Star Performance Inc.

Owner

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Bob is a business coach, a results-driven trainer, and a new business development consultant to the hospitality industry and has been in business for over 25 years.

 

His unique approach to sales training through his Building the Sales Pipeline, 4-C Squared Sales Shop Program, Building the Culture of Service, and Reservations Sales Training systems are producing measurable and profitable results for his many customers.

 

A featured speaker whose entertaining and upbeat presentation style has earned him rave reviews by many hospitality organizations, Bob develops and implements all training programs for Star Performance, Inc.

 

Bob was awarded the honor of being selected as one of the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Management by HSMAI in 2015, and is currently a member of the HSMAI Sales Advisory Board.

 

Recently, The International Hospitality Institute selected and awarded Bob as a Global Top 15 Trainer in Hospitality for 2021.

 

Bob has been married for over 35 years and has three wonderful children and one new grandchild. When not conducting training seminars and webinars, he likes to read, work out and watch hockey…Go Minnesota Wild!!!!!

Destination St. John's
CEO

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Cathy Duke has worked in the tourism industry for over 25 years.  She is currently the CEO of Destination St. John’s (DSJ) where she leads sales and marketing for tourism in the St. John’s region.  Prior to this she served as Deputy Minister with the Department of Tourism Culture and Recreation (TCR), President of the Terra Nova Golf Resort and the Clarenville Inn, and Executive Director of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. 

 

She has served on the Board of Directors of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, the Destination Marketing Association of Canada and is currently Co-chair of the Canadian Destination Leadership Council.  Ms. Duke is a strong advocate of the tourism industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.

R&R House
Owner/Operator

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Daphne March is an Indigenous entrepreneur who specializes in hospitality and wellness. She owns and operates the four-star accommodation R&R House in George’s Brook, Central Newfoundland, and is also the founder of the Sha Ma Sha Centre, an arts and healing retreat project currently under development.

 

Drawing on her Mi’kmaq heritage, Daphne organizes meditation, culinary, and outdoor experiences to help her guests reconnect with nature.

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As a member of both the Board of Directors of the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Association and the Indigenous Tourism Working Group, Daphne has contributed to the development of a five-year strategy to preserve, support, and promote Indigenous culture as a tourism asset in the province. Daphne is also an advocate for stronger mental health and housing supports. She is a member of Qalipu First Nation.

Friday Harbour Resort

CEO

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An engaging thought leader, community builder and global citizen, Hani comes to Friday Harbour Resort with 25-plus years of experience in luxury hospitality and asset optimization experience. He has led teams at The Hazelton Hotel, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, and has a deep understanding of the affluent consumer and what it takes to create meaningful memories for Guests. He is focused not only on transforming the Guests experience, but on positively impacting the community in which Friday Harbour resides.

Hilton Worldwide

Director Brand Performance - Americas

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In his capacity as Director of Brand Performance with Hilton Worldwide, as part of Hilton’s owner relations, he works closely to manage and develop relationships with 46 key partners to align strategies and provide support through various interactions. 

 

Prior, he was with a team in Brand Performance where he was responsible for 50 full-service hotels.  He was also a Hilton General Manager for 10 years where him and his teams won numerous Hilton awards. 

 

While in school, he got his start in the hotel business as a bartender and graduated from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. 

 

In his spare time, he enjoys flipping houses, fishing, skiing, boating and spending time with his family traveling.

National Public Relations

Vice-President

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Karen brings more than 20 years of communications experience to every project, providing executive counsel and strategic advice for a wide range of organizations as they navigate complex and challenging files. Karen specializes in strategic communication planning; crisis communication; issues and reputation management; equity, diversity and inclusion; and stakeholder, government and media relations. She is a sought-after speaker, trainer and facilitator, who enjoys working collaboratively to build effective communication strategies.

 

Karen is both public engagement and crisis management certified, leveraging her International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) and Incident Command System (ICS) certifications to provide crisis communications counsel to organizations.

Cheffer
Co-Founder & CEO

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Keshev is the co-founder and CEO of Cheffer. Cheffer is on a mission to make foodservice a higher margin business by connecting mid-sized buyers to the same hyper-efficient optimizations that the globally successful hospitality companies use to keep costs under control.

Keshev’s career as a foodservice technologist began as a data scientist at Compass Group. During his 6 year career there, he developed technology that has created $52M in additional revenue for the company and been deployed across 3 continents. Keshev worked directly with fortune 1000 CPG manufacturers and global hospitality companies to help them turn a deep understanding of their data into better margins for their business.

In his free time, Keshev enjoys watching and playing basketball, is an avid home cook and a solid ‘B’ chess player.

Heads Up

Founder & CEO
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Lisa is CEO and founder of heads up Inspiration from Information. She hails from Ogilvy &
Mather Advertising in Toronto, where she rose to Managing Partner: Head of Account Service & Consumer Insight.

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In 1996, bitten by the consumer bug, Lisa founded heads up: Inspiration from Information®, a boutique company of insight professionals. She loves to conduct qualitative research virtually or in-person, all around the world: focus groups, ethnographies, one-on-one interviews, AI-enabled quali-quant, you name it. And she delivers debriefs that leave Clients clapping in appreciation due to their insights, clarity, and actionability.

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Lisa’s speaking, training, and writing on “The Power of a Good Question™” allows her to transfer professional ‘research’ skills to broader audiences. This helps reduce stress and conflict, increase credibility and good decision-making, and increase each individual’s positive impact and value. People learn the benefits of connecting more deeply and frequently with others, spanning both their business and personal lives. (And it’s rewarding to make the world a better place at the same time.)

InterContinental Hotels and Resorts (IHG®) Canada

Regional Vice President
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Mark has spent 24 of his 32 year career in the business of the hospitality experience with IHG.  Over this time Mark developed his acumen in Revenue Management for several Holiday Inn’s across Ontario, and further in revenue and sales as Director of Transient Sales specializing in the wholesale and crew segments and leading transient sales efforts with a team of call center agents representing 6 hotels in Ontario. In 2010 Mark joined IHG’s Revenue Management for Hire Department as a Portfolio Revenue Manager with the Comprehensive Revenue Management team, leading a diverse portfolio including luxury and mid-scale multi-segmented hotels in Toronto and in Pittsburgh. Over the last 10 years, Mark has been a pivotal part of the Franchise Performance Support team offering his expertise, building trust, and engaging in purposeful interaction supporting Owners and Operators across Canada and the USA in achieving superior asset performance in the areas of Service, Sales and Revenue.

 

Prior to IHG, Mark started his career defining his discipline in front office/room division operations including creating on line training programs for Delta Hotels and Resorts and moved on to Rooms Division and General Management positions with several Choice Hotels across Ontario with recognition for superior guest service excellence, optimizing housekeeping efficiency, and negotiating collective agreements/union contracts.

 

Mark earned his Bachelor of Commerce with honours from the University of Guelph. Mark lives in Oakville and enjoys home improvement projects, cycling, rollerblading & improving his culinary skills in the kitchen.  

InterContinental Hotels and Resorts (IHG®) Canada

Franchise Performance Support Lead
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Oscar Fernandes, a seasoned hospitality leader, currently serves as the Franchise Performance Support Lead for IHG Hotels & Resorts, overseeing a dynamic portfolio of 65 hotels spanning Canada and the US. In this strategic role, Oscar is dedicated to driving overall performance, aligning brand standards with owner objectives, and fostering a culture of excellence within the franchise network.

Before stepping into his current position, Oscar demonstrated his operational prowess as a key member of the Franchise Operations Support team at IHG Hotels, where he played a pivotal role in enhancing the operational performance of the entire Canadian estate. His journey with IHG began in 2016, marking the commencement of a transformative chapter in his career.

With over 25 years of distinguished experience in the hospitality industry, Oscar's expertise extends across various hotel segments, from luxury full-service properties to select service, extended stay, and limited-service hotels. His tenure as a General Manager in the Greater Toronto area showcased his ability to navigate diverse landscapes, including a notable dual-branded hotel conversion.

Throughout his career in Canada, the UK, and the Middle East, Oscar has consistently engaged with all stakeholders, fostering success not only for the organizations he represented but for the entire team working alongside him. His commitment to collaborative success and his ability to navigate complex hospitality environments have been hallmarks of his leadership.

Oscar's academic foundation includes a double bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management and Commerce, complemented by a postgraduate diploma in Business Management. This robust educational background has fortified his strategic approach to hospitality leadership.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Oscar finds joy in exploring new destinations through travel, immersing himself in the beauty of the Canadian outdoors through activities such as camping, kayaking, and canoeing. An avid practitioner of Yoga, he also indulges in occasional scuba diving, relishing the serenity of warmer waters whenever the opportunity arises.

Full Picture Management
Founding Consultant

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With his business Full Picture Management, Tj supports organizations in expanding their capacity to meaningfully include and serve 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. His work is informed by filtering his business & HR education through 20+ years of lived experience and almost decade of 2SLGBTQIA+ community advocacy.

Driven to help improve the workplace and consumer experiences of his fellow queer and trans humans, Tj loves holding space that empowers people to investigate their biases and consider the perspectives of others.

Chef & Restauranteur

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Canadian foodies know Todd Perrin as the burly, entertaining, larger than life Newfoundlander who made it to the top 8 in the first season of Food Network Canada's hit series Top Chef Canada in 2011. He returned to Food Network Canada in 2017 for the first Top Chef Canada All Stars.
 

Todd graduated from The Culinary Institute of Canada at Holland College in PEI.
 

Todd was the Executive Chef and co-owner of Mallard Cottage, in Quidi Vidi Village, St. John's. The painstakingly restored 18th century cottage opened as a restaurant in November 2013 after much anticipation. Serving local ingredients in traditional and non-traditional ways, Mallard Cottage uses the bounty of Newfoundland land and sea to create a daily changing menu. In it's first year, Mallard was recognized by Enroute Magazine as #5 on it's list of Top Ten Best New Restaurants in Canada 2014. In 2018 Mallard Cottage continued to be recognized as one of Canada's top eateries, coming in at #22 on the list of Canada's 100 Best Restaurants.
 

In 2017, Todd and his partners opened the latest addition to the Quidi Vidi tourist experience - The Inn by Mallard Cottage - a modern, yet traditional 8-room accommodation offering the best a Newfoundland and Labrador out-port has to offer in the heart of St. John's.

Expedia Group

Business Development Manager, Lodging, Media Solutions

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Accomplished executive level manager in the Hospitality Industry. Vas provides dedicated support to clients looking to implement strategic media solutions investing for results and strong returns.