BrandonKennard

I run operations for places that never close. Twenty-plus years of 24/7 floors, command centers, and the people who keep them going.

Glendale, Arizona. Reach me at Brandon@BrandonKennard.com

About

These days I'm on the slot floor at Desert Diamond Casino White Tanks, covering three shifts, around 70 slot attendants, and a team of assistant managers. Before that I spent thirteen years running a round-the-clock command center for enterprise telecom customers, and before that I was moving phone systems and data closets all over California.

The thread through all of it: keep the floor running, take care of the people on it, and if a task is done by hand more than twice, build a tool for it. That usually means Excel and VBA, and lately an Android app for floor managers.

Also known as HunterDad. That's been my handle online for about twenty years. It started as a fat-fingered typo before my son Hunter was even born, and it stuck. I don't hunt. I do play Zelda, Uncharted, and The Last of Us.

Resume

Operations

24/7 floor and command-center leadership, three-shift coverage, escalations, guest and customer service

People

Scheduling, payroll, evaluations, coaching, PIPs, attendance, training and core-values programs

Compliance

TOGO, ADOG, Internal Controls, $10K+ jackpot authorization, documentation accuracy, asset protection

Tools

Advanced Excel, VBA, Power Query, Power Pivot, dashboards, Access, Kronos, telecom and PBX

  1. 2024–now

    Assistant Slot Shift Manager, performing SSM-level duties

    Desert Diamond Casino, White Tanks. Glendale, AZ

    • Shift Manager responsibilities across a 24/7 operation with about 70 slot attendants and 14 assistant managers.
    • Payroll, schedules, evaluations, corrective action, development plans, and attendance management.
    • Authorize slot payouts of $10,000 and up, in line with TOGO, ADOG, Internal Controls, and Comp Accounting.
    • Teach S.P.I.R.I.T. core-values training and coach leaders on accountability and guest service.
    • Rebuilt departmental reporting with Excel, VBA, Power Query, and Power Pivot; built dashboards that go past what the dispatch system offers.
  2. 2022–2024

    QA Manager and Analyst

    Open Network Exchange. Scottsdale, AZ

    • Quality assurance and operational analysis: performance visibility, process consistency, documentation, continuous improvement.
  3. 2021–2022

    APC / Front of House Management Trainee

    Albertsons / Safeway. Peoria, AZ

    • Front-of-house management training: team coordination, staffing support, customer service, issue resolution.
  4. 2019–2020

    Owner, Operator, Partner

    B&J Designs. Peoria, AZ

    • Bought, renovated, and sold residential and commercial property in Arizona and Colorado; ran contractors, schedules, and budgets.
  5. 2005–2018

    Director / Senior Manager, Command Center

    Arrow SI / Shared Technologies. Tempe, AZ

    • Directed a 24/7/365 command center: alarm technicians, remote support, dispatch, intake, customer care, implementation, and onboarding.
    • Led managers and senior managers; built recognition, retention, and career-development programs.
    • Senior escalation point for enterprise customers, protecting renewals across Sales, IT, Development, HR, and executives.
    • Rolled out new products and alarm services, including AVAYA-related initiatives. Core Value Leader for the Tempe office.
  6. 2002–2005

    Administrator of Customer Alarming / Support Tech II

    Scottel Voice and Data. Hawaiian Islands

    • Ran customer alarming systems, IRIS servers, and remote alarm units across the islands; senior troubleshooting and escalation for local and London-based techs.
  7. 1997–2002

    IT, Telecom, and Project Management

    ARTISTdirect and VISTA IT. California

    • Managed IT support, studio services, and customer service at an internet record label; cut PBX vendor costs by more than $150,000 in a year.
    • Ran 100+ voice and data relocation projects, finishing at least 15% under budget.

Photos

Files