As Tom Rasinen prepares to step down from his post as director of sales, David Cowles is primed and ready to take his place.

Born in Williamsburg, Virginia, David spent most of his life in Birmingham, Alabama. After working in wireless sales for AT&T, David made his Innisfree debut as a regional sales manager at Hilton Pensacola Beach.

“By that time I had moved down to Fairhope with my wife and two kids,” he says. “I still make the commute, but once I get to the beach, it’s like paradise.”

During that time, David was working for someone you may know — Tom Rasinen.

“Tom has been one of my all-time best bosses,” says David. “I’ve learned so much from him and value the friendship we have.”

David took a brief hiatus from Innisfree and spent time working at Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama.

“Gina and George contacted me and told me that Tom was stepping away at the end of 2018, and the director of sales position would be opening,” says David. “It was a welcome call. The opportunity and great culture at Innisfree made it an easy choice.”

For David, the Hilton has always been home. As he prepares to take the reins as director of sales, he is staying humble.

“I know I have some big shoes to fill,” he admits. “Tom does a fantastic job here. I’m always learning from him.”

And although David is taking plenty of pages out of Tom’s book of consistency, he knows that change is inevitable.

“You have to embrace change,” says David. “You just have to buckle up a prepare for the ride.”

Keeping his eyes on the horizon, David is excited about the road the lies ahead.

“I am looking forward to building the sales team, and taking it to the next level,” he says. “I’m prepared to give it my all. I have wanted to be director of sales here for quite some time.”

David’s first full year as director of sales in 2019 will also be the 100-year anniversary of Hilton — no pressure, right?

We welcome David back to Innisfree and wish him the best of luck at his new position as director of sales. Congrats, David!

Born in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, one might wonder how Tom Rasinen ended up working in hotels on the Gulf Coast.

“There weren’t that many schools to choose from back then,” says Tom. “I wanted to go to sunny Florida. I ended up at Florida State University and graduated with a degree in hospitality in 1976.”

After spending some time as a food and beverage director at a country club, Tom eventually walked into his first hotel in 1980.

“I was on vacation in Tarpon Springs, Florida at Innisbrook Resort,” Tom recalls. “A British man, who turned out to be the owner, wanted to know what I did for a living and told me he had an opening in catering. I didn’t even have a coat — I wasn’t ready to interview.”

Accepting that position would be the beginning of Tom’s 38-year career in hospitality. It was an opportunity in Sandestin that would eventually bring Tom to the panhandle.

“When I heard about the Hilton in Sandestin,” Tom says. “I remember wondering why someone would put a Hilton there.”

Luckily, that wouldn’t be the only time a Hilton would go up in a unique location.

“I was working at the Perdido Beach Hilton when I first met the Julian and the rest of the Innisfree team,” says Tom. “I just remember thinking that they were really good guys.”

Soon after, Tom had an opportunity to interview with Innisfree. But coming from full-service hotels, Tom admitted to being confused as to why Innisfree wanted to meet with him.

“I knew they weren’t managing any full-service properties,” says Tom. “Then they showed me a rendering of the Hilton on Pensacola Beach. I was sold.”

Tom took his skills in sales and connections on the Gulf Coast and put them to the ultimate test. He was selling a hotel that didn’t even exist yet.

“You have to imagine … I was making rack cards and displays with the rendering of the hotel,” he says. “I remember standing on nothing but an empty lot covered in sand and telling people, ‘We’re standing in the conference center.’I was lucky that a lot of people already knew me.”

For 16 years, Tom has been Director of Sales at the Hilton. Through hurricanes and oil spills, Tom can confidently point to someone that kept him on team Innisfree for all of these years.

“Julian,” he says. “Just his vision and commitment. Most companies these days have culture, but Julian was talking about culture before it was cool. Innisfree made a commitment to me, so I made a commitment to Innisfree.”

As Tom prepares to step away and enjoy retirement, he shared some parting wisdom that he has cultivated over years of working in hotels and sales.

“Consistency,” he says. “If I can tell you anything about this business, it’s that people do business with people they like doing business with. Even if the next hotel has more amenities than yours, you have to be the salesperson that people like.”

And if consistency is at the top of Tom’s list, David Cowles stepping in as Director of Sales should be a seamless transition.

“I literally watched this Hilton grow from the ground up,” says Tom. “It’s like having a baby, so you want to make sure you leave it in good hands. I know that David is a perfect fit — he already has the respect of the employees.”

Tom is looking forward to spending more time with his family, including his three sons and three grandsons during his retirement.

“I’m gonna get off the merry-go-round, take a look around and do things I didn’t have time to do,” he says. “Whether it’s golfing, diving or boating, I’m just going to try things.”

We are humbled and grateful for Tom’s years at Innisfree and wish him well in his retirement.