beyond what was anticipated. I have enjoyed working with Dr. Denver Severt, though, who is the head of my thesis committee.

q: A UCF memory?

a: ‘The Squirrel Song’ as written, composed and performed by Dr. Denver Severt haha.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: Sushi at Oishi on the corner of I-Drive and Central Florida Pkwy. Hands down…the best!

q: On your iPod?

a: Frank Sinatra...chairman of the board!! And All Time Low when I need to stay awake or work out, etc.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: I’ll be the CEO of one of the world’s largest hotel companies within 15 years….but that’s top secret…don’t tell anyone! ;)

Michelle Trias '05

National Sales Manager,
Shepard Exposition Services

q: What do you do?

a: I provide services to meeting and convention exhibitors; about 60% of my time is spent getting new business and 40% is spent working with clients. Because I'm located in-house at the Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, I'm available to personally help with floor planning and signage. I travel to my clients' shows throughout the U.S. since most work with me year after year, although their meeting destinations change.

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

a: When clients have problems. I love brainstorming creative solutions and putting them into action, to show that I really care and know what I'm doing.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: Learning to be a salesperson. The service side comes naturally to me which helps me get repeat business, beating my 2008 sales goal in spite of the economy and being named "Salesperson of the Quarter" for all of Shepard several times."Closing the deal" for new business is something I'm learning through experience and reading books. I like trying new ways to make an impact, ranging from sending hand-written notes on "Welcome to Orlando" postcards to showing off Orlando to one client by helicopter!

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

a: Michelle (Leary) Devitt '03 and I go to the same tiny daycare - it's a real coincidence. Becky (Long) Martin '05 works at Shepard with me, out of Chicago. I also stay in touch with Courtney Beckwith '04, Dave Buckalew '05, Lisette Gonzalez '05, Jennifer (Sandler) Rosenthal '06 and Clinton Winn '06.

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

a: At Acquatica, out at comedy clubs like the new Bonkerz at Firkin & Kegler, or Downtown with my girlfriends.

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

a: My nine month old daughter.

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

a: By actively participating in the student chapter of the Professional Convention Management Association, I learned how to network which is the basis for the sales aspect of my job. The classes taught me project management and how to be organized and detail-oriented. Although I wasn't a big fan of accounting at the time I took the classes, I do use what I learned in my work every day.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: When I was at Rosen, the Event Management degree wasn't available yet. Many of the required classes didn't interest me or have application to what I'd be doing after graduation. For instance, the quantity food production class is good for students who will manage kitchens some day but knowing how to dice an onion is irrelevant to my career path. My husband does thank Professor Kevin Murphy for teaching me that though!

q: A UCF memory?

a: Spirit Splash and tailgating.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: The fish at A Land Remembered at Shingle Creek, pan-seared with brown butter, lemon and capers.

q: On your iPod?

a: I have my iPod hooked up into my car stereo so play it when I'm driving my daughter around; besides lots of baby music, I listen to classical, Michael Buble, Andrea Bocelli and Maroon 5.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: After my career, I want a very simple life. My husband and I want to live in a villa on the beach in Spain.

Megan Oxman '06

Catering and Convention Services,
The Peabody Orlando

q: What do you do?

a: I create customized banquet event orders and event plans for clients booking 10 or fewer rooms. I also work on special projects like this weekend's gala for Give Kids the World.

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

a: Walking in the room when the event's about to take place. It's so rewarding when the group's finally in-house, and to see that all of our hard work has paid off with an impressive final product.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: Multi-tasking during big city-wide conventions. I need to juggle multiple projects.

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

a: Tawanna Frazier '08 works at the desk next to me, and I'm in touch with lots of others including Shannon Cole '06, Jessica Goldstein '06, Erin Magrum '06, Suzy Meyer '06, Nate Nakamura '06, JP Philip '07, Jennifer Rosenthal '07, Kacie Shuba '06, Alison Tomaska '97 and Steve Ziarnik '06.

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

a: At the Mall of Millennia or the theme parks. I've been going to a different park every single week lately, including Sea World, Magic Kingdom and Universal.

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

a: Learning how to snowboard.

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

a: In the event management class, I took exactly the right classes to be successful in my job. They covered conventions, meetings and catering. Also I ended up getting my position through Rosen College.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: My friends and I at Rosen were extremely passionate about the hospitality industry. It would be a better environment if all students recruited were there because, like us, they want to soak up as much knowledge as possible about the industry - some just wanted to get a degree.

q: A UCF memory?

a: Going to Hawaii for the Professional Convention Management Association's 49th annual conference was the best experience of my life. Also I had fun making a Homecoming mini-float for the Rosen College fountain, as part of a contest for the Hospitality Association. Ours was a pineapple.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: Chicken piccata at the Cheesecake Factory.

q: On your iPod

a: I don't have one, but if I did, it would have songs by Justin Timberlake, No Doubt and Christina Aguilera.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: I was born and raised in Orlando. I've never lived outside Orange and Seminole counties.