We recently interviewed Victoria Vega, SVP of Operations to discuss her career path and to learn what fuels her passion for our industry. She established CCL Hospitality Group’s national Operations Optimization team whose priority is to harness efficiencies and find solutions to maximize success for our clients across the country.
Under Victoria’s leadership, the Operations Optimization team plays a pivotal role in seamlessly integrating every aspect of CCL Hospitality Group’s programming. As every client is unique, the team takes a deep dive into existing and new clients’ operations at every level, which ultimately informs the right implementation strategy for the best possible outcomes.
In my senior year at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Isenberg School, I had the honor of chairing Career Day—an unparalleled chance to network extensively, engage with numerous companies and gain early access to recruiters seeking candidates for coveted positions.
I landed a role in a niche of the hospitality sector that our curriculum hadn’t covered. While contract foodservice wasn’t my initial interest, I remained open to the possibilities as I ventured into workplace hospitality. My journey began as an assistant dining director at Salomon Brothers, a Wall Street investment firm.
This experience led to a series of progressive onsite management roles at many Fortune 100 banking, media and lifestyle companies that have defined my career trajectory for the past three decades.
My role on CCL’s executive team, combined with my previous association leadership experiences and volunteerism, has fueled my dedication as an industry citizen to foster the growth of others. It’s crucial to introduce young professionals to foodservice as a food and beverage career alternative to ensure a vibrant and capable talent pipeline for the future.
I’ve also been a steadfast advocate for promoting women and diversity, not only throughout our workforce but also within executive positions. The guidance of strong female mentors has provided me with invaluable career insights, which I leverage as a champion for women and minorities. My passion lies in leaving the door open behind me, creating opportunities for greater professional success and personal fulfillment for those in my sphere of influence.
Having the privilege to establish a national team whose strategic mission is to harness efficiencies throughout the holistic lifecycle of outsourced dining delivers immense value to our clients. Our first connection is curated through the meticulously crafted Client Activation group. This team orchestrates a seamless transition for all new client accounts by implementing CCL’s programs, systems and tools designed to elevate work quality, operational performance, team member engagement and ultimately, our clients’ financial success.
Our Ambassador Network serves as a key market differentiator, comprising a national team of culinary and front-of-house project managers tasked with delivering operational improvements across the Morrison Living and Unidine brands. With several critical unit positions deployed for training, vacancy coverage and new unit openings, our objective is to enhance the skills of the team members we support in the field.
Lastly, we are committed to deliver continuous improvement through our Advance leadership immersions. We deploy a tactical fresh eyes approach to risk mitigation, remediation and account stabilization. Our Optimization leaders delve into any challenges that may impede the delivery of exceptional resident experiences, consistent culinary execution, training and development of team members, regulatory excellence and financial achievement. We then develop goals in these pivotal areas and maintain close ties with in-unit teams to ensure our operators exceed the expectations of the communities we serve, while nurturing a collaborative client partnership. Our ultimate goal is the retention of valued team members and sustained, long term client relationships.
Senior living represents the vanguard of growth right now within the hospitality industry, offering exceptional dining experiences, innovative culinary offerings and unparalleled service. CCL stands at the forefront of this evolution, commanding a market share that eclipses all competitors combined. We are poised to redefine this sector with a philosophy that caters to the unique needs of each client.
The diversity of food and dining expectations across communities adds a delightful complexity to the industry and CCL values leaders who bring creative thought, innovation and passion daily. Those skills are universal across hospitality, putting candidates in the driver’s seat for a trajectory of growth with our organization. A study by The Urban Institute predicts a doubling of the American senior population to 80 million by 2040, calling for the next generation of hospitality professionals to step forward into the future of senior living. That future begins with a role at CCL.
