Our Mission at Inns of Monterey- Authentic And Intimate

Randy Venard, Vice President and General Manager of the Inns of Monterey, is a 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry. He possesses the ability to successfully operate within various disciplines, including operations, employee development, new property orientation, finance, sales and revenue management and civic involvement. Mr. Venard strives to ensure maximum financial potential of these Monterey, California properties and to achieve industry prominence. During Mr. Venard's 21-year tenure with Inns of Monterey, the portfolio has included up to five properties. Currently, the collection includes the Monterey Bay Inn, Spindrift Inn, Victorian Inn, Wave Street Inn and Casa Munras Garden Hotel and Spa. Chicago-based Portfolio Hotels and Resorts operate the Inns of Monterey and in 2015 awarded Mr. Venard its "Heart of a Servant Award", recognizing excellence by a General Manager. Mr. Venard came to the Inns of Monterey in December 1993. Each of the five boutique properties provides an authentic and intimate Monterey experience for guests. Under Mr. Venard's leadership, The Spindrift Inn was named "Best in Romance in the United States" by Tripadvisor in 2010 and 2011. In addition, three of the Inns of Monterey properties have received a Green Seal Silver Level Certification under the GS-33 Standard for Lodging Properties. The Inns of Monterey demonstrate environmental leadership in hospitality by meeting the rigorous standards for waste minimization, water and energy efficiency, hazardous substances handling and environmentally responsible purchasing established by Green Seal Environmental Standard for Lodging Properties. There are currently less than 100 hotels worldwide that have earned this Green Seal certification. A graduate from the University of Colorado with a B.S. in Business Management, Mr. Venard began his career in hospitality at the 513-room Fairmont Hotel in Denver. Prior to joining the Inns of Monterey, Mr. Venard worked at the Monterey Plaza Hotel, a 290-room, luxury resort/convention hotel. At the Monterey Plaza Hotel he gained 13 years of management experience in each facet of the hotel's operation including Front Office Manager, Assistant Hotel Manager, Rooms Division Manager, Resident Manager and Director of Food & Beverage. Throughout his career, Mr. Venard has embraced and enhanced a culture that provides a balanced focus on guests, co-workers, owners, and community.

Dedication to the Industry

In 2002, Mr. Venard was honored as the "Hospitality Professional of the Year" by the Monterey County Hospitality Association in recognition of his contribution and service to the hospitality industry of Monterey County. An avid contributor to the community, Mr. Venard served 13 years as a board member for the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau and has twice served as Chairman of the Board. In addition, he has served as a member on the Monterey County Travel & Tourism Alliance Task Force, the Board of Directors of the Cannery Row Association and was the Hospitality Chair of the United Way of the Monterey Peninsula fundraising campaign.

Destination Marketing

An active and vocal proponent of destination marketing, Mr. Venard understands the value of marketing the entire County. In addition to the 13 years he served on the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau, he has also served on the Monterey County Hospitality Association marketing committee as well as that of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce & VCB.

Key Community Partnerships

Since 1990, Mr. Venard has been actively involved with the Monterey Peninsula sister-city relationship with Nanao, Japan. He visited Nanao as a delegate from Monterey, and continues to build on the business and cultural components of this valuable relationship. Monterey is famous for its Jazz Festival and in its 61st year is the longest continuing festival in the world. Mr. Venard and the Inns of Monterey have always been supportive of the festival, becoming the Monterey Jazz Festival's Official Hotels in 2010, and the Festival's first hotel sponsor.

A Commitment to Education

A life-long commitment to learning motivates Mr. Venard to continue his education. His specialized training includes completed coursework at Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association: Sales and Promotion, Hotel Information Systems, Forte Management Training School and California Culinary Academy. In 2012, Mr. Venard was accepted to The Professional Mentorship Program at the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business. The program is designed to enhance the undergraduate experience through hands-on learning and professional development opportunities with business executives. The program strives to create a tradition and appreciation of mentoring within the Leeds School that will ultimately prepare Leeds students to become actively engaged business and community leaders.

Personal

A native of Colorado, Mr. Venard resides with his wife Becky in Salinas, California. He and his wife enjoy being outdoors, including bicycling and long walks. Mr. Venard travels back to Colorado to visit family and friends and enjoy the splendor of the Rockies. A passionate supporter of the University of Colorado, Randy and Becky are loyal "Buffs."

Gustavo Trejo is Executive Chef of Estéban Restaurant, located at the Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa. A veteran of Monterey County with over 20 years of culinary experience, Trejo is responsible for both the restaurant and the hotel's thriving banquet business.

 

A California native of Portuguese-Latin descent, Trejo's culinary influences began during annual visits to his uncles' ranch in northeast Portugal. Every summer as a child, Trejo's mother would take him to visit her family, where he learned to fish, hunt, harvest vegetables, pick the ripest fruits and of course, cook.

 

Trejo's passion for cooking began at a young age, when at 15 he got a job as a dishwasher. His curiosity was piqued while watching the line chefs and his ambitious work ethic soon landed him a job on the line. "My first job taught me that it's good to start at the bottom and work your way up, so you understand the entire operation," explains Trejo.

 

For the next two decades, that's exactly what he did. His early career achievements include a successful tenure at Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego, CA and Nick's Fish Market in Maui, HI. Chef Trejo most recently comes from Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel Valley, CA where he was Executive Sous Chef for eight years.

 

Trejo's culinary passion is to create a menu that is seasonal, thoughtful and well- balanced using the freshest and finest local produce. "It is both inspiring and humbling to be a chef," says Trejo, "I have such respect for guests and know I can serve a meal that will bring them joy, evoke a memory, create a moment or an inspiration that will stay with them."

 

Trejo lives on a 2.5-acre ranch with his wife, Jackie and their two dogs, Bruno and Clyde. In their spare time, they like to visit Hawaii and work on vintage cars.

Lydia Bates, Director of Sales, leads the sales team with an accomplished 15 years of hotel sales experience. Her past positions include nine years at a 405 room resort with 35,000 square feet of meeting space. Beginning as the Tour and Travel Sales Manager Lydia was subsequently promoted to National Sales Manager, Senior Sales Manager and ultimately, to the Associate Director of Sales. During her tenure she was the top sales producer for all Destination Hotels and Resorts in 2007. She also achieved the prestigious Chairman's Club status in 2007, 2008, 2010, and the Presidents Club award in 2009. In 2012, Lydia joined Chaminade Resort and Spa as Senior Sales Manager where she became top sales producer in 2014 and the top sales producer in 2015 for all Benchmark International Resorts. Lydia holds a Bachelor of Science from California Polytechnic University.

Sue Dreyer, Director of Ecommerce & Marketing for Inns of Monterey, has over 30 years working at the finest hotels and resorts in the region. Dreyer joined the Inns of Monterey in September 2015 and in her position, Dreyer is responsible for all Ecommerce and Marketing efforts for the five hotels, the Spa at Casa Munras and Estèban Restaurant.

 

Before joining the Inns of Monterey team, Dreyer was the Director of Sales and Marketing for the luxurious Bernardus Lodge & Spa for over 14 years. In her position Dreyer oversaw all Marketing, Public Relations efforts, Reservations, Group Sales and Catering needs for the four-star resort. In her tenure there Sue also had an additional responsibility for four years overseeing both Bernardus Lodge and Quail Lodge consecutively. Prior to that, Dreyer worked as Regional Sales Manager at Pebble Beach Resorts in Carmel, CA and as a Corporate Sales Manager for Portola Hotel & Spa in Monterey, CA, during which time she received the "Sales Manager Recognition Award" from the Monterey County Hospitality Industry in 1996. Dreyer also enjoyed a five-year tenure with Hyatt Hotels where she gained experience in each facet of hotel operations as well as opened three properties.

 

Dreyer has served on the Board of Directors for the Monterey County Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Marketing Committee for the Monterey County Visitors and Convention Bureau and has been an active member in the Monterey County Hospitality Association. Currently, Dreyer is a member of the National Charity League of Northern California and supports various philanthropies in our local community.

 

Dreyer graduated from the California State University of Hayward with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and option in Marketing. Dreyer currently lives in Monterey with her husband, Mark, daughter, Rachel and her dog, Skylar.

Betty Hutchins, Director of Human Resources of the Inns of Monterey, has more than 30 years of professional hospitality Human Resources experience, which included Pebble Beach Company, Highlands Inn, Chaminade in Santa Cruz, Embassy Suites and Portola Hotel & Spa in all aspects from recruitment, training, employee and labor relations, teambuilding, benefits and workers compensation. She directs and manages all aspects of the company's Human Resources activities and programs at her current employer, Inns of Monterey, Cannery Row Management Co and The Sardine Factory. Additionally, Mrs. Hutchins is a dedicated member of the Monterey County Hospitality Association where she has been on the Education Committee for several years, bringing education, training, professional development, and awareness to those within the hospitality industry.