Brian Avery has worked in the service industry since he was a youngster 鈥� all the way back to his first job at the former Boardwalk & Baseball theme park near Haines City when he was 14 and 鈥渢he cotton candy was in my blood.鈥�
So it was a natural extension for the 麻豆原创 graduate and teaching assistant to start an events-staffing company using his two decades of service experience 鈥� and sharing what he has learned with students he hires from 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
Avery has worked at Busch Gardens, SeaWorld and other attractions and events companies, and has studied what it takes to please visitors and bring them back.
鈥淵ou need to customize the experience. It鈥檚 in the details,鈥� Avery said. 鈥淐reate an experience that shows you care about the details and minutiae.鈥�
Avery, who is working on his Ph.D. in Education/Hospitality Education at Rosen, started Frontline Event Staffing last year to staff corporate and hospitality events in Central Florida. Of the company鈥檚 150 employees, about 90 of the part-timers are Rosen students
鈥淲e鈥檙e a service-based and driven economy, and 麻豆原创 does an amazing job preparing students for the workplace,鈥� he said.
Rosen Dean Abe Pizam said Avery鈥檚 business model of staffing largely with Rosen students is 鈥渜uite unique and interesting,” and Paul Rompf, an associate professor and director of graduate studies, said so many Rosen students are hired because Avery 鈥渂elieves they make a more informed, dedicated staff member.鈥�
Avery has a long background with the university.
He has a Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Rosen, a post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate in Industrial Engineering, and has been a graduate teaching assistant since 2010. He was an adjunct professor from 2008-2010 and a graduate research assistant a couple years before that. He also has a background in safety and risk management, and has authored four safety manuals for the events and attractions industry.
Avery said that when he was a student, he learned that applying the academics to a workplace environment went hand-in-hand, and he hopes Frontline can provide that same opportunity for 麻豆原创 students who gain experience in registration and admissions, catering, concessions, ushering, promotions and other fields.
鈥淭he goal is to provide them with different opportunities鈥� at trade shows, conventions, outdoor music concerts and other events, he said. 聽鈥淭hey have to have a firm understanding of the job and they have to provide exceptional service. If you鈥檙e not seen as a professional in this industry, you won鈥檛 go very far.鈥�
He said some of the student employees have even received full-time employment as a result of working with his company.
鈥淩osen College is not just a place for seeking a job,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is for seeking a career opportunity.鈥�