Michael Darin Email & Phone Number

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Key Responsibilities: • Managing daily operations of staff, facility maintenance, live performances and private events while providing ongoing scheduling, training, interviewing, hiring, and coaching of hourly employees• Maintaining a positive atmosphere in Front of House by greeting 100 to 500+ guests and VIP’s daily with genuine enthusiasm, ensuring the separate restaurant and venue spaces are staffed and fully prepared for daily operation, tactfully resolving guest issues and complaints, and providing on-the-floor support (serving, bartending, hosting, service assistance)• Performing all cash handling procedures including opening/closing drawers, mid-day safe counts, cash pay-outs, nightly cash drops, and EOD reportingKey Achievements: • Consistently maintaining the Front of House staff schedule a minimum of two weeks out for 25+ hourly employees while improving employee retention and job satisfaction• Raising cleaning and facility maintenance standards by requesting a Porter position for daily tasks, scheduling regular meetings with overnight cleaning company, and encouraging the staff to help with overall organizations and cleanliness• Elevating staff moral and guest experience through open communication, genuine respect, an eagerness to create engagement opportunities, and a happy, pleasant demeanor

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Area

Japan House at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a unique cultural organization that shares traditional Japanese Arts and Culture through an immersive and authentic setting. It is the mission of Japan House to bring about cultural understanding, to offer exposure to new perspectives, and, ultimately to give a necessary refuge for all to embrace tranquility in an experiential environment. Through the sharing of Japanese aesthetics and traditional arts, built particularly around the time-honored art form of Chado, the Way of Tea, Japan House provides an essential opportunity for students of the College and University and the broader community to gain a deeper sensitivity towards diverse cultures. • Managed front of house guest services including private and public tours, answers phone calls, emails, and ticketing platforms for thousands of guests annually• Planned, organized and oversaw day-to-day operations of the facility including opening and closing functions, custodial and maintenance management, and security of both the 3200 sq ft. educational building and surrounding 1-acre Japanese garden • Created and supervised special events, programs, workshops, educational outreach programming, and university classes• Managed and trained 4-8 Interns and 2-4 part-time garden staff• Coordinated 150+ volunteers for special events with digital signups, emails, training sessions, day-of management plans • Created impactful social media posts, stories, and campaigns • Authored weekly email to 5,000 subscribers • Interviewed candidates for full-, part-time and intern positions • Fiscal responsibilities included employee time sheets, submitting payroll, contracts, purchase orders, budgets, cash handling• Produced video content and photography for online portal• Served on University Communications Council, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee, and represented Japan House as ambassador at University of Illinois and community events

Bryan/College Station, Texas Area

I successfully managed the daily operational functions and security of the retail area, garden and grounds including opening and closing duties, creating budgets, ordering, pricing, gift preparation, and maintaining inventories of wine, gift items and promotional materials increasing sales to over $1M annually. I created, executed, and hosted specialty winery tours, festivals, dinners, and off-site tastings with 10-12 full- and part-time staff that I interviewed and hired, and provided performance reviews and set quarterly goals. I developed and maintained an e-commerce sales platform, collaborated with the Marketing Department to maximize sales through social media and printed materials, and maintained the Core Values of the company by example, training and counseling by ensuring open communications with administration, other departments, and staff.• Created, executed, and hosted specialty winery tours, festivals, dinners, and off-site tastings with 10-12 full- and part-time staff • Interviewed candidates for full- and part-time positions, provided quarterly performance reviews, set individual and team goals • Managed Retail area by creating budgets, ordering, pricing, gift preparation, and maintaining inventories of wine, gift items and promotional materials with over $1M annually in sales • Assisted with daily operational functions of facility and grounds including opening and closing duties, security and inspections• Developed and maintained an e-commerce sales platform • Collaborated with the Marketing Department to maximize sales through social media and printed materials • Maintained the Core Values, policies and procedures of the company by example, training and counseling • Served with the CEO on the Leadership Team to develop strategic merchandising and promotional goals, executing sales goals and target products

Northbrook, Illinois, United States

• Collaborated with photographers, designers, graphics production, copywriters, and product managers/buyers to build and maintain new product pages on the crateandbarrel.com and cb2.com websites• Proofread all new product pages prior to launch• Managed Web Customer Feedback and reported to buyers to resolve customer questions and issues• Coordinated the design and placement of landing pages, emails and themes, prioritized multiple tasks in time-sensitive launch and sale periods • Selected by the CEO as a Décor stakeholder for Crate&Barrel's 50th Birthday Celebration for 600 employees at the flagship store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago• Instituted and executed the Crate&Barrel's Community Garden to grow food for participating associates and for donation to the local food pantry• Presented ideas and opportunities to help strategize and execute new selling opportunities• Worked with store managers to create seasonal merchandising floorplans and create in-store and window displays

Chicago, Illinois, United States

• Provided administrative, security and technical support for over 300 Sales Associates and 10 Managers • Privy to all Executive levels of account information, transactions, inventory levels, goals, and sales totals• Handled all customer service-related issues with professionalism, discretion and sensitivity while upholding store policy regarding returns, inventory control, credits, and account payments• Provided concierge to guests and private shopping for VIP’s

Glen Ellyn, Il

• Founded an upscale floral design and event planning business • Designed the interior, outdoor signage, window displays, logo, advertising and printed materials• Managed 6 part-time employees• Gave gardening and design seminars and classes, landscape consultation• Planned and executed weddings, parties, benefits, and large special events• Worked with the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Glen Ellyn Alliance to create and stage special events for the village. Served on Economic Development Committee• Selected as the premiere florist for the Ball Horticultural Company's 100 Year Anniversary Gala (West Chicago, IL). Worked with the owner to acquire thousands of bunches of flowers direct from the growers to create a 3-day celebration with flowers in several places and events