At a recent managers meeting, Laguna Development Corporation President, Jerry Smith, announced a new corporate organization structure, a move he said, “Would set the stage for the next generation of growth at Laguna Development Corporation. LDC joins the rest of the world in understanding a new reality that has been established by the recent economic downturn, LDC is not going to sit back and become an onlooker to a shifting economic climate.” The first step in LDC’s organization plan included the creation of two new positions.
Image:Kevin Greer (Left) acting as Chief Operations Officer; Skip Sayre (Right) as Chief of Sales & Marketing.
The first new job title is Chief Operations Officer. This position will oversee all operations of the business, including Marketing, Retail, Food & Beverage and Finance. Kevin Greer, former Chief Financial Officer for LDC, was promoted into the COO position. In his new responsibilities he will take on the role of overseeing the day-to-day business of all operations, while allowing the company President to focus on the future growth and development of Laguna Development Corporation. While commenting on his new job Greer said, “I have enjoyed working as CFO for the last five years, and I look forward to taking LDC into a new era, one full of opportunity and success.”
Another new position announced was Chief of Sales & Marketing, filled by former Director of Marketing, Skip Sayre. The new Chief level position for Marketing recognizes the importance of Marketing in the overall business strategy. “The addition of Chief of Sales & Marketing to the senior staff is not only a promotion for me, but the entire Marketing team. It is with their hard work and support that I am able to accept this new role” Sayre said.
By creating the new job titles and promoting from within, other positions have opened for potential internal promotion. President Jerry Smith said, “We would like to fill these positions from within,” the goal of the succession planning program that was established in 2009. Through this program, qualified employees have been identified to succeed certain positions within the company, should these positions open up. The program requires that certain criteria be met with frequent mentoring and documentation of learning’s on a quarterly basis. “If you have someone that can do your job within the company, you are only enhancing your own opportunity for advancement,” explained Jerry Smith. As the business continues to grow, LDC anticipates new positions opening up and more opportunities for internal promotion, when the proper succession programs have been completed. Internal promotions open up a chain of potential opportunities for committed and experienced LDC employees.
Current open positions that will be filled in the near future include the Director of Business Development, Chief Financial Officer and Chief of Gaming Operations. LDC President Jerry Smith has also announced possible other restructuring, and has asked that the new positions evaluate their own departments for potential opportunities.