Prior to joining KTN, Ms. Cook served for 17 years as a Manager – Development, for the Learning & Development Division of Marriott International
Davie, Florida – October 24, 2017 – Kennedy Training Network, Inc., a premier provider of hospitality sales & guest service training for clients throughout North America and Europe, announced the appointment of M. Cathy Cook as Director of Training & Development. Ms. Cook will oversee KTN’s existing team of hospitality and sales trainers while also personally delivering KTN’s extensive menu of workshop topics. Additionally, Ms. Cook will design new programs to expand KTN’s offerings in the topic areas of leadership and management development.
KTN President Doug Kennedy said “We are extremely excited to welcome Cathy to the team. Not only does she bring in an extensive skill-set in training and instructional design, but Cathy’s experience working for Marriott and numerous other hotel brands adds the real-world, hands-on knowledge we always crave. She is a perfect fit for this new position, as we look to double our client base in 2018 for the third year in a row.”
“I am thrilled for this next adventure in my career and having the chance to work with such a dynamic company, especially considering KTN’s clients include such an interesting mix of some of the world’s best lodging industry companies,” said Ms. Cook.
After growing up on a small family dairy farm in Central PA, Ms. Cook left to earn a BA in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Southeastern Academy in Kissimmee, FL. She began her career as a front desk clerk and supervisor in select service hotels branded by Best Western, Days Inn and then worked for luxury resorts such as Mt. Airy Lodge. After joining Marriott in 1990, she worked her way up from Night Audit Supervisor at the Greenbelt Marriott to Front Office Operations management positions for prominent properties such as Marriott’s Lincolnshire and Mountain Shadows resorts and the Marriott San Ramon. Since joining Marriott’s corporate level Learning & Development team in 1990, Cook has designed and developed training curriculum, instructor lead training courses, self-paced eLearning, and property coach classes for a long list of Marriott brands from focused service through the luxury portfolio. She has also assisted with grand openings and brand conversions for prominent properties such as the JW Marriott/Ritz-Carlton Grand Lakes, Autograph Collection and Gaylord Resorts.
Ms. Cook is an AH&LA Certified Hospitality Trainer (CHT) and an accomplished member of Toastmasters International, having achieved Advanced Communicator Gold- ACG and Advanced Leader Silver – ALS status.
