Michael Thompson

Accomplished event, hospitality, and operations management professional with 10+ years of experience coordinating and executing weddings, corporate events, private charters, receptions, banquets, and special events within high-volume entertainment and hospitality environments. Extensive experience working directly with event hosts and planners to translate Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), event timelines, room and table layouts, setup requirements, audiovisual needs, decor specifications, catering requirements, and client expectations into successful event execution. Proven leader experienced in directing teams of approximately 25 employees, coordinating vendors and service providers, resolving event-related problems, managing equipment and inventory requirements, controlling costs, enforcing safety and operational standards, and delivering exceptional client and guest experiences.

Adept at managing multiple stakeholders and competing priorities while maintaining event specifications, schedules, service standards, and regulatory requirements.

Restaurant Manager - Bloomin' Brands - Waldorf, MD

(2025-12)

• Direct daily restaurant and hospitality operations while managing approximately 25 employees and maintaining customer service, operational, safety, and performance standards.
• Coordinate staffing assignments, schedules, equipment, supplies, and service resources; adjust deployment in response to changing business and customer requirements.
• Serve as a primary management point of contact for customer concerns and operational issues, providing immediate problem resolution and service recovery.
• Train, coach, and develop employees; communicate operating priorities, service expectations, safety requirements, and organizational goals.
• Coordinate with suppliers and internal personnel while overseeing financial transactions, account reconciliation, operational reporting, and supporting documentation.

Restaurant & Front of House Manager - Event & Hospitality Operations - City Experiences / Entertainment Cruises - Washington, DC

(2015 - 2025)

• Managed front-of-house and event hospitality operations supporting weddings, corporate events, private charters, receptions, banquets, and special events in a high-volume entertainment environment.
• Served as a key operational point of contact for event hosts, planners, and clients, ensuring event requirements and service expectations were communicated and executed.
• Participated in pre-event planning to review event requirements, timelines, guest expectations, food and beverage service, room configurations, equipment needs, and special requests.
• Reviewed and executed Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), translating schedules, service expectations, layouts, and client specifications into clear operating assignments.
• Coordinated event setup, including room and table layouts, food and beverage service areas, equipment placement, guest flow, and event-specific configurations.
• Coordinated with DJs, audiovisual providers, decorators, catering and service personnel, and other event partners to deliver requirements on schedule.
• Worked directly with event planners and hosts before and during events to confirm requirements, communicate updates, address changes, and resolve event-related problems.
• Managed event timelines and directed service teams so scheduled activities, food and beverage service, entertainment, and other event elements occurred as planned.
• Hired, trained, scheduled, supervised, and evaluated hospitality employees; prepared staffing plans based on event requirements, guest counts, service levels, and operating needs.
• Coordinated food, supplies, event equipment, and inventory; forecasted needs and facilitated ordering to support scheduled events.
• Verified event and hospitality spaces were guest-ready and aligned with service, health, safety, sanitation, and operational requirements.
• Responded to client and guest needs, complaints, and unexpected operational issues with professional, solutions-focused service recovery.
• Managed departmental budgets and cost-control practices; processed payroll and maintained personnel, financial, inventory, and operational records and reports.
• Collaborated across operational functions to coordinate event spaces, personnel, equipment, food and beverage services, and entertainment components.
• Evaluated event execution, customer feedback, staffing performance, and operational challenges to identify opportunities for improved future service.

Production & Inventory Director - The Furlough Cheesecake - Oxon Hill, MD

(2017 - 2025)

• Directed production and inventory operations, coordinating personnel, schedules, supplies, equipment, vendors, and operational requirements to meet customer and organizational needs.
• Analyzed operating processes, identified systemic issues, and implemented solutions supporting efficiency, productivity, quality, and service delivery.
• Coordinated production priorities and resource requirements to ensure products, equipment, and supplies were available when needed.
• Maintained supplier and stakeholder relationships, resolved competing operational priorities, and supported cost control through inventory monitoring and resource planning.
• Provided leadership with recommendations concerning policies, procedures, workflow improvements, and production goals.

Food Services & Personnel Manager - Grace & Soul / Chuckwagon Catering, LLC - Waldorf, MD

(2020 - 2022)

• Coordinated food-service and personnel operations supporting restaurant and catering requirements, including staffing, kitchen output, food quality, and customer service.
• Managed weekly operating expenses, staffing schedules, hiring, training, supervision, customer issue resolution, and food-safety compliance.
• Participated in menu development and long-range operational planning while balancing quality, service, and cost-control priorities.

Commanding Officer's Yeoman - United States Navy

(2002-10 - 2005-07)

• Provided direct executive-level administrative and operational support to the Commanding Officer, coordinating high-priority schedules, meetings, correspondence, briefings, travel, ceremonies, and official activities.
• Managed the Commanding Officer's calendar and coordinated scheduling requirements across departments, senior leaders, and organizational stakeholders.
• Coordinated VIP visits, official ceremonies, meetings, and command events, aligning schedules, personnel, communications, documentation, and logistical requirements.
• Prepared, processed, routed, and maintained official correspondence, briefings, reports, records, and command documentation in accordance with Navy policies and procedures.
• Coordinated official travel and maintained accurate schedules and supporting documentation for command leadership.
• Served as a central liaison between the Commanding Officer's office and departments throughout the command, facilitating communication and completion of time-sensitive requirements.
• Handled classified, sensitive, and confidential information with discretion and in accordance with applicable security requirements and protocols.

English & Communications Coursework - North Carolina Central University (1994 - 1996)