Robert O. Sanders, Jr. CMP
Founder and CEO
Robert O. Sanders Jr. is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hospitality Resource Group, Inc. (HRG), a consortium of four companies based in White Plains, New York with offices in Connecticut and Manhattan. HRG is made up of the following four companies: Event Solutions, which creates unforgettable experiences and manages destination event and planning services for corporate and not-for-profit clients. Strategic Training Solutions, providing customized training programs, executive and management consulting, and organizational development services that meet all of your company’s staffing and human resources needs; Allegis Communications the expert source for brand management, new media and social networking strategies, market research, public relations and marketing; and iQuest Designs, which executes unforgettable event design, from corporate marketing displays and trade shows to galas and private events.
Robert has worked for numerous prestigious companies within the hospitality industry. His areas of expertise include sales and marketing, training and operational management. Prior to creating HRG, Robert was Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Abigail Kirsch Culinary Productions, the largest catering firm in Westchester County. His responsibilities included developing marketing campaigns, providing leadership and training for a staff of fifty. During his tenure, overall sales volume increased 18%.
Before joining Abigail Kirsch, Robert worked for Marriott Corporation for twelve years. He joined Marriott in Hilton Head, South Carolina in 1983. Over a period of twelve years, he held sales positions at various Marriott hotels. In 1993, he became the Director of Catering Sales for the Marriott Marquis, the chain’s flagship hotel in Manhattan.
Robert is extremely active in community affairs. His affiliations include Special Events Advisor and former Chapter Chairman of the Westchester Chapter of the American Red Cross, Board Member of the Westchester County Association, and a Board Member and Student Teacher for Junior Achievement. In April of 1999, Robert received the honor of being the first recipient of the American Red Cross Samuel J. Friedman Humanitarian Award. He also works with Bridges to Community, leading trips of business executives to Nicaragua to build homes for families in need.
In 2009, Robert was appointed to the Westchester/Putnam Workforce Investment Board, which develops and submits local workforce plans to the Governor of New York State, provides program oversight and helps to create employer linkage for the workforce development system. The Workforce Investment Board acts on behalf of Westchester and Putnam County Executives in developing policies and is active in the ongoing development of a comprehensive, seamless and universal workforce system in accordance with the needs of these communities.
Michael Lattari
Chief Operating Officer
Michael’s background includes experience in the areas of sales, marketing and operations management. Prior to joining HRG, he was Director of Marketing for Inspection & Valuation International, Inc. (IVI), an engineering and architectural due diligence firm.
Before IVI, Michael worked for Marriott International. His last position was Director of Event Management at the Westchester Marriott Hotel. During his tenure at Marriott, Michael consulted on several corporate-wide systems upgrades. Before joining Marriott, Michael held various management positions with United Parcel Service, where he gained valuable experience in labor relations and operations.Michael is very active as an advocate for people with developmental disabilities. He serves on the Board of Directors of GROW (Group Residences of Westchester) and PenDennis, both groups dedicated to providing quality housing for people with developmental disabilities. Michael serves as an advisor to Bridges to Community and travels annually to Nicaragua to build homes in third world communities.
Laura C. McNerney
President
Laura’s extensive background in human resources, training and organizational development, retail management, sales and marketing allow her to collaborate with HRG’s corporate clients on many levels. Prior to joining HRG, Laura was Vice President of Human Resources for Doral Hotels and Resorts. She was responsible for all Human Resources and training functions for four properties. Her accomplishments included the design and delivery of a company- wide hospitality training program, the implementation of a cost-effective multi-level benefits program, and the creation of a corporate recognition program. Under Laura’s leadership, the company maintained record low turnover.
Before joining Doral, Laura served as Manager of Human Resources for the American Red Cross in San Diego, California, where she received the prestigious National Tiffany Award for outstanding service and commitment to the mission of the American Red Cross.
Laura is a member of the Westchester Human Resource Management Association and is an active volunteer in her local community and school system.
Mary Jane Sanders
Director of Special Projects
Mary Jane Sanders is the Director of Special Projects for Hospitality Resource Group, specializing in new projects with Strategic Training Solutions. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Travel Administration, Mary Jane began her professional career with Sheraton Hotels in New Orleans, Louisiana, soon transferring to the Sheraton Bal Harbour Hotel in Miami. After marrying her husband, Robert (CEO of Hospitality Resource Group), they moved to New York where she was a Sales Manager for the Rye Town Hilton Hotel in Rye, NY. After taking some time to raise their two children, Mary Jane re-entered the corporate world, in Human Resources for Ciba Specialty Chemicals in Tarrytown, NY. While at Ciba, Mary Jane, organized and planned the companies’ executive leadership and development training programs for the U.S., Mexico, Canada and the South American Ciba sites. Mary Jane joined HRG in the Spring of 2005.
Gene Campanello
Director of Event Design
iQuest Designs Director, Gene Campanello, spent countless hours watching his grandfather, a restoration specialist for museum furniture, work his magic on the furniture. “I must have gotten my artistic inspiration from him,” Gene says.
Gene spent two years at Oakland University majoring in advertising layout, when, thanks to a girlfriend, he was hired for an apprenticeship at Macy’s in Detroit. It was there where he perfected his skills in visual merchandising. Early in his career, Gene landed the job of Assistant Director of Window Designs at Bergdorf Goodman’s in New York City. Gene was in charge of designing the 58th Street windows, which gave him the opportunity to expand his horizons to fashion shows, product launches, and social events.
After four years, Gene moved on to start his own business: High Camp Display and Designs. High Camp was created in 1983 and started out working strictly on window designs and then slowly moved into retail interior design. Between 1990 and 2000 Gene was the main decorator for all holiday décor and special events for PepsiCo. In addition he was the vendor of choice for most Westchester hotels and fundraising events, as well as New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts shopping mall holiday decorations. He has decorated countless bar and bat mitzvahs, special events and country clubs, as well as the grand opening for the Westchester Mall in White Plains, New York. Gene has also been the décor designer for Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, New York, for four seasons.
In 2008 Gene Campanello’s company, High Camp Display and Designs, changed names to iQuest Designs and became part of the Hospitality Resource Group (HRG) family. iQuest is now the fourth company under the HRG umbrella and has already enjoyed significant success, thanks to Gene’s know-how and leadership.
Tricia McTernan
Special Events Coordinator
Tricia is responsible for providing administrative support for special events and customer training.
Prior to joining HRG, Tricia was a Quality Assurance Engineer for MAI Systems Corporation, responsible for the resolution of product issues through writing and implementing test plans. Tricia was also a senior support representative for Datalogix Corporation, providing product expertise to customers with software issues.
Tricia holds a Bachelors of Science degree from Manhattan College, with a double major in Marketing and Computer Information Systems. She currently resides in Mahopac with her husband and two young sons.
Cleopatra Maack-Scheublin
Public Relations and Event Coordinator
Cleopatra Maack-Scheublin joined Hospitality Resource Group as Public Relations and Event Coordinator in October 2004. Cleo graduated from Pace University with a Masters of Science degree in Publishing and a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in Communications. During Cleo’s academic work she completed several valuable internships, namely at Fairchild Publications’ summits department, Star Magazine’s editorial department, and a public relations internship at Susan Grant Lewin.
Molly McAllister
Training and Events Specialist
Molly joined Hospitality Resource Group, Inc. as the Director of Business Development in 2002. Her background has given her the experience she needs to work with all three businesses - STS, Allegis, and Event Solutions - and she thoroughly enjoys the versatility of her position and her ability to partner with HRG’s fantastic clients.
Prior to HRG, Molly worked in Training and Development and Human Resources with the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, the Rye Town and Tarrytown Hiltons, and the Westchester Marriott. Her work included the establishment of the first Training Center at several of these properties and, among other programs, she created an aggressive initiative for the Hyatt Regency Greenwich to achieve the AAA “Five Diamond” status.
Molly graduated from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Management and she currently serves as the Vice President of the Board of Alumnae and chairs the Communications and Student Relations Committees. She speaks conversational American Sign Language and has taken classes at both the New York School for the Deaf and the American School for the Deaf. Molly holds certifications for both Zenger Miller and Development Dimensions International.
Molly is an active volunteer in her community and has been a mentor in The Children’s Community Programs of Connecticut since 2006.
Lisa Keogh
Grant Writing and Philanthropy Specialist
Lisa is responsible for event management, assisting clients with fund-raising projects and grant writing. Prior to joining HRG, Lisa served as director of The Foundation of Hudson Valley Hospital Center, Cortlandt Manor, and as chief development officer/assistant general manager for the American Red Cross in Westchester County, based in White Plains, from 1998-2003. In previous positions, she has been part of volunteer and staff teams that have raised over $10 million net for nonprofit organizations in Westchester County.
Lisa is a 1990 summa cum laude graduate of Mercy College in behavioral science and received the Gold Medal for Academic Excellence in Behavioral Science. She is a member of the Board of Directors of The Reform Temple of Putnam Valley and serves on the Board of Trustees of The Street Theater in White Plains. She was inducted into the Mercy College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2001. She has served on the Executive Committee of the Westchester Association of Development Officers and is a member of The Association of Fund Raising Professionals. Lisa lives in Garrison with her husband James and two young sons.
