Chapter News

Member Spotlight | Tracy Banfield | Tulalip Resort and Casino

PCMA PNW Chapter Member Highlight
Tracy Banfield, Director of Sales and Hotel Operations
Tulalip Resort Casino
Q1 2019

In the beginning:
Tracy’s first job in the industry was as a front desk agent on swing shift at a hotel. She also worked as a barista just prior to getting into hotels. Her very, very first job was at a Little Caesars Pizza in Montana at the age of 15.

Career path:
She is currently the Director of Sales and Hotel Operations at Tulalip Resort Casino and has been
with the company for over 11 years. She started as National Sales Manager for six years, moved
up to Senior National Sales Manager for three years and now have been director for just over
two years.

When she was attending Edmonds Community College in Washington State, she worked as a
barista across the street from a large hotel; one of her best customers was the General Manager
of that hotel. She talked Tracy into applying for a position at the front desk. Tracy was originally
going to be a physical therapist, however, once she saw the potential (and flexibility) in the
tourism industry, she was hooked. Tracy has worked many positions in hotels, convention &
visitors/tourism bureaus, a chamber of commerce and even had a few years in event planning.
Looking back on it now, she realizes that she is definitely where she belongs and is very happy
for that General Manager’s persistence with having her apply at the hotel as she would not be
where she is otherwise.

Advice for other industry professionals:
Find a career that makes you happy and understand that it is not necessarily going to be what you expected – keep an open mind. Tracy wanted both a family and a career. She was lucky enough to fall into an industry that offered a wide variety of opportunities along with the flexibility to be able to continue working while also being a mom. In looking back, Tracy found that it truly was the connections that she made along the way that took her career the furthest. If you work hard and have integrity and honesty, people will remember you, and sometimes, if you are lucky, they will take you alongside them.

Why did you join PCMA?
She has been a member of PCMA for over 10 years. An industry colleague told her that it was the best organization for both finding potential clients and for its education. This colleague also mentioned that the PNW Chapter had some of the nicest people in the industry and she wholeheartedly agrees!

What do you do on the weekends/free time?
Tracy really enjoys traveling to new places, especially when she can travel with her family or those close industry friends that she has meet over time. When she is not traveling, she enjoys weekends with her family (her boyfriend, her children and his children) often with a little entertainment thrown in, but still enough time to just relax. She also enjoys cleaning/organizing her house (yes, she is one of those) and watching the kids play sports.

What is your favorite “app”?
Her favorite/most useful app is LastPass. She has the hardest time remembering all of her passwords or coming up with creative new ones for all her accounts. Although not free, it is well worth the small annual fee for her peace of mind. She heard of this app from a speaker at one of the local PCMA chapter events; he was focusing on security and it was one of his recommendations. There is also a free version of LastPass for your desktop; you only have to pay if you use the mobile app. It generates unique passwords and saves them all in one safe place…love it!

What is your 2019 Resolution?
Tracy isn’t one to make resolutions but her life goal is to do everything she can to make tomorrow better than today…whether that is for herself or someone else…animals included!

Donica YoungMember Spotlight | Tracy Banfield | Tulalip Resort and Casino