Testimonials

I engaged Professor Dev as an expert witness on behalf of my client, a franchisee with a very well-known international hotel and resort company. The franchisee owned and operated a unique hotel property in northern California. The franchisee and franchisor were engaged in a heated dispute that involved, primarily, the terms and operation of the franchisor’s loyalty program. Professor Dev was of substantial assistance in preparing a detailed written report and testifying impressively before the American Arbitration Association administered Arbitration Panel. Although the Panel did not find in favor of my client, the final award was based on grounds unrelated to Professor Dev’s opinions.

I was impressed with Professor Dev’s expertise on the subjects of marketing, brand management, and the operation of loyalty programs, generally, and within the hospitality industry, specifically. Professor Dev’s knowledge, his insights to the hospitality industry, and his appreciation for the legal process were key elements in my client’s claims and defenses.

As an investor in multiple hotels that Aperture operates, we have clearly seen results that would otherwise not have been attainable. Without compromising guest service scores or satisfaction, they have consistently delivered us above average returns. Charles has built one of the most engaged and experienced teams that clearly understands what is needed in the current lodging environment.

I have had the pleasure to work with Chuck, HR Expert,  on challenging assignments and have found him immensely helpful. He is a pleasure to work with, well liked, respected, understood, helpful, knowledgeable, pragmatic and insightful. Chuck is the author of a comprehensive HR reference manual I use often. I tune in to his podcasts regularly as he addresses interesting, meaningful content. We have Chuck on retainer to help us avoid timely and costly mistakes continuously improve employee engagement, maximize growth and development of the team. He has helped us handle tough HR situations effectively with confidence. Chuck is a strategic and operational savvy consultant, trainer, and effective seminar presenter.

As Managing Director of a 774 room Independent Hotel, Chuck was the Human Resource Director and reported directly to me. I found Chuck to be extremely employee centric while still maintaining the necessary legal elements of Human Resources as well as understanding and balancing the business side. With over 700 employees on the property, Chuck and his team created many news programs and initiatives that saved the company money and continued to improve morale on a yearly basis. Chuck implemented new time and payroll systems and kept the focus on minimizing Workers Comp with accidents going down on a yearly basis.  One year, there were actually no lost time accidents, and the hotel received an award from the Insurance carrier. He was also involved in the 401K Plan and securing Health Insurance and other Benefits for the employees.

Chuck implemented a training program that had all team members certified in Guest Service Gold. The hotel was the first property in the world to accomplish this. Chuck and his team also promoted numerous charitable events the Resort participated in and all employee events from Talent Shows to Bring your Child to Work day. He has created new Team Member manuals and in rare cases dealt with Legal issues that affected the property. He even created and implemented a J-1 policy to bring in employees from other countries during our busy seasons which kept us staffed up during citywide labor shortages.

The theme park background that Chuck brought to the property helped to propel an employee centric environment that produced great guest service and record business profits.

Chuck knows Human Resources and with his background, has been able to continue to excel in Consulting assignments throughout the country.  I would not hesitate to recommend Chuck to assist with any Human Resource and Training needs.

Chuck has been my go-to Human Resources expert ever since we worked together at Paramount Hospitality Group.  He is the real deal as it relates to knowing the HR facts, and is always willing to answer any questions I have, and this information has been valuable as it relates to protecting the companies I have worked with in the past.

Chuck is truly the authority as it relates to all things HR.  He is so well equipped to answer any HR related question no matter what the specific topic.

Chuck is the smartest HR professional I know and has always been willing to assist and support as it relates to educating me and my past employers. Chuck takes pride in his profession and continually grows his knowledge with continual education courses.

Don is a Legend in his own right. We met over 15 years ago at a Hotel Management Conference where he was the Keynote speaker. I have been following him ever since. First impressions are everything! His dynamic style of Leadership Training for Hotel Executives as well as Sales training is bar none the best in the industry. If you are looking for ways to improve your Hospitality Leaders, Sales, Customer service, Don is your guy!

Don Farrell’s transformative influence on my personal growth and the success of organizations I have led is beyond measure. His visionary approach and unparalleled expertise in the hospitality industry have left an indelible mark on my career.

Under Don’s guidance, an obscure hotel chain I managed skyrocketed to national prominence, consecutively earning the prestigious JD Power awards for exceptional product quality and service. His innovative strategies and unwavering commitment to excellence set new benchmarks in the industry.

Moreover, Don’s impact extended far beyond the civilian sector. He spearheaded a groundbreaking initiative to elevate service standards across U.S. Navy lodging facilities worldwide. Leading an elite team of trainers, Don revolutionized the guest experience for active-duty personnel, veterans, and their families. His comprehensive training programs encompassed every facet of hospitality, from front-line staff to leadership, ensuring unrivaled quality and consistency across all Navy accommodations.

Don’s authenticity, passion, and infectious enthusiasm have a profound effect on everyone he encounters. His ability to inspire and motivate teams to surpass their own expectations is truly remarkable. With Don’s guidance, individuals and organizations alike achieve extraordinary results they once thought impossible.

I wholeheartedly recommend Don Farrell to any organization seeking to transform their service culture, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive unprecedented growth. His expertise, strategic vision, and genuine dedication to his clients’ success make him an invaluable asset in today’s competitive landscape.

If you’re looking for someone to assist with your content or social media marketing efforts, especially if you’re in the hospitality industry, look no further, Debbie has exactly what you need in order to reach and exceed your goals and expectations. Debbie is a seasoned marketer, a natural problem solver, a creative writer, and a talented public speaker. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Debbie speak at top rated marketing industry events and business events, sharing her knowledge in a professional, relatable, actionable, personable, animated, and well versed manner. It’s exciting to see her speak as she has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with others and does so enthusiastically. It has also been inspiring and rewarding to collaborate with her and to learn from her over the years. If you have the opportunity to do so, you certainly won’t regret it!

We hired David to consult for several months on one of our key F&B portfolio companies and we were so impressed by his insightful observations, business analysis and suggested courses of action that we hired him to implement these recommendations and run our Flagship operations where he outperformed our expectations.

I have known David Sarner for a number of years, and I am delighted to share my experience working with him on numerous exciting projects. Having David on a Team always gave me the confidence that the project would be researched thoroughly, and the approach would be looked at from different perspectives. His quality of work has always been exemplary. He is highly skilled, reliable, and meticulous, and always able to quickly identify and address core issues. I would strongly recommend David not only for his professional excellence, but he also happens to be an outstanding Human. I appreciate everything he has done for my Organization.

I have known David for 15 years and have had the opportunity to witness his operational and financial acumen.  In his roles as F&B Consultant, C-Suite Exec and owner/ operator, David is highly engaged and extremely skilled. I operate a boutique Executive search firm and can say I consider David to be in the top tier of professionals in the Food and Beverage industry.

Haydee is a highly experienced, passionate and driven hospitality Sales & Marketing professional with extensive experience in resorts. I worked with Haydee to promote Sun Siyam Resorts in the Maldives through our PR & Communications campaign for the resorts in the Middle East and she was a brilliant client to work with.

“We at Amadria Park Hotels in Croatia contracted with Haydn to help us redesign our Sales organization in the fall of 2017. When that process was complete, it became clear we needed additional training for our sales teams in every market. To complete that we engaged Haydn ,again, to really invigorate that sales mission. He taught three two day sessions for all our sales teams, whose members ranged from seasoned sales experts to entry level green. The feedback was resoundingly positive, and more important to me, his training was based on actionable day to day sales skills for a new era of complex social media, new direct sales strategies, and a way to measure, “what really drives revenue” into our hotels. His methods were fun and engaging, and I never saw anyone use more flip charts! Highly recommended.”

Jay Landfair was my Director of Operations for over 20 years.  Our Multi-faceted businesses thrived under Jay’s thoughtful guidance and leadership.  His calm and professional demeanor was a major factor in the growth and development of our Organization.  Jay is blessed with fantastic “people skills” and as such was a valuable asset in working with our diversified national and international work force.  A tremendous problem solver, who always looked for solutions rather than trying to lay blame.  A great communicator whose knowledge of the Hospitality Industry always kept our Properties outperforming comparable Hotels in our Competitive Set. His ability to elevate the performance of those who served under him may be his greatest contribution to the overall success of our businesses.

Jim Miles is a rare talent; there is no one better to lead or partner complex hospitality projects. I have worked with Jim for more than 25 years on envisioning and executing development projects, including new-build, renovation and reconstruction. All projects were successful in enhancing both the guest experience and the bottom line, while managing disruption and cost. Jim has a complete mature understanding of operations, design, and development. He participates with clear focus, works well with the team, and doesn’t rest until it is right.

Ken is a visionary in our industry. Upon him taking over the management in our property, we have seen fundamental changes to our daily operations that made our asset more efficient and sustainable during challenging times. He has extensive experience in managing properties and increasing the bottom line. Ken understands the industry and is connected to key people who can shift things around. During the time we have worked on our property so far, I’m astounded by his drive to lead the industry towards new horizons through his interest in technology. Highly recommended for any project that requires strong leadership, Ken & his team will deliver

Throughout my professional experience with Katie, including a number of mediations and settlement conferences, I have found her insight and judgment and her positive and upbeat attitude invaluable during contentious litigation. She is diligent, thoughtful, caring and goal oriented. I unhesitatingly recommend Katie for any professional role where her knowledge, wisdom and organizational talents could be employed.

Thank you, thank you!!! I have tried to get our new website put together for over a year, only to make little progress due to running the business. Within one month of working with you, we launched our beautiful new site. We could not have done it without you! Your organization, insights, and proactivity is exactly what we need to accelerate our marketing initiatives. The results from the PR focus speak for themselves. Most of all, I appreciate having a coach I can discuss strategic direction with. Marcus and I are both thrilled with our partnership, and we look forward to not only working on marketing with you but diving into our operations goals as well. Thanks for being a perfect partner for our business!

We have had a great experience working with Mandy. Initially we saw her speak at an event for Select Registry. Everything she said was so relevant to all of the growing pains we were feeling as a company, we knew we had to find a way to work with her.

Fast forward 3 weeks later, we retained Mandy as a Hospitality Coach. She’s helped us formulate strategies for our hotels, restaurants and even our PR. Most importantly, she is always there for us when we need her. We’ve been working together for over 6 months now, and our business is seeing the benefits in so many ways. Looking forward to the growth opportunities she can help us achieve

“I write to give Newport Hospitality Group my full endorsement and recommendation as a premier hospitality management group. As part of my role as a Senior Asset Manager at Apple Hospitality REIT I have had the pleasure of working with Newport for over 4 years and I consider them to be a best in class hospitality management group for the 11 assets Apple has with them. Apple currently works with 16 management groups and Newport is one of only 4 that we have awarded additional contracts to over the last two years. This growth is due to the results we have seen in working with Newport as well as the exceptional team of hospitality professionals that make up their team. Newport is a partner in running premier hotels, maximizing returns and setting properties and people up for long-term success. Their culture is topnotch, and their people bring a “work with” mentality to problem solving and to capitalizing on a hotels performance. I would wholly recommend them to manage future assets for Apple.”

Preston is one of the most detailed oriented operators I have worked with. His multi-faceted experience allows him to flourish in all food and beverage areas, from small owner-operators to large-scale nightclubs. His pragmatic approach to things is exactly what one needs to succeed in the difficult world of food and beverage.

Preston and I worked together for several years in one of the fastest-growing nightlife companies in the country at the time. We succeeded together as both front-of-the-house employees as well as managers. His wealth of knowledge behind the bar and his natural leadership and managing insight helped create a tremendous learning experience for myself and others around him. Because of this today, I still refer to him for advice in my own consulting business. If you have the chance to work with him, then take it!

It was a privilege working with Preston at Pure Management Group. We worked together for over three years at Tangerine, Pure, and LAX nightclubs. I ran catering/banquets and hosted private events while he ran the bar. Preston’s methodical approach to bar operations is why I like him. His meticulous attention to detail is rare, and I respect him. Large-scale banquets can be stressful, but Preston always made me laugh. Ask him about his Karate Chicken concept. After laughing, you’ll ask about investing. Preston is an impact player and will be an asset to your company.

Engaging Preston as a consultant for a hospitality client was one of our best decisions. His attention to detail and expertise in operations, forecasting, and price structuring were extremely effective and turned poorly performing properties around and pointed in the right direction. His transparency and coaching approach helped our managers to identify areas of opportunity for improvement at the onset and to implement the best practices learned from Preston. Should the opportunity arise, I would  absolutely plan to engage him for his services.

Rick has vast and deep experience in the hospitality and travel industry. His contributions at Marriott were greatly appreciated.

I have worked with Rick for many years in various capacities, and his ability to optimize revenue and stimulate growth in an underperforming asset is a true talent. The work Rick does is very “high touch,” and he certainly doesn’t mind rolling up his sleeves to best evaluate and improve an organization’s results. 

Rick has been a tremendous asset to me and my team as we define our sales needs. He swiftly evaluated our business, provided suggestions, created sales and marketing plans, and developed job descriptions. Currently, he is screening all applicants for our Director of Sales and Marketing position. Rick has quickly become a trusted and integral part of the team.

Rick is a strategic visionary. He was instrumental in building our sales strategies and restructuring our team. I would highly recommend Rick, as his diverse experience provides a wide range of perspectives and allows him to customize the approach needed for success.

I had the pleasure of collaborating with Rick, who I found to be a highly valuable and experienced resource. His vast knowledge in the various market segments, given their nimble nature, was very positive in aiding our property’s efforts to grow its base and impact the positioning of our luxury boutique hotel. His professional, strategic, and thoughtful approach were a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend Rick if you are seeking to improve the performance of your property.

“SBMG has been producing our high energy, large scale events for over 10 years. Over that time, we have been very happy with the professional team, creative styling, fantastic equipment and overall execution of any event they produce. They are top notch and we highly recommend!”

I would be amiss if I did not express my appreciation of the outstanding contribution Sean made to the development and growth of Aman Resorts. His great strength lies in his ability at building second-to-none, exceptional guest experiences.

On behalf of the team at The Local we want to Thank Sean for all the invaluable help and support you provided in the process of opening our restaurant. Your expertise and dedication were instrumental in making our dream a reality, and we couldn’t have done it without you.

From the initial concept and business planning to navigating the complex world of hospitality your guidance was indispensable. Your insights on restaurant management and operations have been incredibly valuable and have set us on the path to success. Not only did you provide us with your professional knowledge, but your unwavering commitment and tireless effort were truly remarkable. Your passion for this industry is evident in everything you do, and it’s contagious. You’ve not only been a mentor but also a friend throughout this journey.

I have no doubt that your contributions will continue to benefit our restaurant for years to come. We’re incredibly fortunate to have had you as part of our team and also a part of our Local family!

We wholeheartedly recommend Sean Flakelar to anyone embarking on a restaurant venture. His unwavering commitment to excellence, exceptional problem-solving abilities, outstanding leadership skills, and exceptional work ethic make him a truly exceptional professional.

Thank you again for everything, Sean. You are a true expert, and your support has made a world of difference for us.

The Local Team!

Stephanie Smith and her Cogwheel Marketing team are AMAZING! Their knowledge and expertise in hotel digital marketing is second to none. That, coupled with their proactive, overdeliver approach and incredible responsiveness make them my one and only digital marketing agency partner. Plus, Stephanie is just plain fun to work with. I highly recommend!!

He presented his detailed proposal to the lender and was successful in extending the due date until a sale or refinance could be achieved. In addition he was able to achieve a $200,000.00 reduction in the balance due and get the additional $1.3 million dollar lien released in order to allow for the refinancing of the property. We are as a result extremely satisfied with Mr. Lambrecht and his performance.

I have had the pleasure of working with Ted Torres for many years and can attest to his vast experience and expertise in the hotel industry and various areas of commercial real estate, including mixed-use development. Ted’s engaging and articulate nature makes him a standout when conversing with political figures, lenders, architects, engineers, and landlord clients. His professionalism and dedication are unparalleled. I highly recommend Ted and his team at CREDE for any development assignment, particularly in the hospitality industry. Their commitment to excellence ensures outstanding results every time.

I have known and worked with Ted Torres for over 7 years in a professional capacity. He has a vast knowledge of the hospitality industry and understands all the intricacies of bringing a project to life, from inception to completion, financing, branding, operations, and design to construction. Most importantly, Ted has the ability to communicate effectively with everyone on the project team and brings experienced solutions to every challenge. With the support of his company, CREDE, Ted has the resources to support any project type, size and complexity. I often reach out to Ted for support and advice and value our friendship and professional relationship.

Among his many strengths and talents Ted Torres’ extensive network and ability to reconcile different parties stand out as a “1-2 punch” combination which effectively get projects done.  He’s a professional team player and leader who can take the worry of construction execution off the minds of ownership, knowing its project is in good hands.  Ted and CREDE are able to perform at a high level across geographies and asset types.  Their impressive abilities lend confidence to a project team and its ability to reach completion on time and on budget.  We are thankful for having Ted and CREDE on every construction project we do.