David OHalloran

Having successfully Managed staff in all aspects of the working environment and have developed excellent leadership skills and have always maintained good relationships with a range of ethnic groups and ages.

I am friendly and people orientated. I have an even temper, good sense of humour, and have a positive outlook. I am honest and self-motivated. I am a strong believer that respect is earned by way of communication and understanding. 

It is my belief that I can succeed in any task that has been entrusted to me. I am a stickler for attention to detail.

1976 – 1990 South African Airways                                    

• Cargo Handling
• Passenger handling
• Foreign Accounts
• Facilitation and Co-ordination of events
• Public Relations Officer – (Government Officials)
• Corporate Accounts
• Promotions, Sales, and Marketing
• Budget Management
• Ramp handling.
• Departure Control

1990 – 1992 Valentino Designs – (Due to restraint of Trade)

• Self employed proprietor of business involved in the manufacture, marketing and sales of handbags and luggage, wholesale, and retail market.

1992 – 2000 Air Zimbabwe

• Area Sales Manager for KZN and Cape Province
• Day to day running of the Sales and Airport office.
• Budget Control
• Staff management and training
• Accounts, sponsorships, events organising.
• Marketing and Advertising
• Sales and Promotions
• Procurement
• Facilitation

• Started small outside catering business, DJ Spit Braais in 1997

2000 – 2003 Where 2 Travel CC(Flame Lily Holidays)

• Sole member of Travel Agency
• Specialising in African Safari holidays - (Flame Lily Holidays)
• Conference and Events Co-ordination
• Sales, Marketing and Promotions
• Safari Tours.

2003 – 2004 - Spent a year in Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe Sun Group)

• Yield Manager – 3 Months Contract Leopard Rock Hotel
• All aspect of the GM / F&B / Front of House as well as Conference Management.
• Management Training – Harare Safari Lodge. – 3 Months 
• Training in Lodge Management
• Standards within Lodge Management
• Characteristics of Lodge Management
• Creed to Lodge Management
• Principles of Lodge Management – F&B and Front of House.
• A/General Manager - Ivory Lodge - Hwange 
• 4 Month Contract – Admin / Marketing / Training / Advertising. / Guest Relations / F&B

1997 – 2012 - DJ Spit Braais & Catering / Master Chefs

•  
• Self employed proprietor of a catering business specialising in corporate events, milestone celebrations, Conference and Function co-ordination, and weddings. 
• Contracted to do all aspects of Hospitality / Catering / Front of House at the Crowhurst Guest House 5* for 2 years. Duties included: Back Office / Reservation / F&B / Conference / Staff Management / Oversee general Maintenance. 

• 2012 – 2014 – Project Manager at Various Lodges to upgrade facilities.

2014 – June 2022 – Battlefields Country Lodge – General Manager 

• A to Z of running a 72-bedroom Lodge and Sports Resort. 
• Yield Management – Implementation and maintaining.
• SOP’s – Introduced and Implemented in all departments. 
• Maintenance oversight.
• Creating and maintaining Budgets. 
• Installing a Water purification plant
• Accounts – Both FOH and BOH
• Stock Control - Housekeeping as well as Restaurant and Bar
• HR – Training
• Sales and Marketing – attending various workshops and Trade shows.
• Contracting with new and maintaining relationships with International Tour Operators as well as corporates Clients.
• Corporate Functions – Product Launches with various Corporates such as KTM South Africa – SA Raid Rally Championships – Battlefields 400

Annual Biltong Festival.

• Plan and market the Battlefields Annual Fly-in 
• Weddings and assisting the events team in Planning.
• Implementing a POS and Reservation Systems
• Stock Control Food and Beverage.
•  
• Reason for leaving – Retrenched – New Owners.

October 2023 – May 2024. Dragon Peaks Mountain Resort. End of Contract - General Manager

• All duties required by a GM – Running the entire Resort.
• Overseeing General Maintenance.
• Accounts
• Stock Control 
• HR – Training
• Overseeing Housekeeping
• Sales
• Marketing. 
• Upgrading new Semper Systems both POS.
• Reservations. Converting and training New Semper from Windows base to Cloud base system. 

Matriculated at Kingsway High School in 1975

• Subjects were English, Afrikaans, Maths, Science, Geography, and Technical Drawing
• Basic Culinary – Royal Hotel Chefs School 
• Philosophy of Lodge Management
• Diploma – Sales and Marketing (IMM) Tourism 
• Computer Literacy – MS Word / Excel / PowerPoint
• GAP – Point of Sale
• Semper Res/POS/Conferencing Managing Systems.
• Sage One Pastel Accounting / Pay roll Systems.
• First Aid
• OHS
• Yield Management
• Water Purification and Water Plants – Grey water usage.
• Weapons Competency