Les Clefs d’Or USAQuarterly Newsletter

Fall 2014

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Dear Colleagues,

Fall has arrived. Behold

the changing leaves and

enjoy the crisp breeze.

Let your eyes take in the

bursts of color.

“Transformation is afoot

and hope is in the air."

Nature continues to give and share its wealth of

beauty throughout the year. Les Clefs d'Or USA is

mimicking nature and continues to give and share

with our members.

In this year of "giving back to members,"

complimentary online classes in excel and outlook

were made available to help you hone your skills.

These classes were taped and can still be accessed if

you wish to view them.

In the second quarter, the Board began distributing

the new styled Bucherer keys to all full members.

This effort will continue until every qualifying

member has a shiny new set of keys.

In the third quarter, your Board of Directors is

pleased to announce that Les Clefs d'Or USA will

provide three scholarships to the UICH congress in

Mendoza, Argentina. In the fourth quarter, ten

scholarships to Les Clefs d'Or USA's 2015 congress,

in New Orleans, will be given.

To qualify for a scholarship, you must be a full or

provisional member, be up-to-date in your dues and

fees and write a 250 word essay on the importance

of congress attendance.

Essays should be sent to our Vice President and

Secretary, Robert Marks, at vpsecretary@lcdusa.org, for

receipt by November 1, 2014. Scholarships will include

complimentary congress registration only.

Transportation and incidental expenses are the

responsibility of the winner.

Scholarship winners will be announced in the first

week of December. The scholarships are

transferrable and may be given to other members

or used to bring a guest.

We continue to make progress in all phases of our

operations.

The 2014-2015 Les Clefs d’Or USA book of members

will be mailed to you soon. Please join me in

extending a huge thank you to Morris Visitor

Publications for their generosity and for another

great edition. Thanks also to Elizabeth and Muffin

for their hard work in getting the book ready for

publication.

The First Eugenio Chinigo Award competition has

started. The committee is accepting nominees until

September 15th.

New Orleans congress preparations are progressing

very well. The Congress Committee is working

feverishly to get venues selected in preparation for

a presidential site inspection. Excellent educational

sessions and a great Key Note Speaker have been

confirmed.

2014 is an unprecedented year for members of the

USA section. Never in our history have we been

able to benefit our members so tangibly. Your

Board of Directors continues to work hard to keep

our association strong and the benefits of

membership great!

In Service Through Friendship,

Shujaat Khan

President

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

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Masterfully serving Ritz-Carlton Boston guests for over forty years, Chef Concierge, Gene

Ferguson, was a Les Clefs d’Or USA Incorporator and the first President of our association

A Tribute to Gene Ferguson

Les Clefs d’Or Salutes You

A giant in the concierge community of Boston A Pioneer in the world of Les Clefs d'Or USA Concierges A Jedi in the art of Customer Service A Magician in creating magical moments for guests A dear friend to thousands of Les Clefs d'Or members around the globe Above all , a great husband and a wonderful father. Rest in piece Shujaat Khan President Les Clefs d'Or USA Washington, D.C.

My husband Terry and I have so many wonderful memories of Gene, both professionally and personally. As a young concierge, staying at the Ritz Boston when he was at the helm was one of my best memories. We had the opportunity to travel with Gene and Pauli and the Jamiesons and Storms. Our most memorable was the road trip from San Francisco to Portland. He left a great legacy. Sending our love to Pauli and all the family. We will never forget those sparkling blue eyes. God speed, Gene.

Diana Nelson Past President Les Clefs d’Or USA San Francisco

To Gene, my friend, colleague, mentor and uncle I never had.... How I will miss you, partner, from the Les Clefs d'Or early years of developing our identity and establishing our profession, to our travelling around the world, laughing, dancing and playing golf from England to Martha's Vineyard, you were the best and I will miss you so much... Dinah sends much love as well... Take care, my dear pal....God Bless.... Jack Nargil Past President & Current Member Les Clefs d’Or USA Washington, DC

When I think of Gene, I think about my very first work with a concierge desk other than my own. It was at The Hyatt Regency Cambridge, and Gene was amazingly kind and helpful, as was Dave Jamieson. The two of them were my mentors and guides. It was 1979. Gene was such a leader in our profession. He truly left a legacy. Holly Stiel Honorary Member Les clefs d’Or USA San Francisco

The world has lost one of the greatest service champions ever born. Gene was a master at making the impossible happen and making dreams come true. We are richer for him having touched our lives. God bless him, may he rest in peace. Elizabeth Wilson Affiliate Member & Administrator Les Clefs d’Or USA Boston

Although I never met Gene I just wanted to send my deepest, heartfelt condolences to his friends and family. Anyone who is a concierge and a fellow member is part of a universal family, one that I am sure he was proud to be a part of. I pray that God will be present during this extremely difficult time and you are able to find peace as he was laid to rest. De Anna Chapman Member, Les Clef d' Or USA Las Vegas

Gene was a most pivotal Les Clefs d'Or USA association president. He was dedicated to the concierge profession and committed to educating and growing Les Clefs d'Or, the Golden Keys organization and its membership in the US cities. Gene and the late Andre Damonte, the British Les Clefs d'Or President whose country became our USA country sponsor in UICH, were our mentors, friends we could always count on. Gene, we miss you but know that you are in a great company with Andre, Julius, Shelby, David, Jim and Betty, Jean Gillet and many of our beloved colleagues, with whom you will start a new chapter of Les Clefs d'Or in Heaven, no doubt. We will never forget you! Olga Pierce Affiliate Member, Les Clefs d'Or USA Co-Chair, LCD Foundation of the Americas Chicago

Gene helped me when we first opened the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago and I was the concierge and Director of Services. He was an inspiration and helped me in my early career in so many ways. Gene inspired many in the hospitality industry and touched thousands of people all over the globe. I remember him talking about golf as a game you play, but never really win. He laughed about that heartily. God will shine his goodness on Him surely. Courtney R. Thompson Colleague Coral Gables

The world has lost a great man and friend. We will never forget all that Gene did for the concierge community. Thank you for sharing him with us. May he rest in peace, Laurie Gordon Member, Les Clefs d’Or USA Napa Valley

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WHY YOU SHOULD BUY

TIGER RAFFLE TICKETS by Holly Steil

I always buy raffle tickets and do so happily because all the

prizes are CRAZY GOOD.

Les Clefs d’Or Tiger Raffles are fabulous and raise

substantial funds to support the expenses of our

congresses. Major hotels, restaurants, transportation

services and various vendors donate incredible packages. If

a picture says a thousand words, than these two photos

sum up how I felt winning the

Grand Prize to New York City

at the 2013 national congress

in Chicago at the same time I

was honored with a Lifetime

Achievement Award. I am so

happy celebrating my 30th

anniversary and mile stone

birthday in NYC that I literally

can’t stop smiling.

In this photo I am blowing bubbles

while looking out the window at

The Trump Tower….Quite the view.

And to keep it even more in the

family the travel bubbles were

provided by GoConcierge!

The New York City package

included so many wonderful

treats: helicopter ride over

the city, theater tickets,

amazing meals, and a tourist

attraction called The Ride. It

was so much fun I giggled for

75 minutes.

Take your chances…. You might

just have the winning ticket next

time. I am so glad that I did.

Thank you. It was a celebration of

a life time.

PINNINGS, PROMOTIONS & AWARDS

Ashleigh & Jeanne Mills present Leslie Marks-Levrat, from

the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel, with her gold keys

as she joins the prestigious ranks of Les Clefs d'Or USA!!

Cynthia Van Zandt has been

promoted to Chef Concierge at

the Sofitel Washington, D.C.

Lafayette Square

Les Clefs d'Or

member, Ms.

Chiaki Nonoyama,

Chef Concierge at

the Ritz-Carlton

Washington DC,

was voted

Concierge of the

Year at the 19th Silver Plume Awards

Two new members from the Fairmont San Francisco,

Sarlota Stengel and Steven Struck receive gold keys

from Chef Concierge, Tom Wolfe.

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Dear Friends:

One of the most

important responsibilities

of the Secretary of Les

Clefs d’Or USA is to

ensure the accurate and

timely release of

information and updates

to our member-ship. To achieve this goal, we utilize

several communication methods including e-blasts,

mailings, Les Clefs d'Or USA’s newsletters and

personal and work emails. As many of these forms

of communication involve email addresses, it

becomes critically important that we have an

accurate email address on-file for every member.

If you change positions, if your hotel’s name

changes, if you have a new phone or fax number,

change your email address or have any other

change to your contact information, please send

your update to me at vpsecretary@lcdusa.org and

home office at info@lcdusa.org as soon as the

change occurs.

Another important aspect of the role of Secretary,

and all Les Clefs d’Or members, is the timely

response to messages and emails. I know how

difficult it can be in today’s world of technology; we

all experience an overwhelming volume of

communications and messages, minute by minute.

Whether it’s our voicemails or emails, at times, we

can all find ourselves living in our “inboxes.” As

technology increases and communication gets

faster, we can be consumed by our inbox and

tethered to an electronic leash. Experts in the field

of technology recommend finding time to

disconnect and balance your online and offline time.

Here are some handy strategies:

1. Turn off your phone when you go to sleep

and do not leave it within arms-reach.

2. Never bring your phone or tablet to the

dinner table (enjoy your meal not your

phone)!

3. Do not turn on your phone the minute you

wake up in the morning.

4. Unsubscribe from frivolous or unnecessary

websites; they clutter your inbox and your

life.

5. Try spelling out words completely instead of

using abbreviations (you may end up not

texting as much).

6. Each day, set a specific time to focus on just

your emails and clear your inbox.

While these are just some simple suggestions,

hopefully, they will help to create a better balance

between work, technology and the enjoyment of

everyday life. Please always feel free to email me at

vpsecretary@lcdusa.org and I’ll make every effort to

reply within 24 hours.

I wish everyone a happy end of summer and a

wonderful beginning of fall!

In service through friendship,

Robert Marks

Vice President & Secretary

Dear Friends,

I hope this newsletter finds

you doing well and ready for

the fall season. While on

summer vacation in Chicago,

it was great to see so many

members wearing their shiny

new keys!

Boston has been busier than ever; the next couple of

months will bring more people to this historic city.

The students of Boston’s sixty institutions of higher

learning have returned and soon, leaf-peepers will

arrive to check out the fall foliage. Boston is back on

track and better than ever!

Our treasury is also on track and better than ever.

While year over year we’ve seen a marked decrease in

Hertz override donations, our relationship with the

Lincoln Corporation provided an unprecedented level

of support in 2014. We still have some members who

have not paid their annual dues. If you are among

them, please handle this responsibility right away.

At the end of the year we expect to be on target with

our budgeted expenses and expect to exceed our

projected income. Currently, we have only spent

roughly 50% of expenses and are within budget on

Administrative expenses. Les Clefs d'Or USA is in a

very healthy position!

If you have any questions, specific to the treasury or

otherwise, please contact me at

vptreasurer@lcdusa.org.

Nathan D. Goff

Vice President & Treasurer

Dear Colleagues,

According to Google Analytics,

the following categories reflect

increased visitor percentages

since the launch of our new

website this year, compared to

the same period last year:

April 28 – August 15, 2014 vs. 2013

Number of Members’ Sessions 23%

Average Duration of Sessions 41%

Most Pages Viewed* 36%

* About Us, Membership Directory, Becoming a Member

We recently upgraded the e-blast program to allow us to

isolate communications to specific member groups.

Les Clefs d’Or USA’s membership directory will have

additional search options within the membership

directory. This will allow us to easily locate fellow

members around the world.

In the meantime, we’re still looking for photos of

members, from all over the country, for the Home Page

header. See a great example with guest interaction.

NOTE: Photo must be landscape orientation 1000 pixels

wide X 290 pixels high

Please help us project a stronger association with the

public as they travel through our hotel lobbies! Send in

your high resolution photo today! media@lcdusa.org

Kathleen Fitzgerald

Director of Media

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Dear Friends

I hope this newsletter finds you

enjoying a wonderfully busy

summer. It feels like it was just

yesterday that we were in Los

Cabos celebrating “In Service

through Friendship” together.

It was great to see so many of

you.

For me, the time since has flown by since taking on

the role of Director of Membership. I send my sincere

thanks to Nathan Goff for doing such an incredible job

for the past three years, and for making the transition

so easy, thorough and seamless.

One of the significant changes that occurred during

the congress was the approval of the bylaw revision

regarding eligibility for membership. Previously, an

applicant was required to have worked in a hotel

lobby for a minimum of five years with at least three

years as a lobby concierge. In Los Cabos, the members

voted to revise the bylaw to require a minimum of five

years as a hotel lobby concierge. Starting with the

September batch of applicants, candidates must fulfill

this bylaw requirement to qualify for an application.

In the next few months we will see more changes to

the application process. The application is being

redeveloped to make it more user friendly. The exam

is being redesigned to make it more relevant. The

exam will include new questions and topics and will be

graded. We will start using the new application and

exam before the end of the year.

I invite every member who is asked to sponsor a

candidate, to take a moment to review the relevancy

and responsibility of sponsoring. Sponsoring is so

much more than just signing the documents. When

asked to sponsor, you should first consider how well

you know the applicant and whether that concierge is

truly ready to become a member. It’s up to the member

to conscientiously decide whether to accept the

responsibility of mentoring, guiding and preparing the

applicant for membership, or to encourage the applicant

to gain more experience and education before

submitting their application.

As concierges, it’s in our nature to avoid saying “no” to

any request. So don’t say “no” to the request to

sponsor. Encouraging a concierge to gain more

experience and education is so much more helpful and

more responsible than saying yes and allowing the

concierge to go through the entire process without

success. No member should feel bad in offering

encouraging advice. We should be comfortable in

inspiring a concierge to network more, to get to know

more members and to work on their service standards.

Sometimes we have to tell a concierge that we simply

don’t know him/her well enough to sponsor at this time.

If a concierge truly has the make-up of a Les Clefs d’Or

concierge, they will appreciate the advice and

encouragement, and will take it to heart. After all, we

want them to succeed as a concierge, as well as a future

member of Les Clefs d’Or.

On another front, we continue to work on Les Clefs d’Or

USA’s mobile website. We’ve added Chicago--thank you

Philippe Gills--and Santa Fe is currently under

construction, thanks to Inger Boudouris. Our app is

growing in content and relevancy. Check it out, and

make sure to visit the Santa Fe section for Inger’s

margarita recipe! Waiting patiently in the wings is

Miami—coming soon!

Leigh Anne Dolecki

Director of Membership

Dear Members,

Greetings from the City by the

Bay! Chances are I speak for

most of us when I say this

summer has been filled with

visitors from around the world!

It is very clear the economy is

healthy once again. When we

start to get frustrated, just remember busy is good,

because we certainly don't want the alternative like it

was in '08!

As I come upon my first year serving as your Director

of Concierge Relations, one of the common themes

I’ve noticed is that more importance can be placed on

the value of communication. We use this tool every

day, some more than others. Whether it is with a

guest, between peers, from a manager to their team,

or to a superior, communication is invaluable.

Our responsibility to communicate on all levels is

crucial to our success. Even if the information being

delivered is not always 'favorable' my team knows my

favorite saying: "It's all in the delivery!” As concierges

we should always be composed and eloquent, as if the

task at hand did not cause undue stress. Respectful

communication is also invaluable with our vendors

since they are the ones who make it happen for us on

a daily basis. Please refrain from adopting the ‘Do you

know who I am syndrome’; this will actually work

against you. Remember, we are all in the service

industry trying to achieve the same goal, delighting

our guests!

Since Los Cabos, the local associations have been

working diligently on the Presidents’ Manual. Once

complete, the manual will provide an operational

framework for current and future local association

leaders. Hopefully, when new presidents are elected,

they’ll find this to be a helpful resource in managing

their association.

We’re looking forward to working more on the manual

at the Leadership Summit, which takes place in Dallas

this October. This promises to be a very active

brainstorming session for all local associations! We

hope to see your board representatives there so they

can come back with innovative ideas for your teams

and your guests!

Last but not least, take the time to mentor potential

members. The strength and success of our

organization depends on each and every one of you.

Yes, we are all busy, but always remember the feeling

you had when you were considered for member-ship.

Some of us were nervous, excited, even intimidated.

Our valuable network should not intimidate anyone. If

you think about the true meaning of our motto, "In

Service through Friendship," one will understand we

are here to be inclusive, not exclusive. Some may

consider membership requirements to be stringent.

They are for the benefit of all, so that every member

understands the responsibility of membership. Our

guests look for golden keys for a reason, because we

have the character and integrity needed to get the job

done!

Charisse Fazzari

Director of Concierge Relations

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Dear Friends:

As summer fades into the

sunset of fall, we’re all getting

ready for a busy convention

season. I’m looking forward to

the festivities of Halloween and

all the other holidays to follow.

At the end of fall, it will also be the end of hurricane

season. We’re all sending big hugs to our friends in

Hawaii and hope everyone is safe.

The 62nd International Congress will be hosted in

Mendoza, Argentina, April 10-15, 2015. To learn more

about the congress, click on the following link:

http://www.uich2015mendoza.com.ar/#!home/c1qdh

. The link can also be found on Les Clefs d'Or USA’s

website. Register before December 17th to save $200

per person! The following fees are quoted on the

registration website:

Early Fee Single August – December 17 $1500

Single December 17 – April 1 $1700

Early Fee Shared August – December 17 $1200

Shared room December 17 – April 1 $1400

Argentina is such a beautiful country and Mendoza is

set against the stunning backdrop of Mount

Aconcagua. It’s also known for the many local

vineyards that feature great regional wines. The

congress promises to be inspiring. Don’t miss it!

I hope you’re all excited and filled with anticipation

about “Unmasking Our Potential” at the USA congress,

July 13–17, 2015, in my home town of New Orleans!

Right now my hotel, the host hotel, is in the throes of

renovations. Once complete, we’ll re-flag as Le

Meriden New Orleans. We’re thrilled to offer you a

brand new hotel for the congress.

Our team is working hard to build the registration

website. Look for future emails about the site’s

imminent launch.

Budget time is the best time to approach your

management for their support of your congress

attendance. New Orleans is offering the lowest

congress registration rate in years. In 2011, Boston

challenged other host cities to keep the registration

rates affordable by increasing the rate by $1 per year.

Las Vegas followed offering a lucky $777 early bird

rate. Then, Sweet Home Chicago continued the trend

and offered a $778 early bird rate. Well, a penny

saved is a penny earned and NOLA is offering the best

rates yet:

Early bird rate through February 15, 2015:

Single - $769 - Double $569

After February 15, 2015:

Single - $869 - Double $669

The 2016 Pan-American congress will be hosted by our

friends to the north in Montreal. Once details are

available, we’ll send them to you. San Francisco is

considering hosting the 2017 USA congress. If your

city wishes to be considered as a host city for 2017

and beyond, please send your proposals to me or

contact me at: congressliaison@lcdusa.org.

In Service Through Friendship,

Danny Alford

Congress Liaison

Dear Members, Dear Friends, I hope you all enjoyed a great summer season and were able to take some time off to spend with your families and friends.

In late June, together with President Khan, I was privileged to attend the NYCAHC Trade Show. This must be one of the biggest shows in the United States; it was educational and fun. Congratulations to Loida Diaz and her committee for organizing this wonderful, annual New York City event. In October, I’ll attend the Leadership Summit in Dallas, as an observer. The summit will be hosted by one of our newest members and President of the Dallas Hotel Concierge Association, Andrew Bottomly. It will be great to see our local association leaders in action. The Recognition and Retirement fund (R&R) has raised nearly $10,000 thanks to generous association pledges in Los Cabos. Members who wished to contribute $1 or more, for each year of Les Clefs d’Or membership, were advised to send their donation to our Boston office. As a member of Les Clefs d'Or for the last 34 years, I’ll be sending a check for $50; President Khan has pledged the same amount! The Recognition and Retirement committee has already gifted long-tenured members (20 or more years) a customized polo shirt with the crossed-key logo. We’ve also gifted tokens of appreciation to long- tenured members who retired in the last year. After a lifetime of representing our profession and Les Clefs d’Or so well, it’s nice for the association to be able to say thank you, in some small way.

Please remember Les Clefs d'Or USA’s policy requiring authorization before representing the association or duplicating our trademarked insignias (including articles and photographs of keys). If you have the opportunity to promote the concierge craft and Les Clefs d'Or USA, please submit a public relations request form to me via email. The forms are available for printing from the members’ section of our website, www.lcdusa.org. Thank you. Wishing you a great fall season and looking forward to meeting many of you in the coming months. Vive Les Clefs d'Or, Robert Watson Director of Public Relations

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CONTRIBUTIONS WELCOME

TO THE

RECOGNITION & RETIREMENT

FUND

CONTACT president @lcdusa.org

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