Marketing Operations & Brand Strategy Executive

24 years turning enterprise-scale complexity into marketing performance.

VP Marketing / Senior Director candidate based in Houston, TX.

Directed marketing supporting 600+ restaurant, hotel, and casino locations inside a multi-billion dollar hospitality company — generating $20M+ in documented operational savings.

linkedin.com/in/kbsavage1 Houston, TX
Immediately available for the right role
Proud Alumnus of Landry's, Inc.

Operating inside a multi-billion dollar enterprise

For nearly 24 years I led marketing operations inside Landry's, Inc. — a privately held, multi-billion dollar hospitality and gaming company headquartered in Houston, operating 600+ restaurants, hotels, casinos, and entertainment destinations across 35 states and D.C. Its brands include Golden Nugget Hotels & Casinos, Morton's The Steakhouse, Mastro's, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Chart House, Del Frisco's, and The Post Oak Hotel, among dozens of others.

Landry's is owned by Tilman Fertitta — a self-made billionaire (Forbes estimates his net worth near $11B), owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets, and currently the U.S. Ambassador to Italy. In 2026, his holding company, Fertitta Entertainment, agreed to acquire Caesars Entertainment for $17.6 billion — a measure of the scale of the organization this experience was built inside.

He's also the author of Shut Up and Listen!, a leadership book built around customer obsession ("No Spare Customers"), disciplined financial management, and hands-on hospitality — the same principles that shaped how marketing operated day to day across the portfolio.

600+
Properties
35+
States & D.C.
5
Golden Nugget Resorts
$17.6B
2026 Caesars Deal
Golden Nugget Morton's Mastro's The Post Oak Hotel Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Chart House Del Frisco's + many more

Operational excellence. Financial discipline. Unwavering commitment to core philosophy.

Impact at a Glance

Results, not just responsibilities

Every figure below comes directly from documented performance across three roles at Landry's, Inc.

600+
Restaurant, hotel & casino locations supported
$20M+
Documented operational savings generated
$20M+
Marketing investment managed, supporting 15 brands
95%+
Same-store sales increase driven
10+
Business functions standardized enterprise-wide
40+
New restaurant unit launches led
Leadership Philosophy

How I lead

"I lead with the bottom line first. I'm a doer — honest, high-integrity, and relentless, following protocol but staying open to every question that makes the work better. I care about developing people, not just process, so the operation runs strong beyond any one person in the room."

Twenty-four years in, I loved this job and knew I was making a real impact. In my final role, running marketing production for 600+ locations largely on my own, people were consistently impressed by how much one person could carry.

Bottom-Line Focus Integrity & Follow-Through People Development Operates Independently at Scale
Professional Experience

Landry's, Inc. — Houston, TX

Director of Production – Marketing (Marketing Operations Executive)
2019 – 2026
Directed marketing production and operations for 600+ locations across luxury, upscale, and casual dining brands.
Reported directly to the VP of Marketing
$12M+ Operational Savings $5–7M Annual Budget Ownership 600+ Location Operations 10+ Department Governance Power BI Reporting 26 Cross-Functional Partners 30%+ Promotional Sales Lift
Associate Director of Marketing
2016 – 2019
Supported marketing strategy and execution across 15 restaurant brands, overseeing a $20M+ marketing investment.
Marketing Support Across 15 Brands $20M+ Marketing Investment 95%+ Same-Store Sales Growth 7-Person Team Leadership P&L Analysis Social Media Oversight 12+ Campaigns per Brand Annually
Senior Brand Manager
2002 – 2016
Directed integrated brand marketing across multiple restaurant concepts, leading new unit launches and customer engagement initiatives.
40+ New Unit Launches 80% Customer Engagement Lift 20%+ Sales Improvement Consumer Research & Focus Groups Enterprise Delivery Platform Launch
Core Expertise

Executive skill set

Enterprise Marketing Operations Multi-Unit Brand Leadership Brand Strategy & Execution Field Marketing Leadership Marketing Operations Transformation Marketing Governance & Process Optimization Marketing Budget & Financial Management Cost Optimization & Resource Allocation Go-to-Market Strategy Marketing Analytics & Business Intelligence Consumer Promotions & Loyalty Marketing Cross-Functional Executive Leadership Vendor & Agency Management AI-Enabled Marketing & Automation

Education & Certifications

Bachelor of Arts, Journalism & Political Science
Texas Tech University

  • ChatGPT Certification
  • Claude AI Certification
  • Ongoing professional development in AI, social media & marketing

Certified Across the Modern AI Stack

ChatGPT Claude AI Gemini Canva Jasper Lovable AI HubSpot Social Media

Community Leadership

Active Neighborhood Association volunteer and community leader (2020–Present), partnering with community stakeholders to advance neighborhood initiatives and strengthen community engagement.