About

Our Philosophy and Our Team

OUR

PHILOSOPHY

Integrity

Trusted by hoteliers, asset managers and business owners, Heath & Company has earned its expert reputation by providing objective analysis, straight-forward conclusions and practical solutions for hotels, restaurants and private clubs.

Experience

Each Heath & Company consultant has a minimum of ten years of operational experience with some of the world’s finest hotel companies in a variety of disciplines. This breadth of knowledge enables Heath & Company to provide client businesses with real world experience and real-world solutions.

State-of-the-art Solutions

Extensive research & development coupled with hands-on experience have enabled Heath & Company to develop an array of easy-to-use management tools crafted to measure and improve employee productivity in hospitality businesses.

ABOUT

THE TEAM

DAVID W. HEATH

Founder & Managing Partner

Dave Heath brings more than 30 years of hospitality industry experience to Heath & Company. Dave grew up in the restaurant industry and following his college training at the Hotel School at the University of Massachusetts worked in managerial positions with Hyatt Hotels and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. After taking his MBA at Northeastern University, Dave worked as a hospitality industry consultant at Laventhol & Horwath and later Arthur Andersen where he managed the firm’s Miami hospitality and real estate consulting practice. Dave launched Heath & Company in 1994. Dave is a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants and is recognized as an authority and hospitality industry leader in hotel labor management and employee productivity.

LORRAINE SCHERER

Partner

Lorraine Scherer has more than 25 years of hotel financial experience in both operational and corporate positions. Lorraine is considered an authority in strategic planning, the development of financial proformas, labor management, process mapping, a proven leader in union negotiations (UNITE HERE!), budgeting, forecasting and allocations to ownership interests. Lorraine earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting as she ascended in her career in various capacities in Hotel Operations Finance and Information Technology. Prior to joining the Heath & Company team, Lorraine worked as Area Controller for InterContinental Hotel Group, Operational Controller, the Americas for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and as Chief Financial Officer for Auberge Resorts.

ALAN VENTRESS

Director of Operations

Alan has a unique professional profile that includes Chef, Labor Management Consultant, and Software Project Director. His career started in the restaurant business, which led to a degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Tennessee as well as a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson and Wales University. After seven exciting years with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company holding multiple culinary titles, Alan decided to pursue an advanced degree in Finance earning an MBA from Georgia State University. He joined Heath and Company as a Management Consultant and led or participated in over 85 global analysis projects and implementations of OnTrack™. He then moved to Kronos Inc. for three years where he managed a successful implementation project at 275 Marriott and Ritz-Carlton locations leading a team of more than 100 resources. In 2014, Alan returned to Heath & Company bringing extensive software product and project management experience where he now leads the OnTrack™ development, configuration, and support teams.

NICK LAMB

System Architect

A graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder, with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Nick joined Heath & Company’s OnTrack Performance Tools team in 2012 as a Senior Developer. Nick has over fifteen years of software development experience in a wide range of industries. Nick maintains the company’s web-based productivity tools as well as all technical infrastructure.

ROBERT J. SEDDELMEYER

Project Director

With more than 30 years in the hospitality industry Bob Seddelmeyer brings vast experience to the Heath & Company team. Bob began his career in the Westin organization working his way up to Controller and then General Manager of the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles. Following his career in operations, Bob has spent the last twenty years providing advisory services to the hospitality industry and has worked on more than 50 labor management assignments for hotels across the U.S.

CHRIS GOUGOUSIS

Project Manager

A native of Salt Lake City Utah, Chris Gougousis studied Business and Accounting at the University of Utah and Westminster University. Following University, Chris began his career in hotel finance, first with the InterContinental Hotel group where he rose through the ranks to Director of Finance. Chris worked as Director of Finance at a number of independent hotels in the San Francisco Bay Area until 2002 when he left the hotel industry to found his own successful multi-unit restaurant company. By 2022, Simply Greek Restaurants had grown to six locations whereupon Chris sold the company before joining OnTrack Performance Tools. Chris is a Project Manager at OnTrack having worked on a variety of hotel assignments in luxury, boutique and resort hotels.

PAUL RATCHFORD

Senior Consultant

Paul grew up in the Hospitality business starting at a young age working at his family’s resort hotel in Savannah, Ga. Upon graduation from The University of Georgia with a degree in Marketing & Public Relations he joined Hilton Hotels. He soon found himself on the opening management team with Ritz-Carlton overseeing rooms operations in four properties, he became VP of Operations for Pebble Beach Resorts. Paul’s outstanding career in Hospitality also includes a second stint with Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, CA as General Manager, President & CEO for the world-famous Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, SVP of Operations at Yosemite National Park for Delaware North and Regional GM of Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. Over the last 15 years, Paul worked closely with Heath & Company installing OnTrack at resorts he managed for Ritz Carlton, Greenbrier Resort, Yosemite, and Tenaya Lodge. Paul brings significant Executive Leadership to Heath & Company in all areas of operations.

ASHLEY CONKLIN

Director of Customer Success

Ashley earned her Bachelors of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing at Florida Atlantic University. She also holds a Master’s in Hospitality & Tourism from Florida International University. Ashley joined Heath & Company as an Analyst in 2008 and is now the Director of Client Success for Heath & Company’s OnTrack™ Performance Tools labor management software. Ashley is responsible for overseeing client support and the development of training materials . Ashley designed and developed OnTrack’s user chat feature and unique online video tutorials. Ashley also regularly leads OnTrack™ training webinars to assist clients in gaining optimal benefits from OnTrack™.

EMI SAKEVICH

Client Success Manager

Prior to joining OnTrack Performance Tools, Emi Sakevich enjoyed a fifteen year career in hospitality operations with Wynn and Encore Resorts International, MGM Grand, Las Vegas as well as other organizations working in Food & Beverage Operations, Catering Sales and Event Management. Emi holds an MBA as well as a Master of Science in Hotel Administration from the University of Nevada Las Vegas as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Miami.