Senior leader will have global marketing responsibility for resorts and other Special PlacesSM worldwide
Delaware North Companies, one of the world’s leading hospitality and food service providers, announced today it has begun a search for a new vice president of sales and marketing for its parks and resorts division.
The vice president sales and marketing will report to Kevin Kelly, president of Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, and oversee sales and marketing strategy, programs and processes for the company’s operations in Yosemite, Yellowstone, Sequoia and Grand Canyon national parks; Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex; Niagara Falls State Park; Gideon Putnam Resort; The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake; The Queen Mary; and nearly 10 one-of-a kind company-owned resorts and hotels in the United States, Canada and Australia, including Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa in British Columbia, and Lizard Island, Heron Island, Wilson Island, Kings Canyon Resort and El Questro Homestead and Wilderness Park in Australia.
Delaware North, which was featured on the cover of Lodging Hospitality’s February 2011 issue, was recently named one of the top hotel companies in rankings compiled by Hotel & Motel Management, Hotels and Hotel Business. Two of the resorts in its portfolio – The Ahwahnee and Lizard Island – are frequently ranked as top resorts in numerous global polls.
The vice president of sales and marketing will lead the company’s customer-centric mandate and be responsible for using marketing to drive sales and revenue throughout the company. This individual will be responsible for developing the global customer-centric destination marketing strategy for the company’s operations and developing and enhancing the company’s key marketing competencies, standards, protocols and systems. Among his or her responsibilities will be the development and implementation of the company’s marketing strategies and programs, and overseeing the company’s central reservations system, business intelligence and marketing technology, CRM, advertising, sponsorships, promotions, research, insights, digital marketing initiatives, traffic acquisition, brand, ecommerce and customer growth strategies.
Delaware North is searching for an individual who is a practical strategist with the capacity and desire to develop and implement strategic ideas that will result in compelling growth and market enhancement. This involves leveraging deep industry expertise with the ability to glean consumer, competitive, and historical information for the benefit of the company’s unparalleled range of services and expertise, including lodging, venue management, food and beverage, retail and educational and recreational programming. The individual must also be committed to carrying out Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts’ credo of providing “Stewardship and Hospitality in Special PlacesSM” while striving for operational excellence.
The ideal executive will have at least 15 years of sales and marketing leadership experience in the hospitality industry with global responsibilities.
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts is a leading hospitality provider in Special PlacesSM with hotel, retail, food service, recreation and transportation operations in historic, scenic and award-winning locations in North America and Australia. An operating division of the nearly 100-year-old global hospitality and food service provider Delaware North Companies, it was founded in 1992 following the company’s winning bid for the largest contract in the U.S. National Park Service: Yosemite National Park. In addition to operating at some of the crown jewels among national parks, Delaware North has a portfolio that includes world-renowned hotels and attractions.
A global search firm has been retained. However, any interested and qualified candidates can visit the careers section of Delaware North’s website, www.DelawareNorth.com/careers.aspx, to apply.