Cynthia Dirksen Email and Phone Number

▪ Maintain and grow 30 accounts in the Northern Suburbs and City of Chicago including in finance, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical industries.▪ Manage clients’ business including all corporate travel, bookings, and meeting space at Marriott locations worldwide. ▪ Negotiate yearly rate between clients and all hotels in their program worldwide, with numerous hotels per client account.▪ Scout and secure new business opportunities across Chicago and the Northern Chicago suburbs to generate new business worldwide. ▪ Build strong lasting relationships with clients to promote business growth as well as customer success and retention.▪ Liaise between clients and corporate offices to negotiate mutually beneficial deals and increase sales.

Sales Executive (2018 to 2019)• Developed sales territory, identifying new accounts and strategic business opportunities.• Evaluated positions of non-developed accounts, researching potential, and workingwith/analyzing their needs.• Actively set up meetings with potential clients, developing offerings to meet theirorganizational needs.• Coordinated with local sales and US account sale teams to drive production fromtargeted high-priority accounts.• Maximizinged corporate business within key marketplace hotels, including: ChicagoCourtyard River North and Westin Chicago River North properties.• Aligned sales activities to generate business for stakeholder properties in assigned markets.• Utilized internal lead/CRM tools, identify top accounts, qualify long-term businesspotential, drive customer satisfaction through daily interaction, and conduct siteinspections where appropriate.Highlights ◊ Successfully realized 212% of goal for sales in 2018, and reached 166% of goal Q1 2019.◊ Drove account sales for single client to estimated $428K for the year, personallybuilding relationship.◊ Recognize for wins, cultivating relationships with Azek and Dyson.

Complex Business Sales Manager Chicago, IL• Developed and implemented sales plans for corporate groups and business travelers toachieve goals for revenue, occupancy and market share. Managed sales of lodging acrosstwo diverse properties with 1,629 guest rooms (Sheraton Grand = Chicago’s 3rd largest hotel).• Partnered with national sales team in brand management activities, highlighting Sheraton/Westin’s hospitality, pricing, and retention attributes as marketable core competencies.• Oversaw marketing and business development to target the needs of business travelers,groups and Fortune 500 companies and top-producing corporate accounts nationwide.• Developed marketing strategies via competitive analysis and trend modeling throughreview/assessment of Hotelligence, STAR, fair market share and other industry reports.Highlights ◊ Consistently maintained one of Chicago’s highest ADRs (average daily rates) and rankedon top of the Downtown Market’s STAR report (comparing occupancy levels and rates).◊ Generated nearly $5 million in revenue combined between the Sheraton Grand and theWestin River North, totaling 105% to goal for the year.

HILTON CHICAGO MAGNIFICENT MILE SUITES 2015 to 2017Group Sales Manager Chicago, IL• Responsible for sales of meeting, conference, banquet and group lodging services, grouptravel, community events and other revenue-enhancing sources for this 345-room propertywith 2,300 sq. ft. in meeting space.• Forerunner in leveraging relationships and market opportunities and served as primarypoint of contact for assigned top-producing corporate accounts.• Networked with convention and visitors bureaus, and third party planners; utilized MPI,Magnificent Mile Association, chambers of commerce and events to drive brand visibility.Highlights ◊ Built a portfolio of corporate accounts averaging 15+ rooms across F&B, businessservices, consumer goods, technology, non-profit and other industries.◊ Achieved 102% of sales targets with $1.13 million+ in annual revenue, including$340,000 in fourth-quarter sales (125% of target).◊ Successfully converted a competitor account valued at $210,000+ in annual revenue.

KINZIE HOTEL (Formerly AMLFI) 2009 to 2015Senior Sales Manager Chicago, IL• Senior marketing executive with full sales accountability for a 215-room boutique-stylehotel property, focusing on meeting space contracts and bookings of 10+ rooms. Providedleadership and direction for the sales department to develop and implement marketing plansfor corporate and leisure visitors to achieve goals for revenue, occupancy, and market share.• Positioned local account negotiations to lock in a competitive “favored rate” contractsbased on volume, including incentive planning to generate significant rewards.• Collaborated with catering, special events and F&B management teams to market andcoordinate banquets, meetings, corporate events and other special events.Highlights ◊ Surpassed YOY annual sales goals by 105%, achieving up to $1.7 million in annualrevenue, including a 30% sales increase by expanding existing client base.◊ Selected to represent the company at MPI, CBTA, PCMA and Chicagoland Chamberof Commerce events and trade shows.

TBA GLOBAL 2007 to 2008Account Manager Chicago, IL • Developed new business and maintained existing accounts while coordinating the entirety ofclients’ social and professional events: maintained a 30% average gross profit margin.• Penetrated areas of the Chicago region through innovative marketing, cold and warm leaddevelopment, effective needs assessment, and proactive maintenance of lasting accounts.• Negotiated vendor contracts and directed operations staff throughout the entire servicedelivery process (planning and execution) to ensure maximum client satisfaction.SPIRIT OF CHICAGO 2002 to 2007

Negotiated proposals for leisure cruises for corporate clients ranging from 20 to 600 guests. Generated $800,000+ in annual cruise sales, exceeding YOY sales goals an average of 120%. Maximized profits by maintaining the highest ticket average on the team.

Managed a portfolio of 40 accounts valued at $3.5 million (net). Responsible for achieving goals for account growth, retention and satisfaction for all print and online publications.

Complex Business Sales Manager Chicago, IL(Continued): • Developed and implemented sales plans for corporate groups and business travelers toachieve goals for revenue, occupancy and market share. Managed sales of lodging acrosstwo diverse properties with 1,629 guest rooms (Sheraton Grand = Chicago’s 3rd largest hotel).• Partnered with national sales team in brand management activities, highlighting Sheraton/Westin’s hospitality, pricing, and retention attributes as marketable core competencies.• Oversaw marketing and business development to target the needs of business travelers,groups and Fortune 500 companies and top-producing corporate accounts nationwide.• Developed marketing strategies via competitive analysis and trend modeling throughreview/assessment of Hotelligence, STAR, fair market share and other industry reports.Highlights ◊ Consistently maintained one of Chicago’s highest ADRs (average daily rates) and rankedon top of the Downtown Market’s STAR report (comparing occupancy levels and rates).◊ Generated nearly $5 million in revenue combined between the Sheraton Grand and theWestin River North, totaling 105% to goal for the year.

Directed and administered member educational training programs, securing a 92% member retention rate for two consecutive years while increasing new membership 12.5% per year.