Rachel Baque
Visit The County Board Member
Rachel’s extensive hospitality career began in her early teens as a server at Bloomfield’s renowned Angeline’s. That experience initiated a commerce degree in hotel and restaurant management from Guelph University, followed by fourteen years of progressive responsibilities with Starwood Properties and Resorts – owner of numerous international brands, including Sheraton and Westin hotels. This took her from Toronto’s Sheraton Centre and Westin Harbour Castle across the globe on assignments such as management of sales for all Sheraton and Westin resorts in the Fiji Islands. In Australia, Rachel was a member of Executive Committees for new hotel openings, oversaw property rebranding – including transition of Australia’s largest hotel from Sheraton to Hyatt Regency, and ensured the success of major international sport, entertainment and political events. Starwood was acquired by Marriott in 2016, adding a range of hotel brands which provided further insight into hospitality strategies and operating systems.
More specifically, Rachel has worked on the floor and in management within a range of departments, including food and beverage, events and festivals, hotel revenue optimization, conference sales and execution, and travel trade. This facilitated a range of hands-on experience encompassing the drafting of major detailed budgets, monthly revenue and expense forecasting, the writing of strategic sales and marketing plans, development of training manuals, and creation of sales incentive programmes. With Starwood, she developed policies and procedures for events, sales, and revenue which were rolled out globally. Membership on committees and boards of external organizations provides Rachel with extensive contacts.
Although her global experience has been exciting and fulfilling, Rachel is very pleased to be back to raise her young family. Having grown up in The County enjoying the many benefits of our beautiful landscape and environment, her favourite memories are of spending time at her grandparents’ home and riding her bike around visiting cousins who lived on a County farm (and still do). She has lived all over the world, but The County is her home; and she will use her expertise to help shape policies that reflect our values, and to promote and protect all that is wonderful about living in and visiting The County.
Want to reach Rachel? Send her an email at rachel@visitthecounty.com
