Lyndsay Mills '08

Regional Sales Manager,
Marriott International

q: What do you do?

a: I manage sales for 27 hotels in the New England territory, from Scarborough, Maine to Danbury, Connecticut. I'm responsible for selling/contracting groups and corporate events at each of these hotels.

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

a: My favorite part of the job is the challenge it presents. I went from selling one hotel in Dallas, TX to selling 27 hotels across New England. Having to know the ins and outs of so many hotels forces you to be on your game every single minute you are at work, because you have no idea which property you will get an inquiry about at any given time.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: The greatest challenge is convincing each customer that I am focusing 100% of my attention on their event and the hotel they are interested in while managing events for all of my other hotels at the same time.

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

a: Jamie Hines '08, who works for White Lodging, at a Residence Inn in New Jersey. Also: Elise Carlson '09 and Kat Drake '08.

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

a: Right now, we are painting/decorating our new home and exploring all the new restaurants and events in Boston/Cambridge.

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

a: Getting the chance to move back to New England and start a new life and home in Boston.

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

a: Every single day, I use what I learned in my Hospitality Communications class with Carole Dickson. She prepared me for professional presentations and proposals. The group projects throughout the degree program taught me how to interact with my boss and colleagues, and inspired me to always be brainstorming new, better ideas.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: Sales is one of the most lucrative career fields within hospitality. More sales training should be available, as well as courses in revenue management. I did take the one available course, Convention Sales, but it focused on upselling conference groups instead of direct sales and teleprospecting.

q: A UCF memory?

a: The wine classes. I really learned a lot that helps me in my job, designing menus for events and making recommendations.

q: Favorite meal in Boston?

a: Dave's Pasta in Somerville, MA where we can shop for homemade ravioli and garlic bread!

q: On your iPod?

a: A huge mix of new and old!

q: Little known fact about you?

a: My Fiance and I will be getting married on July 22nd in New Haven, CT and we couldn't be more excited!