Kenny I.

Experience

• 

  Highgate

  Vice President of Strategic Operations

  Oct 2025 - Present

  Highgate is an industry-leading hotel management, investment, technology, and development firm with a diverse portfolio of hotels and a focus on operational excellence and value creation.

  • Lead cross-functional strategic operations for a national hotel portfolio, aligning asset strategy, operations, and technology roadmaps to ownership objectives.
  • Designed and implemented portfolio-level operating models and KPI frameworks to improve RevPAR mix, margin visibility, and decision cadence across owned and third-party properties.
  • Spearheaded technology integrations (PMS, RMS, CRM) and standardized data pipelines to enable real-time reporting and centralized revenue/expense governance.
  • Managed change and transformation programs—governance, communications, and training—reducing operational variation and accelerating adoption of best practices.
  • Built and coached a centralized Ops team and governance councils to drive recurring performance reviews, capital prioritization, and owner reporting.
• 

  Davidson Hospitality Group

  Vice President, Operational Excellence

  Jan 2023 - Oct 2025

  Davidson Hospitality Group drives performance, elevates guest experiences, and delivers industry-leading expertise to the world’s most celebrated hospitality brands through management, development, and shared services.

  • Owned enterprise operational excellence strategy—standardizing SOPs, KPI definitions, and playbooks across a multi-brand portfolio.
  • Launched continuous improvement initiatives (process mapping, root-cause analysis, Kaizen events) that reduced controllable costs and improved service consistency.
  • Partnered with revenue management, sales, and marketing to align operational capacity with demand strategies and improve guest satisfaction scores.
  • Implemented company-wide training curricula and competency frameworks to accelerate onboarding, reduce turnover, and strengthen frontline leadership.
  • Led cross-disciplinary teams to streamline procurement, inventory control, and vendor performance, improving working capital and vendor SLAs.
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  Davidson Hospitality Group

  Regional Director Of Operations

  Jan 2020 - Jan 2023

  • Directed regional operations for a portfolio of full-service and select-service hotels, ensuring consistent execution of brand standards and financial targets.
  • Managed P&L responsibility, forecasting, and budget controls while partnering with owners on business plans and capital projects.
  • Coached property leadership through performance improvement plans, talent development, and succession planning to strengthen regional bench strength.
  • Oversaw opening/repositioning projects and coordinated with construction, brand, and revenue teams to bring properties to market on schedule.
  • Drove compliance and risk programs—safety, brand, and regulatory—while improving guest satisfaction and operational KPIs across the region.

• Dual branded Fairfield Inn & SpringHill Suites Times Square South

  Hotel Manager

  Feb 2019 - Jan 2020

  Dual branded Fairfield Inn & SpringHill Suites Times Square South operates two complementary Marriott brands onsite to serve both business and leisure travelers in a high-volume urban market.

  • Managed day-to-day operations for a dual-branded Times Square property, balancing the distinct service and product expectations of both brands.
  • Directed front-line teams across reception, housekeeping, and guest services to deliver consistent, high-quality guest experiences in a high-occupancy environment.
  • Coordinated reservations, group arrivals, and transient flow to optimize occupancy, rate integrity, and inter-brand room allocations.
  • Implemented local revenue and upsell initiatives with sales and RMS to maximize ADR and ancillary revenue during peak demand windows.
  • Led staffing, scheduling, and training programs to reduce labor inefficiency while maintaining service standards in a 24/7 urban operation.
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  Interstate Hotel & Resorts, Now part of Aimbridge Hospitality

  Complex Director of Front Office

  Oct 2018 - Feb 2019

  Aimbridge Hospitality (formerly Interstate Hotel & Resorts) is a global hospitality management leader focused on delivering exceptional guest experiences and performance across a broad portfolio of brands and markets.

  • Oversaw front-office operations across a complex of properties, ensuring seamless guest arrivals, check-outs, and concierge services.
  • Introduced front-desk technology and workflows to improve throughput, reduce bottlenecks, and enhance guest-first interactions.
  • Partnered with revenue and reservations teams to optimize inventory controls, group rooming lists, and overbooking protection strategies.
  • Established guest recovery and VIP service protocols that improved loyalty recognition and repeat-stay metrics.
  • Built training and quality assurance programs for reception teams to improve accuracy, reduce complaint resolution time, and raise Net Promoter/guest satisfaction scores.
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  Marriott International

  Director Of Services, New York Marriott Marquis

  Dec 2017 - Sep 2018

  Marriott International is a global hospitality company operating thousands of properties worldwide under multiple brands and a leading loyalty program that delivers guest experiences and scale.

  • Directed service delivery and guest-facing operations at a large convention and city-center property, coordinating teams across food & beverage, housekeeping, and events.
  • Owned service standards and operational readiness for high-volume conventions and group business, ensuring flawless execution under tight timelines.
  • Managed vendor and subcontractor relationships for large-scale event set-ups, banquet services, and off-site logistics.
  • Led incident response and guest recovery at scale—designing escalation paths, VIP protocols, and post-event remediation to protect brand reputation.
  • Collaborated with sales and events to optimize room blocks, attrition mitigation, and onsite upsell opportunities tied to group and banquet revenue.
• 

  Marriott International

  Director Of Front Office, Westin New York at Times Square

  Oct 2015 - Dec 2017

  • Led front office operations for a flagship Westin property in Times Square, overseeing arrivals, concierge, bell, and reservations teams.
  • Implemented guest recognition and VIP arrival programs that elevated the check-in experience for loyalty members and high-value guests.
  • Partnered with revenue management and reservations to align room allotments, group pickup, and transient strategies to maximize ADR and occupancy mix.
  • Built coaching and career-path programs for front-office staff, reducing turnover and improving first-contact resolution rates.
  • Optimized nightly audit, cash handling, and concierge workflows to strengthen internal controls and shorten guest wait times.
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  SHRW, LLC

  Assistant Director of Front Office, Westin New York Times Square

  Feb 2014 - Oct 2015

  • Supported the front office leadership team at a major city property—managing shift operations, staffing, and daily room assignment challenges.
  • Coached reception staff on upsell techniques, reservation recovery, and brand service standards to boost incremental revenue and guest satisfaction.
  • Managed on-shift troubleshooting for arrivals, VIPs, and group check-ins during high-occupancy periods.
  • Maintained accurate night audit procedures and coordinated with housekeeping and engineering to expedite room readiness.
  • Contributed to training and onboarding modules focused on guest relations, complaint handling, and PMS proficiency.
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  Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

  Assistant Director of Reception, Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel

  Dec 2012 - Feb 2014

  • Managed reception operations for a large urban Sheraton property—overseeing arrivals, guest validation, and concierge handoffs.
  • Implemented front-desk service checkpoints and quality audits to standardize guest interactions across shifts.
  • Handled complex check-ins, group arrivals, and VIP itineraries while coordinating closely with events and sales teams.
  • Led guest complaints and recovery workflows at the reception level to preserve brand standards and loyalty relationships.
  • Trained reception staff on brand procedures, payment and ID verification, and efficient use of the property PMS.
• 

  Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

  Front Desk Manager, Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers

  Jun 2010 - Dec 2012

  • Oversee the daily operations of GSA’s, Concierge, Bell & Door staff (80+ team members) in a 1780 room property.
  • Certified Property Service Culture Trainer (PSCT)
  • Serve as the Hotel’s Champion for GEI (Guest Experience Index)
  • Serve as the Hotel’s SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) Champion
  • Sheraton Associate Development Program (ADP) Mentor.
• 

  Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

  Housekeeping Manager, Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers

  Jan 2007 - Jun 2010

  • Oversee the daily operations of House Attendants, Public Space Attendants. Room Attendants and Laundry Attendants (120+ team members) in a 1780 room property.
  • Responsible for purchasing, receiving and budgeting for the rooms division (housekeeping, front desk, & guest services)
  • Knowledge of OSHA and safety standards within the housekeeping department
  • Ensure that cleaning equipment/machines are operational and comply with the hotel’s safety standards
  • Installed Sweet Sleeper Beds and White Bedding Program in all 1780 rooms.
  • Oversaw the outsourcing of the property’s guest room laundry.
  • Revamped the Sub-Cellar of the property into a working floor for the hotel after the in-house laundry was closed.
  • Led guest room 1x1 meeting room conversion for hotel conferences