Global Search Consultants Management Team

John Platz, CMC, BA - C.E.O.

As CEO of Global Search Consultant Ltd., John brings a wealth of experience in recruitment and hospitality. As an instructor and consultant with a senior management background, John acquired experience over 25 years in both the private and public sectors.

His experience comes from a broad range of senior consulting roles in business. John has personally negotiated in excess of 160 collective agreements in a variety of industries. These agreements were all negotiated within the prescribed mandate with only four strikes and one lockout. He worked for the Ontario government in both Ontario Housing Corporation and the Ministry of Housing in the ‘70’s. He has worked for and consulted to a number of hospitals, and is effective in both private and public sector organizations.

John has also held the position of Vice President Human Resources with a number of Canadian companies including Weston Bakeries, Griffith Laboratories, Livingston International and Commonwealth Hospitality. His mandate included all facets of human resource management, such as recruitment, training and development, performance management, compensation and especially change management.

John has previously sat on the boards of directors of both the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association and Equine Canada. John teaches “Performance Excellence & Employee Relations,” “Managing in a Unionized Environment” and “the Art of Collective Bargaining” for York University through the Schulich Executive Education Centre.

Joshua Platz, CPC, BA - President & C.O.O.

Joshua Platz became President & COO of Global Search Consultants, Toronto in 2008. He began his search and placement career in 2002, with the leading bilingual French/English search firm in Toronto. After consecutive years as top producer, he was promoted into management and built a team of key players which set production records previously thought unattainable.

Joshua is a graduate of McMaster University, having earned his BA in 1998 along with a post-graduate honours diploma from Sheridan College in International Business. He has also held the Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) designation since 2007. Growing up in French and English-speaking parts of Canada, Josh learned to speak both official languages fluently.

He lives in Toronto with his wife Jennifer and their son, Benjamin.

Doug Henderson - Sr. Executive Consultant

Doug graduated in 1989 from George Brown College's Hospitality Management program. He has worked for some of the top hospitality corporations in North America, including six years with Marriott International. He has 16 years of operations experience, and has held several senior management positions within the hospitality industry, including General Manager.

Doug joined Global Hospitality in 1999, bringing his dedication to customer service, ethics, and honesty. Doug is now Vice President of Operations and is still a very active hospitality consultant for the company.

Doug specializes in Hotel and Casino Executive positions, in addition to senior-level positions for hospitality companies in the U.S. Northeast and Canada. Doug is a true competitor with a "customer first" attitude who produces results for his clients.

Doug is very active with charitable organizations in his community, such as Big Brothers and Sisters of Canada, and also participates in many local sports.

Elizabeth Ruivivar-Vasquez - Executive Consultant

Elizabeth graduated from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Administration. She earned her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines while working as Sales Manager of a five-star Philippine hotel, The Manila Garden, which had been renamed Dusit Hotel Nikko. She was with Manila Garden Hotel for 7 years. She also worked as General Manager of a travel company in the Philippines before coming to Canada.

In Canada she is a licensed Travel Counselor and was recruitment professional in information technology at two major recruiting companies in Toronto for 4 years before joining Global Hospitality.

As hotel Sales Manager, she has traveled extensively in Asia to promote hotel business and participated in trade shows and conferences in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and major cities in North America and Europe.

Jennifer Zammit - Executive Consultant

Jennifer graduated from the International Institute of Travel in 1995 with a Diploma in Travel and Tourism.

She has held many positions within the Travel industry such as a leisure agent as well as a corporate travel consultant working on the BMO National account. She has also worked on the operational side of the business as a travel co ordinator for Skyservice Airlines where she was responsible for the pilots and crew travel arrangements.

Most recently Jennifer held the position as a Business Development Manager for Thomas Cook Canada where she was responsible for sales and marketing objectives within her assigned territory and provided her accounts with exceptional support and customer service.

Jennifer has a passion for travel and loves to spend time with friends and family.

Mario Chavez, BA - Executive Consultant

Mario is originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, and completed his professional studies at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee - School of Business Administration.

He has 20+ years of experience in Mexico, Canada, the United States and the Caribbean (Turks & Caicos, Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic) as Hotel Executive and General Manager with brands including Occidental Resorts, Starwood, Accor Hotels, and Marriott Hotels & Resorts. Through these experiences, he has developed a comprehensive knowledge of conventional and all-inclusive hotel operations.

While working in Cancun, he was also part of the opening of the Mexican network “TV Azteca” as a TV Host, interviewing celebrities vacationing in Cancun and promote the destination.

In 1997 he relocated to Canada, and married a Canadian. As an Executive Consultant with Global Hospitality, Mario thrives on managing international accounts, as well as sourcing and recruiting talented superstars in the hospitality industry.

Fernando Blasco-Ferrer - Vice President, International Development

Fernando holds the position of Vice President, International Development, having worked with Global Hospitality since 1996. His primary function is the promotion and development of recruitment services to the Latin market.

Fernando is from Barcelona, Spain and graduated from Palma de Mallorca's University Hotel Management program in 1981. Since then, he worked for Melia Hotels (1981-83) and Barcelo Hotels (1984-92) in different international roles (GM and Sales) with direct experience in major openings in Caribbean (Cuba, DR, Jamaica), Spain, and Latin America (Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina).

In 1992 he was part of the team assigned to the Olympics in Barcelona, while managing at the same time a 5-star hotel in the area, the CAP ROIG hotel.

In 1993, Fernando relocated to Canada and married a Canadian. In addition to hospitality recruitment with Global Search Consultants, Fernando also helps Spanish Hotel companies in North America and Canadian/US hotel companies in Spanish-speaking countries with openings, and sales & marketing services.

Fernando is the Founder and Executive Director of the CLUB LAS AMERICAS, www.clublasamericas.com the only Private Business Club for Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs in Canada, now with more than 650 impresarios from Canada, Spain, and Latin America.