87: Creating a Memorable Customer Experience with Moon Civetz

We are very happy to be speaking to Moon Civetz today! Moon is the Vice President of Global Sales for Maverick Helicopters. His kindness and consistent presence at trade shows have resulted in Moon becoming a well-known figure in our industry. 

In this episode, he shares his fascinating journey and talks to us about the unique and memorable experiences he has created for his customers. 

We hope you enjoy listening to our delightful conversation with Moon Civetz today!

Moon Civetz’s bio

Beginning in Hawai’i, Moon Civetz received his MBA, Master of Beach Activities, becoming the Head Designer for a theatrical, convention, and display company. Due to his involvement in the Hawai’ian Music Renaissance period, his company, Moon Lights, was born as he designed and rented lighting, staging and labor for numerous shows. With an abundance of creativity, that company soon morphed into Moon Light & Magic, offering an array of theme parties. He caught the attention of Sheraton Hotels in Hawai’i and was recruited to become their first Divisional Director of Special Events. The position encompassed opening Neighbor Island hotels directing Convention Services and Catering Departments and putting his imagination to work creating property-specific theme parties. From the Neighbor Islands he then joined the re-opening team of the historic Sheraton Moana on Waikiki Beach creating theme parties for the incentive market.

Next up, Sheraton had another project that needed creativity and strong relationships in the group, meeting and incentive markets so off he went to Tucson, Arizona as the Director of Incentive & Insurance Sales of the Sheraton El Conquistador. After putting his mark on that southwestern property, he was moved back home to the Big Island as a member of the opening team re-branding the Ritz-Carlton Mauna Lani to Starwood’s Orchid at Mauna Lani. Over the course of his nearly five years at The Orchid, he created signature theme parties, setting sales records and winning corporate and individual awards for meetings and incentives.

Being well-known throughout the Islands, a new challenge presented itself: he was recruited by the General Manager of the Hyatt Kaua’i to help him open the Hyatt Lake Las Vegas as the Director of Incentive and Insurance Sales. So, back to the mainland he went as part of that opening team. After a year of hard hat tours the property opened and became the number one hotel for sales in the Hyatt Corporation. He went on to open Station Casino’s first luxury hotel, Green Valley Ranch Resort, applying his creativity and utilizing his strong relationships to help establish that casino property in the meeting & incentive market. His reputation in Hawai’i followed him to Las Vegas where he became well known in the local hospitality community. He was next approached by a DMC company joining them as VP and General Manager. Today, he is Vice President of Global Group Sales for Maverick Helicopters. Still working his innovative magic, you can find him in the Las Vegas Corporate office planning events in the Grand Canyon or creating wonderful memories on Maui and Kaua’i.

Moon’s background

While living in the Hawaiian Islands, Moon became the head designer for a theme party production company that expanded as the convention industry grew in the Hawaiian Islands. Moon branched off and started a lighting company called Moon Lights, which morphed into a party company called Moonlight Magic that did lighting and parties for incentive groups. He did the lighting for some rock ‘n roll bands and had a lot of fun doing the lighting for some Hawaiian groups that came to be quite well-known. 

Shared Hotels

He was asked to join Shared Hotels in Hawaii and became their Director of Special Events. He opened hotels on the outer islands and created themed events specifically for each destination. 

A party booklet

Moon put together a booklet called SPLSH (Spectacular Parties Live at Shared in Hawaii) for incentive houses and people looking for things to do that contained information about the parties at each hotel. 

Plantation Gardens

One of the hotels that he got going in Hawaii had an unused grass area behind it, so he suggested turning it into a plantation. That became the Plantation Gardens.

Maverick Helicopters

After moving to Las Vegas and opening several hotels, someone from Maverick asked Moon if he knew of anyone to help them out. Moon offered to help and ended up creating a group department for Maverick. It started with Moon and two salespeople, and it kept on growing until it became Maverick Aviation Group. Since COVID, however, they scaled back and became Maverick Helicopters. 

CITE

Moon joined CITE more than thirty years ago and has enjoyed watching it grow. He feels that it is one of the best organizations he has ever been part of.

The luckiest guy in the world

When Moon sees the smiles on people’s faces after they return from an experience he created, he feels like the luckiest guy in the world!

Grand Canyon

Moon organized a unique experience where they flew people in a helicopter to an isolated landing site at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. After landing, they served lunch. There was no road leading to the landing site, so all the chairs and tables they used were specially constructed to fit into a helicopter. They even flew in a portable toilet for the guests to use.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Maverick is the only helicopter company allowed to fly into the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, so they fly there for the races. They also do a tour of the Grand Canyon, where they stop to allow the guests to do some fast laps on the track with one of the companies that offer that.

Heliyoga

They have an experience called Heliyoga, where they land on the highest peak on the Valley of Fire and do a yoga class followed by a glass of Champagne. Up there, it is very beautiful and quiet.

Red Rock Canyon 

They have added a new excursion, where they fly over Red Rock Canyon and land on a private landing zone to watch the sun go down and see the city lights come on. Then, they fly along the length of the Strip.

The safest

Maverick is the world’s safest helicopter company.

Making people happy

Moon is always looking to create new experiences that will make people happy because he enjoys that the most!

One-on-one meetings

Moon believes that one-on-one meetings will never change, even though technology will keep on increasing. 

IMEX

Moon feels excited about the upcoming IMEX conference and having the opportunity to reconnect with his old friends.

Landing safely

Most people do not realize that when the power goes down in a helicopter, it can still hover down and land safely.

Hawaii

Maverick opened in Hawaii five years ago. They offer some unique and beautiful experiences there!

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