Curt Baker

Current

PhD Student in Hotel and Tourism Management at Purdue University
Director of Operations - Consultant at Ivy Inns Inc.

Past

Revenue Manager at Grand Bear Resort
Executive Team Lead - Guest Experience at Target
Front Office / Rooms Division Manager at Intercontinental Hotels

Front Office / Revenue & Reservations Manager at Richfield Hospitality
Front Office Manager at Embassy Suites
Regional Liaison at Marriott International
Various at Marriott Hotels

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4 more...

Education

Northern Illinois University - College of Business
Northern Illinois University
Millikin University

Creighton University

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1 more...

Recommended

9 people have recommended Curt

Connections

86 connections

Industry

Management Consulting

Curt Baker’s Summary

LOYALTY PROGRAM & MARKETING EXPERIENCE
Marriott International – Loyalty Programs
Marriott Marquis & Marriott Rewards
Regional Liaison – (Corporate Guest Relations, National Marketing Review Board, Corporate Trainer)
Regional Representative of Corporate Officers including J.W. Marriott for SE Region (Five Brands of hotels)
Responsible for training & support five brands to service & loyalty programs.
Marriott International - Loyalty Programs
Honored Guest Awards & Marriott Marquis
Special Services, National Marketing Review Board, Corporate Partner Relations.
Ivy Inns Inc.
Service Marketing Consulting including Medical, Hospitality, & Banking industries.

PROGRAMS & TRAINING DEVELOPMENTS
Renaissance Hotels – Marriott Rewards Conversion – SE Region (seven hotels FL, GA, TN)
Created and presented custom training for Renaissance Hotels at request of Regional VP.
SE Regional Franchise Meeting – Marriott Sawgrass (Jacksonville FL)
Service & Loyalty program development for all regional franchises.
Shake.. Rattle.. & Roll – Residence Inn by Marriott Conversion to Marriott Rewards (Nationwide)
Creator and Lead Presenter for Marriott Rewards Conversion Training 300+ Residence Inn by Marriott Hotels.
Del Ray Beach Marriott – Conversion Training to Marriott
Oversight & Training of Loyalty & Marketing Program Conversions
SE Regional Operations Meeting – Guest Service & You (Miami, FL)
National Marketing & Loyalty Program presentation with emphasis on Guest Service.
Indian River Plantation Marriott – Conversion Training to Marriott
Oversight & Training of Loyalty & Marketing Program Conversions
Marriott Liaison Introduction – Ritz Carlton (Palm Beach Florida)
Creator and Lead Presenter for Marriott Regional Liaison Office conversion to 25 Senior Executives.
Ritz-Carlton Meets Marriott Rewards
Co-created training program for Ritz-Carlton Test Loyalty Program Conversion.

Curt Baker’s Specialties:

Service Marketing
Hospitality
Branding
Market Analysis

Curt Baker’s Experience

PhD Student in Hotel and Tourism Management

Purdue University

(Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

May 2009 — Present (3 months)

Pursuing my PhD at Purdue with emphasis on economic development opportunities in Tourism and Hospitality.
Director of Operations - Consultant

Ivy Inns Inc.

(Management Consulting industry)

May 2006 — Present (3 years 3 months)

Privately held company providing consulting solutions related to service marketing, tourism and hospitality development, and impact on tourism in a marketplace.
Revenue Manager

Grand Bear Resort

(Management Consulting industry)

2008 — 2009 (1 year)
Executive Team Lead - Guest Experience

Target

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; TGT; Retail industry)

May 2005 — May 2006 (1 year 1 month)

Oversight for 5 departments
including up to 125 employees, 5 team leads (supervisors).
Front Office / Rooms Division Manager

Intercontinental Hotels

(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Hospitality industry)

2003 — 2005 (2 years)

Hotel was a Holiday Inn Select operated by three different managements during my time, main company was Richfield Hospitality

Departments included Revenue Management, Reservation Department, Guest Relations, Front Desk & PBX.

Responsible for budgeting and forecasting across rooms division, handled all RFP for corporate accounts, and revenue items. Additionally oversaw all guest relation duties across all departments.
Front Office / Revenue & Reservations Manager

Richfield Hospitality

(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Hospitality industry)

May 2003 — December 2004 (1 year 8 months)

This was the Holiday Inn Select Decatur. The hotel changed ownership during the two years I worked here.
Front Office Manager

Embassy Suites

(Public Company; Hospitality industry)

2001 — 2003 (2 years)
Regional Liaison

Marriott International

(Public Company; Hospitality industry)

1988 — 2001 (13 years)
Various

Marriott Hotels

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; MAR; Hospitality industry)

February 1988 — September 2001 (13 years 8 months)

Omaha Reservation Center
Salt Lake Reservation Center
Salt Lake Marriott Rewards
Corporate Guest Relations - Regional Liaison SE Region
SE Region (Florida, Georgia, Tennessee & Alabama)
Dayton Marriott
Minneapolis Marriott

Curt Baker’s Education

Northern Illinois University - College of Business

MBA , 2007 — 2009

Special Interest in Service Marketing
(MBA in progress will graduate May 2009)

Activities and Societies:

SPSS training seminar - Department of Marketing
Northern Illinois University

MBA , EMBA , 2007 — 2009

Cum Laude

Activities and Societies:

Sigma Iota Epsilon - Management Honor Society
CHRIE
Academy of Management
American Marketing Society
Millikin University

B.S. , Management & Organizational Leadership , 2005 — 2007

Activities and Societies:

PACE - Advisory Board (2007)
Creighton University

Business 1984 — 1987

Activities and Societies:

Sigma Nu Fraternity
Greek Council
Students Against M.S. (SAMS)

Additional Information

Curt Baker’s Interests:

Service Marketing, Customer Relationship Management, Balanced Score Card & other performance tracking systems, Staff Development, Marketing, Human Resources, Client Relations, Chess, Travel, Tourism, Reading, History

Curt Baker’s Groups:

American Marketing Association, Academy of Management, CHRIE (Council on Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Education), Ottawa Business Builders, American Hotel and Lodging, La Salle County Tourism Coalition (Pro-Tem Chairman), Board Member - La Salle County Historical Society, Landmarks Illinois, Canal Corridor Association, National Trust for Historic Preservation