Front Office Manager,
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach
q: What do you do?
a: Oversee the front desk and guest services for a 403-room bayside resort in Southern California. My six-year career with Hyatt has also included positions at the Hyatt Grand Cypress, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Chicago, and the Hyatt Regency-San Francisco.
q: What's your favorite part of the job?
a: Working with my employees; I love my team and watching them get promoted. I also enjoy interacting with the guests. We have many frequent business travelers who come here every week, so I get to know them personally.
q: What's the greatest challenge?
q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?a: Service scores. We've done well and had a 5% increase since I started here. However, that means we need to think outside the box and get to the next level. We're always brainstorming ways to make our service even better.
a: Yes, Dave Buckalew '05, Erica Acquavita Buckalew '04 and Anne Cecil Fischer '04.
q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?
a: Traveling. I've been to 70 Dave Matthews Band concerts. Next week I'll be in London and see two of his shows.
q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?
a: Meeting my girlfriend. I met her through Hyatt and we've been dating five years.
q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?
a: It set the right expectations. I work 12 hours a day. By going to UCF, I knew that these kind of hours would be involved. It gave me the right attitude to succeed.
q: Your favorite class?
a: All my classes with Dr. Peter Ricci.
q: How could the hospitality program have been better?
a: While at UCF I didn't enjoy group work at all, but looking back, we should have had even more. It prepared me for working with other departments, like sales and catering.
q: A UCF memory?
a: Our trip to New York, and being president of our chapter of the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA).
q: Favorite meal in Orlando?
a: The honey mustard and BBQ wings at the Ale House. I go there at least three times on each trip to Orlando.
q: On your iPod?
a: Dave Matthews Band, Jason Miraz and Guster.
q: Little known fact about you?
a: My long-term goal is to teach at Rosen College.
