EMILY CONNER
Sellersburg
Work Preference
Summary
Director of Sales and Marketing with 12+ years of progressive hospitality leadership experience driving commercial success across luxury, lifestyle, and branded hotels. Expertise in revenue strategy, sales leadership, forecasting, budgeting, pricing, business development, and marketing initiatives that increase market share and profitability. Proven ability to build high-performing teams, cultivate strategic partnerships, and collaborate with executive leadership to consistently exceed revenue goals, and deliver exceptional guest experiences.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Sales and Marketing
21c Museum Hotel Louisville
Louisville
03.2024 - Current
- Directed a team of three sales professionals across group, corporate, leisure, and catering segments.
- Developed annual sales, group, and catering budgets totaling $4.8M in partnership with executive leadership.
- Grew and maintained 30+ corporate accounts, generating over $400,000 in annual revenue.
- Exceeded annual group revenue budget by $20,000 in 2025.
- Increased Kentucky Derby group ADR by 16% YOY (2025–2026) through strategic pricing and account management.
- Optimized group pricing strategies, driving 6% YOY RevPAR growth.
- Presented sales and marketing performance, STR insights, and revenue strategies during monthly P&L reviews.
- Monitored group and catering pace, maintaining forecast accuracy within 5% of revenue targets.
- Partnered with the Director of Food and Beverage to implement half-day and full-day beverage packages, increasing corporate meeting spend and catering revenue.
- Collaborated with Tambourine on digital marketing initiatives to drive direct bookings, and strengthen online visibility.
- Cultivated luxury travel partnerships generating approximately $280K in annual room revenue.
Dual Sales Manager
Hilton Garden Inn Downtown & Home2 Suites
Louisville
10.2023 - 03.2024
- Managed sales initiatives for two Hilton-branded properties, covering various segments like corporate and social.
- Conducted weekly proactive outreach through prospecting, site visits, and client calls to secure new business.
- Collaborated with catering director for event bookings and ensured seamless coordination via regular BEO meetings.
- Participated in revenue and sales meetings, contributing strategies to boost ADR, occupancy, and revenue.
- Engaged in DBR meetings to evaluate G3 rate strategies and convert leads into confirmed bookings.
- Represented properties at local networking events to strengthen community ties and brand visibility.
Catering Sales Manager
Omni Hotels & Resorts
Louisville
06.2022 - 10.2023
- Pursued new business through networking, site visits, and community engagement to expand client base.
- Maximized banquet and event space utilization, driving food and beverage revenue growth.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless event execution and high guest satisfaction.
- Developed accurate banquet event orders to facilitate flawless coordination and communication.
- Surpassed quarterly sales goals by over 100% through strategic action plans and proactive client engagement.
- Delivered post-event analyses to enhance future performance and client retention strategies.
- Attended weekly meetings to communicate group needs and updates to events and operations teams.
- Executed high-profile galas, conferences, and social functions in 70,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, ensuring exceptional client experiences.
Director of Sales
Graduate Hotels
Bloomington
02.2020 - 03.2021
- Directed a team of four sales professionals, earning the Q4 2020 Best Hotel in the Portfolio during the pandemic.
- Exceeded the January 2021 revenue budget by 10% through strategic athletic and extended-stay business.
- Managed 45+ corporate accounts, expanding market share during a challenging market.
- Partnered with marketing to launch promotions that increased demand during low-occupancy periods.
- Collaborated with revenue leadership to forecast demand and maintain 5% pricing accuracy.
- Cultivated university, corporate, and athletic partnerships that drove repeat group business.
- Developed commercial strategies with operations, catering, and revenue teams to maximize revenue opportunities.
Senior Sales Manager
White Lodging
Bloomington
08.2018 - 02.2020
- Surpassed quarterly sales targets by 116% through strategic prospecting and relationship building.
- Executed strategies that increased RevPAR by 1.2% year-over-year and grew corporate accounts by 5% annually.
- Developed marketing content and seasonal packages to enhance occupancy during low periods.
- Co-developed new catering and bar menus, achieving a $4K catering revenue goal.
- Facilitated creation of a $6M annual budget, leading weekly revenue meetings.
Sales Manager
White Lodging
Bloomington
07.2017 - 08.2018
- Increased RevPAR by 9.1% year-over-year and surpassed sales goals by 156%.
- Achieved 25% growth in group sales during Q1 2018 through strategic prospecting.
- Drove SMERF segment ADR increase by $5.25 year-over-year.
- Assisted in developing $6.2 million annual budget while aligning revenue strategies.
Education
Bachelor's Degree - Psychology, Human Resources
Indiana State University
01.2017
Skills
- Strategic sales leadership and team development
- Revenue and market growth
- Corporate group and catering sales
- Customer relationship management
- Brand positioning and marketing strategy
- Forecasting, budgeting, and profit optimization
- Contract negotiation and closing
- Delphi software proficiency
- Opera software proficiency
- G3 software proficiency
- Microsoft Office suite expertise
Timeline
Director of Sales and Marketing
21c Museum Hotel Louisville
03.2024 - Current
Dual Sales Manager
Hilton Garden Inn Downtown & Home2 Suites
10.2023 - 03.2024
Catering Sales Manager
Omni Hotels & Resorts
06.2022 - 10.2023
Director of Sales
Graduate Hotels
02.2020 - 03.2021
Senior Sales Manager
White Lodging
08.2018 - 02.2020
Sales Manager
White Lodging
07.2017 - 08.2018
Bachelor's Degree - Psychology, Human Resources
Indiana State University