Darren Pound

Darren Pound, General Manager, Dream Inn, 175 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA.
www.dreaminnsc.com

Darren's Full Bio:
With more than 29 years experience in luxury hospitality and hotel operations, Darren Pound is the general manager of Dream Inn Santa Cruz. Pound develops and enhances the hotel’s overall culture, guest experience and customer service at the newly renovated beachfront hotel.

With dedication to the highest degree of ethics and integrity, a proven track record of strong achievements and the ability to expertly balance a broad range of customer priorities and business objectives, Pound is well suited to lead and manage the seasoned staff at this iconic and legendary property.

Born and raised in Edmonton, Canada, Pound’s affinity for travel and interest in hospitality began at a young age. Each year, his family would take a trip to The Four Seasons – Edmonton which heavily influenced Pound so much as a young boy that he wanted to become a Maître d’ at the prized hotel.

Pound followed his childhood dream and in 1990 graduated with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Red Deer College in Alberta, Canada. His first job in the hotel industry was at The Canadian Pacific Hotels and Resorts, Chateau Lacombe, where he began as a restaurant assistant manager. Pound then departed for the USA in 1998 for The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, where he started as assistant director of banquets. Throughout his 10-year tenure at Laguna Niguel, Pound was promoted to assistant director of food & beverage, then to director of food & beverage, and lastly director of rooms before leaving for a short venture as managing director at the Rockwater Secret Cove Resort in British Columbia from 2008 to 2009. In October 2009, Pound took a managing consulting position with Santa Catalina Island Company and within 6 months was appointed vice president of food & beverage. During his time with Santa Catalina Island Company, Pound was responsible for managing a $17 million-dollar budget and the development of market strategies to optimize customer and tourist growth.

In 2011 Pound managed the food & beverage programming for J.C. Resorts as corporate director of food & beverage for all of the company’s flagship restaurants including: Rancho Bernardo Inn, Surf and Sand Laguna Beach, Temecula Inn and J.C. Golf. In 2014, Pound took the position of director of food & beverage with Lowes Hotels & Resorts, Coronado, and was quickly promoted to hotel manager.

Pound joined the team at Two Roads Hospitality in August 2015 and served as the director of hotel operations for The Camby in Phoenix, AZ. He then served as the interim general manager for Hotel Becket in South Lake Tahoe before joining the Dream Inn in late 2016 where he played an integral role in the property’s 8-million-dollar renovation and oversaw the property’s brand conversion.

Pound is an active member in a number of hospitality-driven associations including: Hospitality Executive Exchange, Hospitality Leadership Forum, Very Important Beverage Executives (VIBE), Western Foodservice and Hospitality, Hotel Food and Beverage Magazine Advisory Council and the National Notary Association.

When Pound is not striving to create memorable experiences for his guests and staff at the Dream Inn you can find him spending time with his family enjoying his favorite pastimes such as sport fishing and grilling.

Visit the Travelers411 Directory listing for Dream Inn.