Zach Houvener Email & Phone Number

Redmond, Washington, United States

Build and maintain sustainable systems, processes, and comprehensive plans that scale to growth and are consistent through Recreation Division and the Parks and Recreation Department including goals, vision, objectives and philosophies. Plan, coordinate, organize, assign, and supervise comprehensive approach to management of citywide Customer Service, marketing and communications, public art, alternate funding, and other areas as assigned based on best practices. Oversight of marketing and communications department plan and channels for comprehensive marketing strategy to effectively tell the story of the Parks and Recreation Department.Update and maintain public art policy, processes, and procedures for 1% for art ordinance, privately developed public art, and public art maintenance. Oversee consistent Customer Experience through all community touchpoints through a comprehensive, citywide Customer Service philosophy. Manage alternate funding plan, processes, and policies for the Parks and Recreation Department in collaboration with staff in the Recreation Division. Anticipate trends and community needs and create strategic plans for response looking at both short-term as well as long-term direction of Recreation. Supervise the activities of staff and supervisors responsible for carrying out programs, services, and functions of the Division. Effectively using leadership skills and interpersonal experiences to supervise, lead, train, and motivate 3 FTE's.Prioritize and oversee the work of assigned team to ensure both customer needs and deadlines are met. Create and manage financial objectives, revenue targets, monitors budget, and trains staff on financial policies and procedures to ensure adherence to the Recreation Cost of Service Methodology.

Duvall, Washington, United States

Flaghunting.com utilizes modern technology to provide accurate, simple to use, and cost effective solutions to golf courses and individuals searching for scorecards, yardage books, and other golf accessories.Developed 93 page digital product, along with 18 video chapters that have been sold in 25+ countries, and 44 states. Citied in PGA Professional Scott Hassee's book titled "The Champions Playbook: Thinking Your Way to Lower Scores!" - Sea Script Company, published October 4, 2019. Developed highly successful strategic plan for e-commerce store utilizing a mix of paid advertising (Instagram & Facebook) and organic content (21 blog posts) to drive traffic to company website.Executed SEO strategy to improve organic search rankings for target keywords. Currently have multiple URL’s listed as top hit on first page of SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages).Monthly e-mail campaign averages 42% e-mail open rate, 7% CTR (click-through rate) with over 2,500 subscribers. Over 5,000 followers on social media channels with above average engagement.Guest on the "No Gimmes" Podcast (Episode #77) with host Chris Derr.

Mercer Island, Washington, United States

Responsible for managing City Facilities, Fleet, Asset Management, Custodial Services, and Inventory. Develop and manage biennial operational budget of $1.2 million, capital budget of $2.3 million, and fleet budget of $1.6 million. Project Manager for implementing multi-building Access Control System and site security upgrades, Architectural Design & Space Planning Services and Risk Mitigation to Underground Storage Tank (UST) Remediation efforts. Develop asset management system for Public Works department, including service requests, work orders, KPI reporting/dashboards. Developed new model, schedule, budget, and work plan for custodial services saving the City 14% on annual custodial costs, while improving internal customer service. Coordinate and maintain vendor relationships for mechanical, HVAC, electrical, & plumbing.Oversee team of 6 full time staff (3 custodians, mechanic, asset management coordinator, and inventory/warehouse team member).

Mercer Island, Washington, United States

Serve as the Logistics Section Chief of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Coordinates Finance, IT/IGS, HR, Public Works, Facilities and Procurement units related to the emergency. Responsible for PPE procurement and distribution to City staff. Ensure that operational objectives and assignments identified in the EOC Incident Action Plan are carried out effectively.

(Position eliminated due to COVID-19)Manage day-to-day operations, including coordination of customer service, marketing, logistics, event rentals, lease agreements, emergency management, and special events at the 42,744sq ft Mercer Island Community & Event Center. Supervise and evaluate 5 FTE's (Recreation Coordinator, Customer Service Supervisor, Operations Coordinator, 2 Custodians) and indirectly supervise 8 Customer Service staff. Create, revise, implement, and enforce policies and procedures in a diverse team environment with a particular focus in facility management, recreation operations, and risk management. Oversee operational budget of $1.3 million in expenditures, and $800 thousand in revenue. Responsible for RFQ/RFP development and oversight for the Parks & Recreation Department including $854k in improvements to City infrastructure, IT/AV systems, community art projects, and equipment and replacement cycles. Hire, interview, and onboard full and part time staff. Ensure all staff were up to date on required certifications, trainings, and union requirements.

Mercer Island, Wa

Oversee, coordinate, and schedule all facility repairs and maintenance on state of the art 42,744 sq foot Mercer Island Community & Event Center (MICEC). Create, revise, implement and enforce policies and procedures for a diverse team of department wide divisions with a particular focus in recreation operations, facility management, special events, and emergency/risk management training. Project manager for Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) which have included over $750,000 worth of improvements to city infrastructure. Committee member of Mercer Island Parks & Recreation Grassroots Committee, Safety Committee, MICEC Management and Leadership Teams. Responsible for development, oversight and quality of RFP/RFQ proposals for projects within the Parks & Recreation Department. Vendor management of several contracted service teams for both preventive maintenance and annual inspections. Developed process improvement solutions for new department wide SaaS project implementation. Establish operational strategies and biennial budgets by evaluating trends, establishing performance metrics, and aligning resources to KPI's.Supervisor for recreational programs with double digit growth for the last 3 years. Implemented cost analysis and new pass structure that reduced staff hours, increased revenue, and improved customer satisfaction.

Mercer Island, Wa

Provide managerial oversight in planning, developing, organizing and implementing comprehensive City-wide recreational programs and activities at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center. Supervise and evaluate 6 FTE's; facilitates MICEC Management Team, MICEC Leadership Team, and Custodial Team meetings. Committee member of Parks & Recreation Management Team, while reporting to the Recreation Superintendent and Parks & Recreation Director. Provides formal supervision to individual employees. Recommends staff recruitment, selection, promotion, advancement, corrective action and termination. Manage vendor relationships, while providing senior management high level updates on project performance and timelines. Establish and innovate progressive preventative maintenance programs while utilizing data driven decision making to drive end user results. Create, manage, and facilitate competitive bidding activities for construction projects; and material and equipment purchases using city, state and federal guidelines for RFP/RFQ processes. Established an approved agenda bill via the City Council for an interlocal agreement between the City of Mercer Island and the State of Washington for surplus services. Planning Section Chief of county wide (King) emergency management drills and exercises.

Manage multiple tenants that lease facility space from the City of Mercer Island. This includes reviewing and managing complex lease and insurance documents. Committee member of Mercer Island Parks & Recreation Grassroots Committee, Safety Committee, MICEC Management and Leadership Teams. Oversee operational expenditures ($1.1 million) and review revenues ($800,000) within the operational and CIP ($2.3 million) budgets.Experience using and looking at complex facility documents with an emphasis in A/V, HVAC, electrical, & plumbing diagrams. Schedule and audit facility inspections and services.

Mercer Island, Wa

Responsible for planning, coordinating and facilitating event preparation and logistical aspects of events at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center. Create and distribute detailed setup and event documents with clients, and event planners. Integral part of a customer service leadership team which interviewed, hired, trained and evaluated Customer Service Representatives.Act as the manager on duty for all rental based, large events being held in the facility, which include athletic, promotional, fundraising and corporate events. Advanced knowledge and experience using CLASS reservation software for all POS transactions, facility scheduling, and program registration. Maintain effective interdepartmental relationships within the City, while working closely with community groups, vendors, elected officials, and the general public to promote a culture of excellence. Create, book, and review rental contracts, complex liability insurance documents, and event timeline agreements. Continually develop and revise policies and procedures with an emphasis in media, facilities, and equipment for staff.Addressed and resolved employee performance, safety, and training issues with staff. Troubleshoot during event preparation and event to ensure that setups are correct and within defined polices and procedures.

Everett, Wa

Director of Athletics, Social Media & Facility Rentals at the Everett Boys & Girls Clubs.Selected, trained, and supervised 16 volunteers and part time staff.Oversaw all aspects and operations of athletic youth and adult leagues in 6 main sports (Over 100 teams, 725+ people).Utilized my advanced skills in Microsoft excel, to create practices, games, and tournaments.Point of contact for rentals, reservations, and special events including booking $63,250 (45 different contracts) through outside organizations. Oversaw that the expectations, rules, guidelines and procedures were being upheld throughout the rental.Managed the maintenance of 2 full size gymnasiums, an 80,000 sq ft baseball field, and Mediaroom.Created and implemented athletic budget of $55,000.Performed a variety of support work including answering phone, taking and filing registrations,accepting payment, and overseeing program staff.Increased presence in the community while being liaison with a variety of outside organizations and community groups including Everett Community College, Everett School District, Everett Police & Fire Departments, The Everett Herald, City of Everett Parks and Recreation Department, and City of Everett.Social media coordinator with an emphasis on creating and developing our presence over avariety of social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Constant Contact.

Baltimore, Maryland Area

Assisted in the Badges for Baseball program which receives grant money from the Department of Justice.Camp Coach for the 2012 and 2013 Badges for Baseball camp in Everett, WA.Lead a group of 10 youth from Snohomish County to Baltimore, MD to participate in the 2013 Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation baseball camp.Liaison between parents of campers and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. Assisted with all paperwork including immunization reports, airline tickets, hotel reservations, transportation, etc…

Bellingham, Washington Area

Lead instructor for rookies, youth, and family climb time at the rock wall. Belay certification was obtained less than a week after I started. Routine maintenance on rock wall including cleaning and maintaining of holds, routes, and safety equipment. File climbing wall/volunteer waivers according to YMCA guidelines.Create letters, flyers, and brochures using MS Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).Compile and enter into computer database the monthly statistics for all programs and maintain records related to equipment needs.Promote a positive image of the YMCA and its missions and goals.Maintained inventory and made sure equipment was in safe operating condition.Develop and implement new creative programs for the rock wall and youth soccer.

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Kinesiology And Exercise Science; Sport Psychology

Diploma