SKILLS
Wine Buyer / Beverage Director – create, price, design and maintain award-winning beverage list for multiple concepts and dining styles; match every customer’s beverage want to inventory and handsell; conduct customer and staff training and tastings to educate palates; world travel to trade shows, wineries, distilleries, breweries; monthly inventory.
Wine Sales and Education – familiar with wine, grapes and regions; able to pinpoint exactly what customer wants by styles and flavors; pair wine with food; educate on tasting basics, vessels, grapes and regions; hosted guided tastings worldwide.
Promotions and Marketing - managing and marketing events for restaurants and a 2000+ member private club and gated community, creating and executing promotions for four radio stations within a radio group, managing and organizing promotions staff, marketing, public relations, assisting in charity events and fundraisers for a global oil company.
Graphic Design - events signage, logo manipulation, maintenance and advertising design, newspaper and other print design, outdoor signage, billboard layout, promotional material, camera ready art, Adobe Photoshop.
Travel Advisor - utilize destination relationships and suppliers to create itineraries, suggest destinations and book travel; Virgin Voyages, Blacklane, Rail Europe, Expedia TAAP, Viator, Virtuoso, Rosewood, Relais & Chateaux, J.Mak, Four Seasons, Accor, The Standard, Celebrity, Hilton, Marriott, Hertz, Thompson - and many more.
EXPERIENCE
RAINBOW LODGE
Beverage Director
Buyer
Marketing and Promotions
2015 - current
Curate and catalog wines and beverages, including cocktail creation, for a 45-year-old fine dining restaurant in a historic 120 year old log cabin. Manage and maintain all social media, web presence, and imaging including logo creation, print collateral, menu design, promotional product, facilitate and execute email and web services.
● Maintain relationship with multinational and worldwide vendors
● Face of: Represent restaurant in worldwide events and promotions
● Consecutive Wine Spectator Best Of Award of Excellence winner
● Plan, execute and host consumer events like tastings and wine dinners
SPARROW BAR+COOKSHOP
Chief Operating Officer
Beverage Director
Buyer
2015
Managed day to day operations of a multi-concept, polished casual global restaurant, private dining space, online store and membership database. Supervised three managers and a staff of 30. Create and curate a seasonal beverage program including cocktails, wine and local beers.
● Increased sales and cover count by 20% by the second month
● Created and implemented clear and consistent rules and regulations including employee handbook, job descriptions and training programs
● Implemented and executed media strategy to raise local presence
● Create an online presence to facilitate updated image, online sales, private dining leads, reservations
BACKSTREET CAFE
General Manager
2011 - 2014
Oversee day to day operations of a heritage, full-service, fine dining seasonal American restaurant. Managed maintenance of 100 year-old building. Supervised four assistant managers and front of house staff of 50.
● Consistently increased revenue and profit
● Provide leadership and maintain morale
● Front of house scheduling
SAMBA GRILLE
Wine Director
Marketing Manager
2010 - 2011
Create and maintain award-winning wine program for a brand new South American, full-service restaurant. Managed beverage budget, purchasing, list management, pricing, design, storage. Develop and maintain relationships with beverage sales companies. Floor management. Daily marketing including social media, print media, bloggers, website maintenance, emails, newsletters, print management and production.
● Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s recipient, America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants
THE HOUSTON
CITY CLUB
Member Event Coordinator
Member Relations Director
2000 - 2006
Increased Member connect through popular new events. Instrumental in driving covers through electronic newsletters, personal calls, direct mail and presence at all events. Conception and execution of all Member events, promotion of events through newsletter, website, email and event displays. Oversee committees and clubs within the Club, implemented new clubs within the club.
● Doubled visits to website by implementing interactive elements and redesign
EDUCATION
and ASSOCIATIONS
Lamar University, Beaumont and Port Arthur, Texas, Mass Communications Study
Thomas Jefferson Senior High School, Port Arthur, Texas, Advanced with Honors Graduate
Vice Échanson Honoraire, Bailliage l’Étoile Solitaire, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
Vice Conseiller Gastronomique, Bailliage l’Étoile Solitaire, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs