(Scottsdale, Arizona) July 10, 2015 – The We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center, a AAA Four Diamond desert vacation and meeting enterprise owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rick Petrie as Director of Food & Beverage.
Petrie first started developing his customer service skills at age nine, when he swamped his parents’ lakefront bar in Montana and worked the boat dock pumping gas, selling bait and collecting docking fees. He further honed his guest-centric focus by waiting tables in several four-star, high-volume steakhouses and Italian restaurants in Laughlin, Nevada casinos, where he also augmented his knowledge about fine dining, menu development and food preparation.
After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management & Tourism at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota, Petrie joined the Angel Fire Ski Resort and Golf Course as Director of F&B. In 2004, he and his family relocated to Phoenix where Petrie was hired as Director of F&B at the Hilton Phoenix Airport. During his nine years there, his team won honors for the top F&B team in the country based on service scores (SALT) and overall performance. A Hilton Spirit of Pride Award winner, Petrie was also the recipient of an Interstate Hotels & Resorts Eye on Service award, the top honor IHR gives for service.
After a year at the Hilton Phoenix/Mesa as Interim Director of F&B, Petrie assumed his current position as Director of F&B at the We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center. Managing a department of 60 in the Ahnala Mesquite Room, poolside bar and grill, banquets, catering and back of the house, he oversees all F&B operations and administration including budgeting and forecasting, menu planning and creation, recruiting, scheduling and inventory.
“After our rebranding as an independent golf resort last year, we’ve placed an even greater emphasis on providing our guests with an exceptional dining experience,” said Craig Benell, Acting General Manager of the We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center. “We’re thrilled to have Rick join our Executive Committee, and are confident that his industry expertise, management acumen and customer-focused philosophy will take our F&B efforts to the next level.”
