New Director of Catering & Conference Services Named at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center
Oak Brook, IL (PRWEB) October 30, 2014 -- The Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center has announced the appointment of Mary Ann Kenmotsu as Director of Catering & Conference Services. In her new role, Kenmotsu oversees catering sales, event managers, the banquet team and the audio visual department. By drawing on 25-plus years of experience in hospitality and a relentless commitment to customer satisfaction, Kenmotsu aims to set the Midwestern standard for social and corporate events at Hilton Chicago/ Oak Brook Hills, an IACC (International Association of Conference Centers) certified hotel just west of downtown Chicago.
“Mary Ann brings an invaluable amount of talent to Oak Brook Hills,” said Stefan Mühle, General Manager at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center. “Her leadership is underscored by her constant pursuit of exceeding guest expectations, the chief driver of our business.”
Kenmotsu’s day-to-day at the Hilton Chicago/ Oak Brook Hills includes managing a team of over 200 employees, responsible for customer satisfaction, event planning, décor modeling, menu execution and vendor coordination. The scope of Kenmotsu’s expertise goes far and above her primary job functions. When a new bride walks through the doors, Kenmotsu collaborates in constructing their dream vision into reality, even offering her own spin on the latest wedding trends and tips (Kenmotsu’s trends & tips addendum can be obtained by request to [email protected]).
“I want the Hilton Chicago / Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center to be known as the premier venue in the Midwest for social and corporate events,” asserted Kenmotsu, whose passion and knowledge of hospitality come from a lifetime devoted to excellence, hard work and integrity. “My team’s reputation will be based on creating personalized, unique experiences through outstanding service and exquisite food. No two events will ever be the same.”
Kenmotsu has her sights set extremely high for the Hilton Chicago / Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center, which boasts a new ‘modern farm cuisine’ dining concept, one of the largest ballrooms in the western suburbs, and some of the most pristine outdoor grounds in the state. One of her additional objectives is to incorporate all the hotel has to offer into each event, from encouraging wedding parties to stay the weekend to get pampered, to having corporate groups take a break to play a round at the Audubon certified Championship Golf Course, Willow Crest. She will supervise a remodeling of the hotel’s IACC and banquet services starting this winter, refreshing the space with new modern furnishings that are both functional and aesthetically-pleasing.
About Mary Ann Kenmotsu’s background:
Mary Ann Kenmotsu’s experience in hospitality began early in her teenage years in restaurants, where she was introduced to dining room service and restaurant operations. The University of Illinois grad started her hotel career as the Food & Beverage Director at the Queen Kapiolani in Honolulu. There she was the youngest department head and received numerous awards for her leadership and management skills. Upon moving to Chicago, Kenmotsu accepted the position of Executive Vice President for Premium Food Products before taking a role with Mitchell Hospitality Group where she was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
While working as Director of Catering & Convention Services for the Omni Ambassador East Hotel and the Pump Room, Kenmotsu earned national brand recognition as a top performer. Her career has also led her to positions as Food & Beverage Director and Director of Catering and Conference Services at the DoubleTree Hotel & Conference Center Chicago North Shore, the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, the Sofitel Chicago O’Hare, and the InterContinental O’Hare. Kenmotsu holds the prestigious designations of CMP (Certified Meeting Planner) and CPCE (Certified Professional in Catering and Events), and is an active NACE member, CMP Conclave attendee and former IACC committee member.
About the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center:
Just west of downtown Chicago, nestled into the quiet suburb of Oak Brook, Illinois, the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center (3500 Midwest Road, Oak Brook, IL 60523) offers an ideal destination for getaways, golf trips, family vacations and wedding or business events. Featuring 36 meeting venues throughout more than 42,500 sq. ft. of exhibition space, the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center offers all the amenities of a resort while providing convenience for business conference needs. From a tiered amphitheater seating 145 attendees to a 13,000+ sq. ft. Grand Ballroom holding 1,500 guests, the property is an ideal venue for small and large business meetings, conferences, weddings, retreats, banquets and other social events. The highly trained Team Members at this IACC certified meeting center provide onsite support for the state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, as well as full-service catering customized through the assortment of Food & Beverage packages. Rooms can be booked by visiting http://chicagooakbrookhills.hilton.com. For more information, call 630.850.5555 or visit Facebook or Twitter. The Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center is owned and operated by Portfolio Hotels & Resorts, http://www.portfoliohotels.com.
Jody Grimaldi, Grimaldi Public Relations, +1 (630) 470-0044, [email protected]
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