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Hospitality Industry Consulting Services



Background

David M. Brudney is currently the principal of David Brudney & Associates of Carlsbad, CA, a marketing consulting firm specializing in the hospitality industry since its inception in 1979.  As a veteran professional consultant, Brudney has advised developers and lenders, hotel owners and operators, chains and independents, mega-resorts and conference centers, limited service and B&Bs alike, throughout the U.S. on issues relating to performance evaluation and enhancement, strategy, structure, direction and execution. 

Brudney’s area of expertise is sales, marketing and operations and his primary consulting work the past 28 years has focused on producing top line improvement, strategic planning, structure and direction, performance evaluation, result measurement, research and litigation support. 

Brudney’s extensive body of work covering four decades includes hands on directing, sales and catering department restructuring and redeployment, strategy and program implementation, production of heavy-actionable marketing plans, marketing overviews, competitive analyses and user analyses along with solid credentials in training and teaching. 

Brudney has become an accomplished teacher and speaker at colleges and universities and industry events on subjects relating to hospitality sales and marketing.  He has appeared as an expert witness in disputes between hotel owners/lenders and hotel operators on issues involving marketing and operations. 

Brudney’s career in the hospitality industry began in 1960 as a tour escort for Greyhound Highway Tours in San Francisco and following a brief career in commercial broadcasting he became a hotel sales manager.  From 1964 to 1979 he held sales and marketing positions including national sales manager for Westin’s Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles, director of sales for Westin’s North Michigan Avenue Hotel, Chicago, director of sales and marketing, Grand Hyatt San Francisco and western regional sales manager, Hyatt Hotels, Los Angeles. 

He was with Hyatt during its accelerated Regency growth in the ‘70s and his work experience involved direct sales, pre-opening, multiple unit supervision, regional sales, client junkets, promotions, and corporate development marketing studies.

Experience

Brudney consults regularly for owners, lenders, operators and managers advising clients with recommendations, ideas and opinions on specific ways of improving overall sales and marketing performance and measurement. Brudney’s research skills produce helpful tools for management in assessing competition, overall market conditions, primary and secondary feeder markets along with invaluable hotel user feedback.  He produces hands on actionable marketing plans and, in order for owners and management to make certain that dollars are being spent wisely and that staff is meeting expectations, he performs annual and quarterly reviews and evaluations of entire sales and marketing operations. 

Brudney is called upon at various times to speak or facilitate for clients, bringing in a “fresh set of eyes” and new and different perspectives on hotels and business in general.  He continues to teach classes in hospitality sales and marketing and is a regular lecturer at the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management. 

He has successfully performed litigation support engagements at times when disputes between owners and operators required an independent, professional expert to render opinions relating to specific case issues. 

Brudney has distinguished himself over the past 28 years by assisting clients to improve performance by virtue of Brudney’s advice and counsel, direction and execution.

Education 

Brudney earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts from San Francisco State University and has successfully completed more than 50 professional development courses in selling, marketing, hotel operations and management during his long career. 

As a teacher, he has designed curriculum and instructed classes in hospitality sales and marketing (and various other related and non-related subjects) throughout the University of California extension program (UCLA and Cal-Berkeley) and the California Community College system for more than 25 years. 

Affiliations 

Brudney is Chair Emeritus of ISHC’s Marketing Committee. David was a past board member, and marketing committee chair of the prestigious International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC).  David serves on the BECA Industry Advisory Board, Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts Department, San Francisco State University. Also, a past member of the AH&LA’s marketing committee, past allied member of the California Hotel & Motel Association, past president of the Northern California chapter of the Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International and has served on the advisory board of the Hotel and Restaurant Management School at City College of San Francisco.

Professional Activities - Teaching 

Brudney has developed curriculum, instructed classes and produced and conducted seminars on “hospitality industry sales and marketing” for the University of California-Berkeley, UCLA, U.C. Riverside, San Diego State University, Cal Poly Pomona and L.A. Trade Tech since 1975 and holds a lifetime teaching credential with The California Community Colleges.  He has appeared frequently as a guest lecturer at UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management and he developed the curriculum and taught the inaugural marketing and sales management classes as part of the California Tourism Industry Association and U.C. Berkeley’s “The Berkeley Series in Travel and Tourism Management” program. 

Recent Projects Completed by David Brudney & Associates 

DB&A conducted Sales & Marketing Operations reviews, validated owners, asset managers and operators’ expectations, produced preopening Sales & Marketing plans, monitored and mentored Sales teams: 

  • 580 room, luxury resort and spa, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Los Angeles, CA
  • 167 room, limited service, branded hotel, Santa Clara, CA
  • 386 room, full-service, branded hotel, adjacent to JFK Airport, Jamaica, NY
  • 135 room, limited service hotel, Schaumburg, IL 
  • 553 room, full service, downtown branded hotel, Seattle, WA 
  • 558 room, branded, luxury resort, Kapalua, HI 
  • 1,176 room, branded, full service, downtown hotel, Chicago, IL 
  • 998 room branded, upscale resort & spa, Hollywood, FL 
  • 1,620 room branded, full service upscale resort, Dallas, TX 
  • 254 room branded, upscale, I.A.C.C. designated conference center resort, Stevenson, WA 
  • Recent competitive “Shops” of Hotel Sales Departments conducted by David Brudney & Associates: 
    • Downtown Atlanta, GA, six (6) first class, full service hotels 
    • Kohala Coast, HI, four (4) luxury, full service resorts 

     
    FRONTLINE SM 

    David Brudney and David R. Evans formed a business partnership in 2003, FRONTLINE, and have been performing operational and sales and marketing reviews for hotel owners, asset managers and convention and visitors bureaus.  Evans is a 40-year veteran of the hospitality industry who retired in 2000 as senior sales and marketing officer for Westin and Starwood Hotels & Resorts.  Brudney and Evans first worked together from 1966 to 1970 in the opening of the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

    Recent FRONTLINEProjects Completed: 

    • Phase II Best Practice Review, Tempe, AZ Convention & Visitors Bureau
    • Best Practice Review, Colorado Springs, CO Convention & Visitors Bureau
    • Sales review, San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau, Encinitas, CA 
    • Marketing Review, Branding, Positioning analysis and opinion, Jacksonville, FL 
    • Best Practice Review, Tempe, AZ Convention & Visitors Bureau 
    • Best Practice Review, Evansville, IN Convention & Visitors Bureau
    • Best Practice Review presentation, IACVB, Boston, MA 
    • Sales & Marketing review, mentoring, monitoring, Wyndham Wilmington (DE) Hotel 
    • Best Practice Sales & Marketing Review, Memphis, TN Hotel & Lodging Association’s Convention Committee
    • Sales & Marketing Review, the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, Kamuela, HI 
    • Sales & Marketing Review, The Pan Pacific, San Francisco, CA 
    • Best Practice Sales & Marketing Review, Tourism Vancouver, Vancouver, B.C.
    Evans, Brudney’s business partner in FRONTLINE can be reached at: 

    David R. Evans, CHME, Managing Director 
    David R. Evans & Associates 
    7408 91st AVE SE 
    Mercer Island, WA 98040 
    (t) 206-232-7086 
    (f) 206-230-8122 
    (Cell) 206-930-7087 
    huskees@comcast.net

    .

    Special Reports and Articles
    Mike “Shiny” Dimond: One of the Great Hotel Sales Impresarios / David M. Brudney / June 2008
    Avoided Trips: Memorable Tourism Experiences Lost / David M. Brudney / May 2008
    Hey, General Managers, There is Hope for This New Generation of Hospitality Sales Professionals! / April 2008
    Never Go to Bat Without a Plan: New Generation of Hospitality Sales Professional Lesson #11 / March 2008
    Established Client Relationships Can Last a Lifetime: New Generation of Hospitality Sales Professionals Lesson #10 / David Brudney / February 2008
    Change v. Experience: Dilemma Facing Presidential Candidates and Hoteliers / David M. Brudney / January 2008
    Hotelier’s Confession: Second Voyage Confirms There is a Difference in Cruise Experiences / David Brudney / December 2007
    Hotel Owners and Operators Expecting Higher Yield from Increases in More Personalized, Direct Selling Expenses / David Brudney / November 2007
    Pause for Reaction: New Generation of Hospitality Sales Professionals Lesson #9 / David Brudney / October 2007
    Today’s Meeting Planner: New Generation of Hospitality Sales Professionals Lesson #8 (eighth in a series) / David M. Brudney, ISHC, September 2007
    Hospitality Leaders Take Note: The Bill Walsh Legacy / David Brudney / August 2007
    Hotel Brands Weren’t Always Thinking Outside the Box / David Brudney / July 2007
    Did the Cruise Experience but Thanks,  I’ll Take My Luxury Resort Any Day / David Brudney / June 2007
    Referrals; New Generation of Hotel Sales Professionals: Lesson #7 / David Brudney / May 2007
    Relationship Building - New Generation of Hospitality Sales Professionals Lesson #6 / David Brudney / April 2007
    Site Inspections - New Generation of Hospitality Sales Professionals Lesson #5 / David Brudney / March 2007
    Mood of Hotel Investors and Operators is Euphoric / David Brudney / February 2007
    “Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer;” Know Your Hotel Competition: Lesson #4 / David M. Brudney / January 2007
    Hotel Owners Nightmare: Money Left on the Table / David Brudney / December 2006
    New Generation of Hospitality Sales Professionals Lesson #3: Selling Time Balance / David Brudney / November 2006
    New Generation of Hospitality Sales Professionals Lesson #2: Want to be Successful?  Start by Packing your own ’Chute / October 2006
    Managing the Consultant: Careful Not to Doom the Project / David M. Brudney / September 2006
    You Cannot Microwave Experience: New Generation of Hotel Sales Professionals - Lesson 1 / David Brudney / August 2006
    New Breed of Hotel Sales Associates Lacking Curiosity? Maybe it’s Not a Generational Thing / David Brudney ISHC / July 2006
    Generation X Hotel Sales Associates: All Important Curiosity Factor Missing? / David Brudney / June 2006
    Physical Therapy Sessions: A Good Reminder for Professional Selling Fundamentals / David M. Brudney / April 2006
    Hotel Marketing Starts Locally; Never Forget Your Neighbors / David M. Brudney / March 2006
    Notes from the ALIS Conference / David Brudney / February 2006
    General Managers Workshop: Managing Today's Hotel Sales Teams / July 2005
    Owners & Asset Managers: Need Expert Advice, Referral? Ask A Trusted Consultant / David M. Brudney, ISHC / May 2005
    Larry May: The Passing Of Another Hotel Soldier / David Brudney ISHC / April 2005
    Hotel Owners: Better, Worse or About the Same? / David Brudney ISHC / December 2004
    Let’s Put Bush and Kerry Through the RFP Process / October 2004
    Bev Kordsmeier, Hyatt Sales’ First Lady / April 2004
    Message to Hotel Sales Associates: “It’s Not You!”/ January 2004
    What Innkeepers Want Every Christmas? Fill Those Empty Rooms / December 2003
    Uncertain Times Call for Return to Backyard Basics / April 2003
    Time to “Group Up”?  Maybe, Maybe Not / May 2002
    America’s Front Desk  Fights Back! / January 2002
    Front Desk Fails To Catch America’s Hospitality Spirit / November 2001
    A Very Good Time For That Sales Audit / September 2001
    More Theater, Less Zombies /  December 2000
    It’s The Experience, Stupid! - November 2000
    New Ball Parks, Old Innkeeping Lessons . . .- August 2000
    David vs. Goliath, Leveling The Playing Field In Attracting, Retaining Hotel Guests - June 2000
    Where Have All The Mentors Gone? - February,  2000
    Notes Made on a Do Not Disturb Sign- June, 1997 
    A Real Commitment to Change and a Look Back Only for Lessons- November, 1994 
    Are you Ready for the Female Traveler? - June, 1985 
    ‘84 Primary Voters Send Message Hoteliers Should Heed - October, 1984 
    Stay with the Partner that Brought You to the Dance - April, 1984 
    Salespeople: Attracting and Keeping the Good Ones -February, 1984 
    How to Measure Sales Performance - December, 1983 

     
    Brudney Available Now As Speaker,
    Facilitator 


    Also See:  The Details About Our Hospitality Industry Consulting Services
    David Brudney & Associates / Marketing Consultants Specializing in the Hospitality Industry

    Brudney has appeared frequently as a featured speaker, motivator, teacher, lecturer and facilitator throughout his long career because of his powerful communication skills and his unique ability to inform, entertain and inspire his audiences. 

    Brudney uses an engaging manner and puts his audiences at ease quickly, drawing upon past experiences as a child actor, baseball player, tour escort, radio and television newsman and teacher prior to his distinguished career as a hotel sales and marketing director and today as a professional management and marketing consultant. 

    Brudney is a masterful storyteller who has regaled audiences worldwide with his most welcomed style of honest candor, deep passion, classic anecdotes, compelling arguments and always with the right touch of humor.  He never fails to get his audiences to think nor to come away with something with which to relate. 

    Wide Range of Audiences 

    While Brudney’s primary focus is consulting with and advising his hotel, resort, conference center and restaurant clients, he has frequently been hired to advise and speak before non-hospitality professional clients such as physicians, dentists, attorneys, accountants and designers along with manufacturing companies. 

    Brudney’s Topics

    Brudney’s topics cover a wide range of issues dealing with all aspects of sales and marketing, management, leadership and mentoring.  A sample of topics from recent speeches, seminars, presentations and interviews include:

    • “Sales Training Presentation for G.M.s”, Opus Hospitality Advisors, San Diego, CA, Oct. 18, 2006
    • “Developing & Updating Your Competitive Set”, Destination Marketing Organization University (DMOU.com Teleseminars), Madison, WI, Sept. 6, 2006
    • “Sharing Professional Sales Prospecting Tips”, Facilitator, International Society of Hospitality Consultants, San Diego, CA, Oct. 21, 2005
    • “What’s New, What’s Next in Sales & Marketing,” Dow Hotel Company Senior Management meeting, Anaheim, CA, August 30, 2005
    • “Managing Today’s Sales Team”, Pacific Valley Investors Hotel Group Management Retreat, Lake Tahoe, CA, June 21, 2005
    • “Professional Sales Workshop,” telephone selling skills, effective use of voicemails, working with gatekeepers and screeners, Jenny Craig, 2004-‘05 
    • “Professional Sales Workshop,” Seattle Renaissance Hotel, Seattle, WA, August 17, 2004; also Wyndham Wilmington Hotel, Wilmington, DE, July 27, 2004 
    • “Thinking Outside the Box!  Best Practices from Tourism Vancouver,” IACVB, Boston, MA, July 17, 2004 
    • “Memphis Destination Sales & Marketing Review,” Memphis Hotel & Lodging Assn., Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau and Memphis Cook Convention Center, Memphis, TN, March 30, 2004 
    • “Backyard Basics/Neighborhood Marketing, The Westin Pasadena, CA, May 7, 2003 
    • “Backyard Basics/Neighborhood Marketing” Hunter Hotel Investment Conference, Atlanta, GA, March 11, 2003 & The Westin Pasadena) 
    • “Professional Sales Workshop”, Northwoods Resort & Conference Center, Big Bear Lake, CA, July 9, 2002 
    • Produced and moderated panel on “Marketing Resources, Are Independents Leveling the Playing Field?”, International Society of Hospitality Consultants annual conference, El Dorado Hotel, Santa Fe, NM, October 12, 2001 
    • Conducted 4-hour professional selling workshop “Return to That Zone,” Kinseth Hospitality Companies national sales meeting, Holiday Inn & Suites, Overland Park, KS, March 26, 2001 
    • “Road to Success 2001, Building a ‘Toolbox’ for a Successful Career,” Cal Poly, Pomona, Collins Hotel & Restaurant School, Pomona, CA, January 25, 2001 
    • “Primer on today’s hotel G.M., sales & marketing director”, Wilmer Communications, Seattle, WA, Jan. 8, 2001 
    • “Neighborhood Marketing,” California Lodging Industry Association Annual Educational Conference, Santa Clara Westin, Santa Clara, CA, September 15, 2000 
    • Conducted half-day professional selling workshop retreat, Sales, Catering, senior management, Beverly Hills Nikko Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA, January 1999 
    • Conducted 2-day professional selling workshop, Sales and Catering departments, Beverly Hills Nikko Hotel, Stouffer Esmeralda Resort, Indian Wells, CA, July, 1997 
    Expert Witness/Litigation Support Experience
    • KSL/La Quinta v. Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker, Los Angeles, CA 
    • ESA Management, Inc. v. Tufo Associates, Phoenix, AZ 
    • Geyser v. Excell Legacy Corporation, San Diego, CA, 2002 
    • HomeBase v. The Broadmoor, Costa Mesa, CA and Denver, CO, 2001 
    • U.S. Grant v. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, San Diego, CA, 2000-‘01 
    • Huntington Hotel Partners v. Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., Los Angeles, 1996-97 
    • Radisson Hotels v. J. Bartels & Westin Hotels, Minneapolis, MN, 1997 
    • Healthdyne v. Hilton Pointe Resorts, Phoenix, AZ, ‘95-96 
    • AmeriTel Inns v. Hampton Inns, Boise, ID, 1994 
    • 6th & K Ltd. v. HFS/Ramada Hotels, San Diego, CA, 1993-94 
    • Waterfront, Inc. v. Jones Construction Co., Santa Ana, CA, 1992 
    • Ojai Valley Inn & Crown Family v. Vista and Hilton Hotels, New York, 1991 
    • Governor Hotel Associates v. Cobblestone, Portland, OR, 1991 
    • Homestead Savings v. Registry Hotel/HMC, Santa Ana, CA, 1989 
    • Larry Chan & RHA v. Ramada Renaissance Hotels, San Francisco, 1988 
    • La Mansion Hotels & Resorts v. Met Life, San Antonio, TX, 1987-88 
    Brudney is Quoted 
    • Dec./Jan. 2007, Hotel & Motel Management, “Business Outlook 2007”, Stacey Higgins, Associate Editor (extensively quoted)
    • August 10, 2006, Florida Today, “Higher Park, Hotel Prices Help Boost Disney Profits,” Pg. C-1, by Donna Balancia (extensively quoted)
    • June 25, 2006, Wall Street Journal, “Ritz-Carlton, Leader in Luxury, Relaxes its Service Rules,” by Peter Sanders (contributed but not quoted)
    • April 1, 2004, Association Meetings/Meetings Net, “Meet The Attrition Buster,” Pg. 2 (extensively quoted) 
    • March 2004, Meeting News, “Hilton Promo Seems To Be From Another Era,” pg. 24 (extensively quoted) 
    • Summer 2003, Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Marketing Review, “The Sales and Marketing Audit: A Proven Way to Build Business,” by Harvey Chipkin, pg. 33-35 (extensively quoted) 
    • 2003, “How to Develop, Market, and Operate a Bed & Breakfast or Small Inn,” by Drew Dimond, ISBN 0-9673618-1-8, contains three Brudney articles (“Front Desk Fails to Catch America’s Hospitality Spirit,” pg. 151-153, “More Theater, Less Zombies,” pg. 164-166, and “David vs. Goliath, Leveling the Playing Field in Attracting, Retaining Hotel Guests”, pg. 173-175) 
    • December 9, 2002, Hotel & Motel Management, Consultants Adapt to New Business Realities," pg. 4, 37 (extensively quoted) 
    • March 24, 2002, Six Continents Hotels, Atlanta, GA, included three Brudney articles (“Front Desk Fails to Catch America’s Hospitality Spirit”, “It’s the Experience, Stupid!” and “More Theater, Less Zombies)” in participant workbooks for Holiday Inn Express regional workshops nationwide titled “Delivering S.M.A.R.T. Service” (SCH Hospitality Training Network) 
    • March 11, 2002, Los Angeles Business Journal, "Mum's The Word as Downtown Boutique Inn Nears May Debut," pg. 8 
    • March 4, 2002, Meeting News, "Destination Choice: It's Back To The Basics," pg. 8 
    • December 2001, Corporate Meetings & Incentives, “Cancellation and Attrition,” pg. 13 
    • July 17, 2000 Hotel & Motel Management, “Community Involvement – high gas prices drive properties to boost local awareness,” (extensively quoted) 
    • June 19, 2000 Hotel & Motel Management, “Newcomer Tops ISHC’s Latest Issue List,” (extensively quoted) 
    • February 2000 Hotel & Motel Management, “Getting To Know All About You,” “Low Rates and Internet Access, Too,” (extensively quoted) 
    • May 1999 Hotel & Motel Management, “Hotel Amenities - Adding Value to Guest Experience,” (extensively quoted) 
    • October 1998 Meeting News, “Hotel Rate Growth Likely to Slow Up” (extensively quoted) 
    • September 1998 Lodging, “How To Get More Bang For Your Consulting Buck,” David Brudney authored, pg. 82 
    • September 1998 Lodging, “Making an Impact” (extensively quoted) 
    • July 1998 Timeshare Management, “Marketing To Generation Xers” (extensively quoted) 
    • May 1998 Meetings In The West, “Executive Retreats: Small Getaways Let Groups Get Down To Business” (extensively quoted) 
    • March 2, 1998, Milwaukee (WI) Journal Sentinel, “Marcus Corp. Tries Its Hand At Palm Springs Luxury Resort” (extensively quoted) 

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    David M. Brudney, ISHC, Principal 
    David Brudney & Associates 
    Carlsbad, CA 
    760-476-0830 Fax 760-476-0860 
    E-Mail: David@DavidBrudney.com
    Web Site: www.DavidBrudney.com

    David M. Brudney, ISHC, is a charter member of 
    International Society of Hospitality Consultants

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    | Projects | Contact Us | Published articles / Speaking |
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