AMY HELLER
St. Louis
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Global Account Manager & Project Manager
CONFERENCE DIRECT
Beverly Hills
01.2020 - Current
- Providing meeting and incentive sourcing, contract negotiations, conference management, and project management for corporations and associations both domestically and internationally
- Experience in sourcing and contracting for dental, optical, and aviation sectors
- Manage and plan complex conferences to include site selection, contract negotiations, budget development and development of project timelines and event specifications
- Management of meeting planner and coordinator level position
- Manage planning for events, to include scheduling and space assignments, group activities, catering and vendor communications
- Independently manage conferences and events to include speakers, on-site staff, and vendor communications
- Manage and coordinate member/volunteer responsibilities and deadlines regarding assigned conferences.
Area Sales Leader
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC
Nashville
01.2018 - 01.2020
- Providing strategic sales and marketing leadership to downtown Nashville, Chattanooga and Kingsport, TN
- Achieved 2019 total revenue budget for the six hotels at 130%, $34M to a budget of $26M
- Awarded 2019 President's Circle recognition, defined as achievers top 2-5% performers in all of MI leadership peer group
- Achieved Strong Performer annual performance rating for 2018 and 2019, defined as meets/exceeds job expectations on a consistent basis
- Developed and executed pre-opening sales and marketing strategies for both the W Hotel and Town Place Suites Nashville.
Regional Manager of Sales & Marketing
DRURY HOTELS, LLC
Nashville
01.2014 - 01.2018
- Providing strategic leadership to eleven hotels across five states
- Exceeding revenue 2017 year to date as of Sept.by 18% for the region, total $38M
- Exceeded the previous year's revenue by 6.7% in 2016 for the region, totaling $47M
- Achieved 2015 revenue budget at 100.4% and 11% over prior year, totaling $45M for the region
- Lead the sales and marketing pre-opening and opening efforts for two new Drury hotels in N
- Carolina, May 2016, and Dec
- 2016, which involved writing the budget, business plans and developing the sales managers.
Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, North America's Select Service & Extended Stay Hotels
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC
Bethesda
01.2008 - 01.2014
- Provide strategic leadership to approximately 150 select service and extended stay (SS/ES) hotels in three regions
- Ensure the quickest return on investment by optimizing resources from the Sales Organization
- Territory: Southeastern, Northern Mid-America, Carolina regions and three Canadian hotels for the SS/ES managed hotels
- Increased Refreshing Business hotels RevPAR Index by 14.56% within six months of reopening
- Increased RevPAR Index prior year for Performance Watch hotels by 10.4% within six months post diagnostic meetings
- Territory: Southern region including Florida hotels, Northern Mid-America and three Canadian SS/ES managed hotels
- Increased Refreshing Business hotels RevPAR Index by 6% within nine months of reopening
- Increased RevPAR Index year over year for Priority Hotels by 1.3%.
Area Sales Leader
Marriott Sales Transformation
St. Louis
01.2008 - 01.2011
- Led a remote sales team of eight and directed sales strategy for twelve St
- Louis Marriott Brand hotels, both Full/Select Service, with a total of 2,232 guest rooms and more than 90,000 sq
- Ft
- Of meeting/convention space
- Exceeded team goals 2009, 2010 and 2011 generating up to $10M in total revenue
- Increased hotel awareness through active membership in Marriott Business Council (MBC), Missouri Society of Association Executives and Meeting Planners International (MPI)
- Recognized for Top Leadership Award for Northern Mid-America in 2010.
Education
Contract & Negotiation Specialist - Meeting Planners Intl (MPI) Domain B Project Management -
01.2021
eCornell University - Revenue Management Certification -
01.2019
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO - pursued BA in Criminal Justice -
Testimonials
- Amy's commitment to client success is unparalleled. From my very first interaction with Amy, it was clear to me that her sole goal was a successful event for my association, and she was instrumental in our achieving that. She excelled at organization and preparation for the event, on-site management - including exceptional engagement with our attendees, ensuring they knew they were valued - and post-show follow-up. It is a pleasure working with Amy. She is a true professional., Mike Nichols, CAM, CAE, CEO Piper M-Class Owners & Pilots Association (PMOPA), Private Pilot.
- Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure of working with Amy Heller on various projects. Amy is extremely organized, an excellent communicator, and willing collaborator. I was first introduced to Amy when the Owner-Pilot Association she represented was looking to hire our company to provide a presentation at their annual convention. What really stood out to me was how professionally Amy advocated for her client and how well she communicated expectations between both parties. As a company that operates in a niche segment of our industry, we are often called upon to provide educational sessions and presentations at events. I can confidently state that Amy Heller stands out as a top-notch conference manager and someone I hope to work with again in the future., Jake Paini, Director of Sales at AirCare International
- An association hired me to serve as auctioneer, overseeing their fundraising gala at their annual convention. Amy was already an established vendor with this group. She was managing the logistics of not just the gala, but the overall conference. The first year I found her to be upbeat, efficient, and accommodating, making sure little details to make me feel welcome were effortlessly managed ("Meal? Right here. Room? Here's your confirmation.") Yet it was in the second year whereby she really outdid herself. The association had leadership changes. The changes happened during what is typically the most critical planning time of the auction. It can take weeks to secure items, and little had been done by the time I was re-hired. Understandably, the new leadership was trying to acclimatize their new roles, and the auction was just a small component of a larger multi-day program. Rather than let the auction fail, Amy stepped in to secure high level donations. She called contacts in the travel industry to get donations. Rather than say, "that's not my job; it's not in my contract," Amy rolled up her sleeves to help. So not only is Amy a pleasure with whom to work, but she goes the extra mile for her clients even when it is not part of her job., Sherry Truhlar, Fundraising auctioneer & consultant for traditional, virtual, and hybrid galas.
- I had the pleasure of working with Amy Heller throughout her tenue with Marriott International in her various sales capacities. As I was always in marketing, I would work closely with the sales teams to align our sales and marketing efforts. Amy was always collaborative and would always seek to integrate and involve the marketing discipline in projects and discussions. She was extremely proactive in her thinking and in her actions. As a result, you could always count on Amy for impeccable follow-up and timely project management. In addition to her strategic thinking, she is an effective communicator with a tremendously warm and genuine demeanor. Coworkers and clients alike find her so accommodating to work with and just so pleasant to be around. Even in the most stressful of situations, Amy would remain calm and empathic and seek solutions that would work for the broader team. She is an asset to any team!, Kimberly Erwin, Principal @ Lotus Marketing
- Amy is one of the best third-party planners I have worked with. Her strong background in the hospitality industry gives her real credibility with her customers and hotels. She also has patience, genuine desire to create "wins" for everyone and long-range vision: All the things that make her a pleasure to work with! Any is one of the best third-party planners I've worked with. Her strong background in the hospitality industry gives her real credibility with her customers and hotels. She also has patience, genuine desire to create "wins" for everyone and long-range vision: All the things that make her a pleasure to work with!, Suzanne Escovitz, Director of Sales, Renaissance Ashville, NC
Timeline
Global Account Manager & Project Manager
CONFERENCE DIRECT
01.2020 - Current
Area Sales Leader
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC
01.2018 - 01.2020
Regional Manager of Sales & Marketing
DRURY HOTELS, LLC
01.2014 - 01.2018
Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, North America's Select Service & Extended Stay Hotels
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC
01.2008 - 01.2014
Area Sales Leader
Marriott Sales Transformation
01.2008 - 01.2011
Contract & Negotiation Specialist - Meeting Planners Intl (MPI) Domain B Project Management -
eCornell University - Revenue Management Certification -
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO - pursued BA in Criminal Justice -
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