Abrams named HR director at Newport Harbor

Victoria Abrams has been promoted to human resources director for the Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina. Abrams has been a sales coordinator for the hotel since she joined the company in 2006. Previously, she served for almost three years as a human resources assistant for the Newport Hotel Group, supporting five hotels and a corporate office. Abrams holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary/English education from Niagara University.

PBN: What drew you to the hospitality industry – and, more specifically, to Rhode Island’s hospitality industry – as a career?
ABRAMS: I fell in love with Newport the very first time I visited the [city]. When I made the decision to move here in 2002 from New York City, I knew that I wanted to find a job that allowed me to show other people who were visiting Newport that it is such a wonderful town. The hospitality industry just seemed like a natural fit to utilize the customer service skills I had gained from other jobs I’d had.

PBN: In between serving as a human resources assistant for Newport Hotel Group and your new position as director of human resources for the Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina, you served four and a half years as a sales coordinator. What were your responsibilities as a sales coordinator?
ABRAMS: As a sales coordinator, I supported three sales managers and a director of sales, with everything relating to the group business side of the hotel. I did my best to help the office run smoothly, whether it was speaking with current clients to accommodate their needs and requests, or creating contracts and menus for potential clients, or even something as simple as making a restaurant recommendation for a group contact. The office could be hectic and the trick of my position was to make sure everything got accomplished while keeping everyone happy.

PBN: How will your sales experience factor into your new role as director of human resources?
ABRAMS: I think my time working in a busy sales office really adds to my knowledge of the hospitality industry. I have a solid working knowledge of how all of the departments in the hotel need to function on their own, as well as together, in order for the hotel to be successful. And having worked closely with so many guests gives me the insight to know the caliber of employees that the hotel needs to have in order to keep our guests happy and returning to Newport time and time again! &#8226