Ed Schwitzky

Ed Schwitzky has worked in hospitality for over twenty-seven years, including twenty-one as marketing director for venerable resorts such as the Arizona Biltmore and The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa. In May 2003, Ed began his “second career” as an independent marketing and business consultant.

Ed’s track record is one of building business through developing and managing strategic marketing plans and budgets. His work has been acknowledged with five Adrian Awards for collateral design, advertising campaigns, and direct mail from the Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International, an ADDY Award for a catering outdoor campaign from the Tucson Advertising Federation, an award for best marketing campaign from the Arizona Direct Marketing Association, Westin Hotels & Resorts’ Thurston Dupar Inspirational Award and Marketing Team of the Year, and the Sales & Marketing Executives of Phoenix Distinguished Sales Award.

A Missouri native, Ed made his start in the hospitality industry with St. Louis-based Breckenridge Hotels. At the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix Ed began his 21-year tenure with Westin Hotels & Resorts. Before rejoining Westin in Tucson, Ed was VP Marketing & Sales at The Registry Resort in Scottsdale responsible for corporate sales training and development, repositioned and led Paradise Valley Resort through court-ordered reorganization as Director of Sales & Marketing, and pre-opened Orange Tree Golf & Conference Resort in Phoenix also as Director of Sales & Marketing.

As Director of Sales & Marketing at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, Ed was responsible for Sales, Conference Planning, Catering, and Revenue Management, plus all marketing, advertising, and public relations activities. After assuming this role in September 1989, resort occupancy and RevPAR grew steadily. In 2002, La Paloma’s RevPAR Index, as well as Meeting Planner Satisfaction Index and Sales & Marketing Associate Satisfaction Index reached record levels. While at La Paloma, Ed co-developed the concept of “conference planning” to improve service delivery. With Ed’s vision, two business start-ups – Destination Services and The Flower Shop – reached $3M in sales before being converted to lease agreements.

Additionally for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Ed transitioned Turnberry Hotel, Golf Courses, and Spa in Scotland  – sales and marketing systems, procedures, and collateral – from an independent to the Westin brand; mentored two Directors of Sales & Marketing, one of which is a Regional VP Sales & Marketing for a national hotel company and the other a Senior VP Sales & Marketing for a Las Vegas hotel; participated on the Sales Incentive Compensation Plan task force, Innisbrook Resort marketing task force, and Westin Advertising Advisory Board; authored a section on incremental resort revenue for the Strategic Sales Plan; presented a “Best Practice” for direct mail at Starwood’s Global Conference; and consulted on the design of a major resort in Scottsdale. An industry veteran, Ed has made presentations at conventions for the Insurance Conference Planners Association and International Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus, as well as at various local meetings and events.

Today, Ed’s varied experience and expertise provide the basis for precisely targeted, integrated marketing plans and strategies – simply stated and exceptionally executed. As a consultant of The Ascona Group, Ed works closely with clients to exceed marketing and sales goals, facilitating alternative solutions as well as providing fresh insights into direct marketing, advertising, eMarketing, and public relations. Additionally, Ed provides interim sales and marketing leadership, delivers tailored sales and customer relationship management training, conducts on-property sales and marketing assessments and department audits, and prepares feasibility studies and complete business plans. Ed also designs and supervises research projects including media planning, and writes copy for collateral, print and broadcast advertising, and Web sites, plus press releases.

EDUCATION:

Master of Science, Public and Community Service and Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University of Missouri – Columbia.

PERSONAL:

Ed and his wife Michele live in Tucson, Arizona. They have two children…Zach, 21, attends Seton Hall University on a baseball scholarship, and Jenna, 18, is a student at Northern Arizona University.

As a youth baseball coach for nineteen seasons, Ed’s teams won over 200 games including several league titles and a city championship. One of his players is now in the major leagues and four play college baseball. Ed was also responsible for record fundraising campaigns on behalf of local Little League and high school baseball programs.

Ed is an avid reader and enjoys listening to music, watching movies and college sports, and working out.