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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 06 - Director of Sales) MEMO TO: FROM: MEETING DATE: SUBJECT: RECOMMENDATION: ITEM # 60-...., HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL ROGER NELSON, CITY MANAGERA/ FEBRUARY 18, 2003 CONTRACT WITH SEARCH WIDE That the City Council approve a resolution entering into a contract with Search Wide to fill the Director of Sales position with the Convention & Visitors Bureau. The contract amount is $20,000. FUNDING SOURCE: Funds are available from CVB Administration personnel account due to staff vacancies. BACKGROUND: This Director of Sales position requires a unique individual with experience in selling city wide conventions and large convention space. This person must be able to function in our new sales environment created by the addition of Gaylord Opryland Hotel -Texas. There are few qualified individuals who can meet the unique needs of Grapevine and a national search is required. Previous attempts by the CVB to fill positions of this scope have been unsuccessful. The use of a national search firm with CVB and tourism experience is therefore necessary. Several search companies have been interviewed and Search Wide has the reputation for filling difficult tourism positions in an appropriate timeframe. It is essential to bring this person on board in a timely manner to give direction to the existing sales team. February 12, 2003 (8:23AM) RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS MAKING FINDINGS OF CERTAIN FACTS RELATIVE TO THE HIRING OF A STAFF SEARCH FIRM; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE SAID CONTRACT AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, the City of Grapevine's Convention & Visitors Bureau is in need of the services of a search firm to fill the position of director of sales, with the unique requirements to market city wide conventions and large convention space meetings; and WHEREAS, the City of Grapevine considered it necessary to hire the search firm to locate the candidate with the unique qualifications to fill the position of director of sales for the Convention & Visitors Bureau. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS: Section 1. That all matters stated in the above preamble are true and correct and are incorporated herein as if copied in their entirety. Section 2. That the City Council of the City of Grapevine authorizes the contract with a search firm for a total not to exceed $20,000.00. Section 3. That the City Manager, or his designee, is authorized to take all steps necessary to consummate the contract. Section 4. That this resolution shall take effect from and after the date of its passage, PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS on this the 18th day of February, 2003. ATTEST: I Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Director of Sales Search Request for Proposal February 12, 2003 i Executive Recruitment Experts GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU 1. Executive Summary 11. Associates & Locations M. The Search Process IV. Client List & References V. Fees & Guarantee 1 l EXCtU11V@ R&fUd111Cl1i �(�S GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU executive summar, About SearchWide SearchWideTm was originally founded with a focus on hospitality executive recruiting for convention and visitor bureaus, hotel sales and marketing, and convention center executive positions. We have longstanding relationships with many industry leaders and know the business intimately. We have since become a premier travel/tourism and hospitality executive recruiting firm, with the ability to conduct senior executive searches in related industries such as associations and nonprofit organizations. Our Clients SearchWideTm has conducted numerous President & CEO searches including: • African American Museum of Philadelphia • Cincinnati CVB • Erie Convention Center • Long Beach CVB • Milwaukee CVB • International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus • Pennsylvania Convention Center • Salt Lake CVB • South Eastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority i Wichita CVB In addition, we have filled many other leadership positions for various organizations across the country. A representative sample of these includes: • Michigan Department Vice President of Travel Management of Tourism • Ohio Department State Tourism Director of Tourism • Orlando CVB Vice President Sales & Marketing • San Jose CVB Vice President of Sales and Vice President of Marketing • Long Beach CVB Vice President of Sales • St. Louis CVC Vice President of Sales • Gaylord Hotels Vice President of Sales — Texas and numerous property positions • Loews Hotels Vice President and numerous property positions • Stanwood Hotels Several Vice President and property positions #w f E. Executive Recruitment Exwh GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU The Search Process SearchWide's mission is to find the best candidate, quickly and confidentially, while maintaining the highest level of efficiency and professionalism. Our search process is thorough and consists entirely of personal contact. We begin with a complete needs assessment, in order to understand fully the role the new executive will be expected to play. This includes personal interviews with relevant stakeholders. Candidates are interviewed individually, and those deemed most qualified are then required to undergo comprehensive reference checks, face-to-face interviews with SearchWideT , and testing (if so desired). The top candidates are then presented for face-to-face interviews with the search committee. SearchWideTm assists with the interview process, as well as with the offer, as needed. It also handles all post -selection communications with the other candidates to help preserve the integrity of the search committee's deliberations. Fees and Guarantee Our fees are non -contingent and shall be a flat fee of $20,000.00, in addition to reimbursement for expenses related to the assignment and approved in advance by the client. There are no additional administrative costs other than business travel expenses for the SearchWide TM consultant and the candidates. We are so confident in the quality of our services that should the executive leave the position within six months of placement, SearchWide m will replace the executive or provide another executive for a different opening at no charge. "They have handled the search for the CEO, VP of Sales, VP of Marketing, and two director positions. In all cases the work was thorough and the results have been exceptional. I think the key differentiating factor for us was that SearchWide was clearly part of the process. They were objective as it related to the correct selections and often screened out candidates with us. SearchWide is a partner of ours involved with moving our objectives forward." Dan Fenton President & CEO San Jose Convention dy Visitors Bureau 1. EXCtUtIYe RocruhmeM Experts GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU SearchWide m associates and locafions Mike Gamble President/CEO and Co -Founder of SearchWideTm Prior to founding SearchWide TM, Mike Gamble served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB). Gamble spent nine years with Marriott International before joining the PCVB. Gamble currently serves on the Professional Convention Management Association Foundation Board of Trustees. He is also a past Chairman of the MPI Foundation Board of Trustees. MIDWEST REGIONAL OFFICE Traverse City, MI Jim Carra Executive Vice President Carra joined SearchWide in 2000 after serving as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Prior to his tenure there, Carra was with Loews, Fairmont, and Marriott Hotels. Jim is actively involved in organizations such as the Professional Convention Management Association, Meeting Professionals International, American Society of Association Executives, Association Forum of Chicago, and International Association of Exposition Managers. Jeanne Lane Recruiting Specialist Prior to joining SearchWide, Jeanne spent four years as National Corporate Sales Manager at Shanty Creek, a premier golf and ski resort located in beautiful northern Michigan. She is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and a great resource for resort destinations. "You saved me an enormous amount of time and presented me with simply outstanding candidates. Not for a longtime (and well, maybe never) have I had a search company work so effectively with me to deliver exactly what I wanted in a timely manner without wasting my time." Charlotte St. Martin Executive Vice President, Marketing Loems Hotels MILL Executive Re Whoa # fxpe is GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU NORTH EASTERN REGIONAL OFFICE Philadelphia, PA Ahmeenah Young Vice President of Corporate Diversity Prior to joining SearchWide, Ahmeenah Young served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. A native of Philadelphia, Young currently serves on numerous boards and is a widely respected leader in the Philadelphia community. MIDATLANTIC REGIONAL OFFICE Potomac Falls, VA David Poisson, CAE Vice President, Association and Nonprofit Practice Poisson is a long-time association executive, having served as CEO of several trade associations headquartered in DC. Prior to that, he was chief lobbyist for the Electronic Industries Association. This was preceded by a stint on Capitol Hill, where he was chief counsel to a U.S. Senator and chief of staff to a Congressman. Dave has been a member of the ASAE Foundation and GWSAE boards of directors and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Massachusetts and his Ph.D. and J.D. from the University of Arizona. "We are extremely pleased with the impact that our President has made in the six months since he has been a part of the organization. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the candidates that you identified for us to evaluate. We asked you to work fast on our behalf, and the results within 45 days were truly outstanding. The industry experience that SearchWide has is evident." Christopher Pook Chairman of Bureau and Search Committee Long Beach Area Convention Visitors Bureau '�` Executive Reauitmeni Exports GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU WEST REGIONAL OFFICE San Francisco, CA Jerry Horan Regional Vice President Horan spent 13 years as a sales executive for the Hilton Hotels Corporation. He brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership experience. Most recently, Jerry served as Director of Marketing in Phoenix for the Pointe Hilton resorts (Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs, Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak, and Pointe Hilton South Mountain), which combined represent 1800 rooms. S O U T H O F F I C E Dallas, TX Kelly Luque Recruiting Specialist Luque has 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, specializing in hotel sales and marketing. She has experience in both catering and conference management and served as a Director of Sales for a major Southwest Marriott Hotel for many years. Fxea ive RM Ment Fxpwts GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Complete a Detailed Needs Assessment Prior to beginning the search for the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, we would complete a detailed needs assessment of the organization. This process would involve one-on-one interviews with representatives from all of the association's major stakeholder groups. We would then compile the information gathered from all of those interviews and develop some common themes. We will probe for key characteristics and personality traits as well as for the type of background and management style everyone believes it will be important for the executive to possess. Also, it will enable us to get consensus on what all of the stakeholders view as the most important priorities facing the organization in the months and years to come. The Search Our entire search process consists of personal contact. We do not solicit candidates by e-mail or letters. We would recommend, however, that the job be posted on all industry websites and in all industry trade publications in order for news of this opportunity to reach as many qualified candidates as possible. In addition to the existing relationships that we have with executives across the nation, we have an exceptional database from which to draw. Our thorough prescreening, search and qualification process will not take any more than 60 days. We will communicate with you as often as you would like but would highly recommend updates on our progress no less than bimonthly. "You brought us exceptional candidates that we would not have been able to find on our own." Deborah Sexton Executive Vice President Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau Executive RwOrr eat Experts GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Interviewing, Reference Checking and Profiling We conduct in-depth, face-to-face interviews with each of the candidates we determine will meet the basic qualifications for the position. Once we identify a short list of qualified candidates, we will then complete an in-depth check of all of their references. In addition, we will ask each of those candidates to complete a Devine Assessment (if so desired). This assessment takes only about 30 minutes to complete. We will tabulate the results and include them with the packet of information we supply to every search committee member. The additional cost for the Devine Assessment is $375 per candidate. We will also complete a criminal, credit and driving record check of each of the finalists. We will present the finalists in a detailed packet and will include the following information on each candidate: • An executive summary • A complete detailed resume • Comprehensive references • Devine Assessment results • Completed background investigation results We will provide as many packets as necessary so that the entire search committee and/or Board can have a copy of our final recommendations. We also recommend that we be present at the meeting to go through that packet and present each of the candidates that we recommend for an interview. Final Interviews There are obviously many different ways that this can be handled, but we have some recommendations that have worked well for us in the past. It is especially important that there not be any overlap or opportunity to reveal one candidate's identity to another. Generally speaking, we have found it best for the search committee to conduct a group interview, and then for one or two committee members to conduct another interview separately so that you get a sense for how the candidate interacts in both situations. We have suggested questions and evaluation forms that can be used for all interviews so that each candidate can be evaluated on comparable terms and their points totaled accordingly at the end of the process. "SearchWide has been a great asset for us in the recruitment of our Vice President of Strategic Development. It is such an important position and we know that the best candidates don't reply to an advertisement. Our search was very successful in finding the perfect person for the job. Thank you!" LanyAlexander President and CEO Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive RU1 Experts GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Post -Selection Communications with Other Candidates It is critical that the communication with the candidates who are not going to be offered the position be handled professionally. As leaders in the industry, handling this in the right manner will be extremely important for the reputation and integrity of your organization. We will ensure that people feel very good about the process and will communicate to all of the unsuccessful candidates why they were not chosen for the assignment. "SearchWide has been an excellent resource to assist Starwood in building our sales organization. Mike Gamble and his team understand the hotel business, know the key players, work fast and are easy to work with. If you are looking for a quality team who gets results then SearchWide is the team." Bob Moote SVP Global Sales & EVP Sales &Marketing -NAD Stanpood Hotels & Resorts Forldwide P Ex,ifl RecruitmentWwh GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU partial client list Convention and Visitor Bureaus • Austin Vice President Sales & Service • Cincinnati President/CEO • Evansville President • Flagstaff Executive Director • IACVB President/CEO • Long Beach President/CEO, VP Convention Sales • Los Angeles Vice President • Milwaukee President/CEO • Newport Beach Executive Director • Orlando Vice President of Sales & Service "The essential ingredient to • Philadelphia Vice President of Sales & Marketing success in destination • Reno/Sparks President/CEO marketing is a sales team that • Salt Lake President/CEO has the respect and confidence • San Jose President/CEO, VP Sales, VP Marketing of its clients and thoroughly • Santa Monica President/CEO understands the needs and • Wichita President/CEO capabilities of its constituents. Mike Gamble and his associates Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide at SearchWide listened intently • Senior Vice President of Industry Relations to our requirements and • Senior Vice President of Global Sales expeditiously filled: a key • Numerous property DOSM positions position on our sales team, < We applaud SearchWide for their performance and wholeheartedly Loews Hotels recommend them for your • Senior Vice President of Resort Sales Universal Escape consideration." • Property DOM positions George Kirkland President/CEO Pennsylvania Convention Center Los Angeles Convention and • President/CEO Visitors Bureau • Vice President of Sales Gaylord Hotels • VP of Sales — Texas • Numerous Property Positions South Eastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) • General Manager State Tourism Agencies • Ohio • Michigan t� fi, ve Recruitment Experls GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU references Charlotte St. Martin Executive Vice President Loews Hotels 212-521-2839 Bill Peeper President/CEO Orlando/Orange County CVB 407-363-5849 Bob Moore SVP Global Sales & EVP Sales & Marketing -NAD Starwood Hotels 914-640-8494 Randy Miller Senior Vice President of Sales Gaylord Hotels 615-316-6801 a,. 6cecufive Recruitment Euperis GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU E= Reint Reinders Chair, Search Committee, IACVB President, San Diego CVB a, Primary contact for CEO search 619-557-2831 Zeke Dumke Chairman of the Board Salt Lake CVB Primary contact for CEO search 801-467-3600 x13 Dan Fenton President/CEO San Jose CVB Candidate and Client We conducted the CEO search and 5 additional searches 408-792-4107 Lisa Haller President Greater Cincinnati CVB Candidate and Client We conducted the CEO search and we are currently working on the VP of Sales 513-632-5372