Andrea Blake, Cmp Email & Phone Number

Ponte Vedra, Florida, United States

Coral Gables, Fl

- Responsible for all aspects of largest estate planning conference in the nation, attracting over 3,500 attendees- Managed all contact with 150+ exhibitors and sponsors including collecting payment, designing exhibit hall floor plan, reviewing on-property functions, enforcing booth regulations, and handling logistics- Increased sponsorship revenue 30% and expanded at-capacity exhibit hall to additional areas- Point of contact for all event vendors including the host and overflow hotels, exhibit company, AV company, transportation company, and other various vendors providing conference materials and giveaway items- Negotiated contract for future events at host hotel and five additional overflow hotels- Gained additional concessions including room rebates and comps based on negotiations- Responsible for event budget and ensuring that profits increase year over year- Created event brochure and marketing materials used to advertise in various print and online industry publications, through e-blasts, and NPR radio ads- Managed event staffing needs with temporary staffing company and oversaw on-site staff

Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida Area

- Created annual event schedule outlining programs that will be held, cost, location, speakers, and marketing efforts. 50+ webinars and 10 live events held annually.- Negotiated venue contracts, secured event locations, reviewed banquet event orders, managed budget and all aspects of live training seminars for attorneys throughout the country- Made strategic decisions on event locations and venue selection based on budget, overall cost, venue amenities, concessions given, location appeal, and ease of access for attendee travel- Secured event sponsors to generate additional event revenue- Traveled to and oversaw all aspects of events- Co-produced large annual conference with sister organization, bringing in 500+ attendees and 50+ exhibitors- Created and managed department budget. 2016 year end event expenses (-26%) to budget, overall department net income +178% to budget- Oversaw on-site team and items such as: registration, A/V, catering, room setup- Managed all aspects of live streaming (webcasting) event from hiring videographer to testing live feed and troubleshooting technical issues- Gained attendee feedback and made suggestions for improvement of future events to increase attendance, profit, or satisfaction- Secured venue and activities for annual staff retreat for 120+ employees across two companies- Identified speakers, prepared speaker agreements- Proofread and provided suggestions for improvement on event materials: PowerPoints, handouts- Filed for CLE (Continuing Legal Education) for all qualifying webinars and live events (approx. 25 events annually). Managed CLE process from application to approval and reporting attendance- Improved CLE process where all on-demand content is in a streaming format and CLE information is a direct download.

Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida Area

- Traveled to and oversee all aspects of 8 workshop style live training seminars for attorneys throughout the country- Secured event location, negotiate venue contract, detail logistics of event, manage budget- Coordinated speaker travel, compensation, and set deadlines for materials- Ensured materials are received in a timely manner based on deadlines- Managed on-site team and items such as: shipping, registration, welcoming attendees, A/V equipment, catering, room setup

Hilton Clearwater Beach

- Control all processes of 120+ group events per year from determining rates, preparing proposals, and negotiating contracts to servicing the event. Responsible for groups up to 65 rooms on peak, all markets- Coordinate and manage group hotel reservations, function/exhibit space setup, food and beverage, transportation and audio visual arrangements while consistently achieving above 90% on event satisfaction survey scores- Exceeded sales goal and closed the year at 101% to goal in 2014- 2013 and 2014 (YTD) hotel ranked number one in Hilton Hotels worldwide for large group meeting planner satisfaction, based on meeting planner surveys. Meeting planner satisfaction for small meetings +19% in 2014 vs. 2013, and overall loyalty +14.3%

Hilton Clearwater Beach

- Coach sales managers on group cut-off dates and rooming list deadlines, also ensuring room pickup is managed appropriately to maximize revenue- Lead group pickup meetings and actively participate in pre-ponference and resume meetings- Use value-selling techniques to secure additional reservations to ensure financial profitability and outstanding guest service- Solely responsible for loading and balancing group room rates and inventory

Orlando, Florida Area

- Lead a team of over 300 room attendants and inspectors to exceed quality and productivity standards at a 2,480 unit RCI gold-crown resort- Improved RCI guest satisfaction scores, 4.4 in 2012 vs. 4.3 in 2011- Team leader for multi-department resort resolution team, improved guest resolution +5% YTD- Building and maintaining relationships with operational, sales, and F&B department heads to facilitate communication and provide an exceptional guest experience resort-wide

Orlando, Florida Area

- Lead a team of over 50 guest service team members including department managers and supervisors in a fast-paced, high-volume store with annual revenue exceeding $50 million- Acted as a business owner continuously driving improvement in financial profitability by increasing sales +4.6% in 2011 and controlling payroll and expenses (top 10% in company for 2011)- Maintained top ranking in the district for guest survey scores, up 5% from 2010 to 2011- Successfully promoted ten team members in and continuously identified top performers that were cross-trained and/or developed for promotion

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

- Lead a team of room attendants that understood Loews Hotels standards and made great effort to exceed guest expectations in a 750- Placed in charge of executive floors and entrusted to handle high-profile VIP guests

Loews Royal Pacific Resort

Concierge- Acted as a vacation planner by recommending area attractions, booking reservations, and arranging transportation needs in a 1,000 room, AAA four-diamond resort- Liaised with the front desk, housekeeping, guest services, conference management, valet, food and beverage outlets, and security to obtain information to provide exceptional guest serviceFront Desk Agent- Trained new front desk agents and provided coverage for supervisors in rooms control area- Up-sold room accommodations to guests to increase hotel revenue and guest satisfaction

Orlando, Florida Area

- Supervised a department of 15 employees in an 891 room Mobil four-star, AAA four-diamond hotel- Facilitated peer reviews among team and discussed opportunities for growth and improvement within the department