Sunway Hotels & Resorts appointed a chief executive officer, The St. Regis New York named an executive chef and Radisson Hotel Group designated a senior director of meetings and events. Those are just a few of this week’s appointments and promotions across the industry.
Maria Elena Armenta was named director of sales and marketing at Mahekal Beach Resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Armenta, a native of Mexico, joined the resort from Tucson, Arizona where she was group account director at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa.
The St. Regis New York in New York City named Mark Arnao executive chef. He will oversee the hotel’s culinary direction, including its Astor Court restaurant and the King Cole Bar. Arnao most recently was executive chef of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park in New York City, followed by the Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York.
Benchmark named Eric Bates general manager for Eaglewood Resort & Spa in Itasca, Illinois. Bates previously was general manager for the Chicago Marriott Lincolnshire Resort in Lincolnshire, Illinois and concurrently served as regional director of operations for The Bricton Group of Mount Prospect, Illinois.
Edward Thomas Collection of Hotels, owners and operators of Shutters on the Beach and Hotel Casa del Mar, both in Santa Monica, California, appointed Daniel Ben-Efraim vice president of sales and marketing. Ben-Efraim had been director of marketing at Loews Regency New York in New York City, where he earned “Best Turn Around Hotel” and “Hotel of the Year” from Loews Hotel & Co.
Deanna Burgess became vice president of hotel sales at Station Casinos in Las Vegas, responsible for 400,000 square feet of meeting space and 4,975 hotel rooms. Burgess most recently was executive director of citywide corporate sales at MGM Resorts International.
Chef David Burke joined The Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga Springs, New York and Salt & Char as culinary director. Burke is working to refine the dining experiences at the property’s restaurants as well as catering and in-room dining services.
Radisson Hotel Group named Laurie Czyz senior director of meetings and events. She was previously with SAI Properties where she led hotel and area sales efforts by increasing both transient and group sales. Angela Galeziowski joined Radisson as director of strategy and performance. She had been global sales consultant for Choice Hotels International.
Aqua-Aston Hospitality appointed Alexander Dale executive chef at Aqua Kauai Beach Resort on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Dale, a third-generation chef, hails from Turtle Bay Resort on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
The recently renovated Holiday Inn Charlotte University in Charlotte, North Carolina announced Shanna Edmundson as director of sales. Edmundson had been travel sales manager, director of catering and sales manager at her previous places of employment.
Tim Gerhold was promoted to general manager of Stonebridge Companies’ Hilton Garden Inn Long Island City Queensboro Bridge in Long Island City, New York. He had been assistant general manager for Residence Inn Manhattan Midtown East in New York City.
Kimpton Hotels & Resorts promoted Scott Gingerich to senior vice president of restaurants and bars. Gingerich will head the restaurant division and run the company’s more than 80 restaurants and bars in the Americas. In previous roles at Kimpton, Gingerich has been responsible for overseeing all personnel and systems to develop, renovate, operate and maintain the company’s restaurants and bars in the western half of the U.S.
Benchmark appointed Denielle Godwin director of sales and marketing for Snow King Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming. Godwin returns to Benchmark, having once been director of sales and marketing for the company’s Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa in Vero Beach, Florida. She most recently was regional director of sales for TMI Hospitality.
Hotel del Coronado in San Diego appointed Dan Gorup director of events and catering. Gorup left the Hilton Anaheim Hotel in Anaheim, California where he held multiple positions throughout the past six years, including director of catering and group sales, and food and beverage director.
Zoku International appointed Christoph Hager as rollout lead Europe, based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Hager most recently established and led a dedicated feasibility team for Starwood based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the Middle East and Africa.
Viceroy Los Cabos, the forthcoming Icon Collection resort in San José del Cabo, Mexico, appointed Martin Kipping general manager and Cataline Lloyd director of sales and marketing. Kipping previously was general manager of Viceroy Zihuatanejo in Zihuatanejo, Mexico and Lloyd recently was director of industry relations at JG Black Book.
The Liaison Capitol Hill, a Joie de Vivre hotel in Washington, D.C., named Joy J. Kosmela director of sales and marketing. Prior to accepting this position, Kosmela was the regional director of sales and marketing for Pyramid Hotel Group.
Tomo Kuriyama was appointed general manager of The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort in Honolulu. Kuriyama was deputy general manager of the 1,636-room Sheraton Waikiki, also in Honolulu.
Viceroy Hotel Group announced Angela Lockyer as director of sales and marketing of Viceroy Santa Monica in Santa Monica, California. Lockyer joins the company from Kerzner where she represented 11 resorts and three brands, including One&Only resorts, Atlantis and Mazagan.
Marriott International has expanded its Canada development team with the appointment of Paul Loehr as regional vice president, Canada Development. Loehr, who began his Marriott career more than 25 years ago in Marriott’s golf division, has held numerous positions in the company supporting hotel and timeshare development as well as resort operations. For the past decade, Loehr has focused on expanding Marriott’s full-service hotel portfolio throughout the United States as part of the eastern and western full-service development teams.
The Kessler Collection named longtime employee John Luckett as its chief operations officer. Luckett, who has been with the company since 2008, was serving as general manager of the Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville in Asheville, North Carolina.
Driftwood Acquisitions and Development appointed Kattie Maldonado marketing director. Maldonado previously was communications director for ISG World.
The Attitash Grand Summit Owners Association named Steve Mannik general manager of the 143-room Grand Summit Hotel at Attitash in Bartlett, New Hampshire. Mannik most recently was general manager of Eastern Inn & Suites in North Conway, New Hampshire.
Hawks Cay Resort in Duck Key, Florida, reopening this summer after renovations, named Chrissy Mancusco director of revenue management and Michael Connolly director of national accounts. Mancusco had been director of revenue management for HEI Hotels and Resorts. Connolly was promoted from his previous position of senior conference services manager.
Enchantment Resort, a Sedona, Arizona resort in Boynton Canyon, appointed Jose Martinez executive chef. Martinez had been executive chef at The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria hotel in New Orleans.
Chesapeake Hospitality promoted Jane McCaul to be the company’s first director of corporate culture and communication. McCaul has been with the company since 2011, most recently serving as area general manager and director of charitable efforts at the company’s Hackerman-Patz Houses at the University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute and University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center.
Motif Seattle named Max Messmer food and beverage director, Laura Simpson-Eng as executive chef and Chris Blakeslee as bar manager. Washington native Messmer brings more than 20 years of restaurant and hospitality experience from roles in Washington, Hawaii and Florida. Simpson-Eng previously worked as the executive sous chef at L’Auberge Del Mar in Del Mar, California, Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and The Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Blakeslee brings bar and nightlife experience from throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Arbor Lodging Management appointed Lucio Pelloso corporate director of sales. Prior to joining the company, Pelloso spent a year at the Chicago Marriott Naperville in Naperville, Illinois as director of sales for Janko Hospitality group.
Tata Group’s hospitality arm IHCL appointed Deepika Rao managing director and chief executive officer of the company’s subsidiary Roots Corporation that owns and manages India’s Ginger hotel brand. Rao had been vice president, asset management at IHCL where she was responsible for leading solutions for margin enhancement at the company.
Chilean native Roberto Riveros joined The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong as chef de cuisine of Ozone, the world’s highest bar. Riveros has 15 years of experience in kitchens in Santiago, Chile and Barcelona, Spain, including at three Michelin star Lasarte Restaurant in Barcelona.
Wyndham Vacation Ownership named James Savina executive vice president and general counsel for Wyndham Destinations. Prior to joining Wyndham, Savina was general counsel and corporate secretary at The Kraft Heinz Company, where he played a central role in the merger of Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Company.
Sunway Hotels & Resorts appointed André Scholl as chief executive officer. Sunway Hotels & Resorts is the hospitality division of Malaysian conglomerate Sunway Group. Scholl previously was the group senior vice president of operations for Regent Hotels & Resorts.
Summer Shoemaker joined L’Auberge Del Mar in Del Mar, California as director of operations. Shoemaker spent more than 10 years with Estancia Hotel and Spa in La Jolla, California where she oversaw the event management department as well as managed all operational planning for and execution of group programs.
Aries Conlon Capital named Morgan Sickles senior vice president for the firm’s originations and business development team. Prior to joining the company, Sickles founded Atlantis Advisors, a nationwide hotel services provider.
The Post Oak Hotel in Uptown Houston announced Craig Thomas vice president of sales and marketing. Thomas has worked in sales and marketing with a number of properties around the world, including multiple Ritz-Carlton resorts and The Peninsula Hotels.
Texican Court, a retro-inspired motor court concept by Valencia Group opening this fall in Irving, Texas, named John Thomas general manager. Thomas has been part of the Valencia Group since 2004, most recently as general manager of Lone Star Court in Austin, Texas.
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand appointed Stefan Trepp executive chef. Trepp transferred from the Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates where he was executive chef for more than two years.
Ahead of its May 2018 opening, Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown in Annapolis, Maryland appointed Joy Wemmer director of sales. Wemmer has worked in sales within the Hilton, IHG, Marriott and Starwood brands for the past 26 years.
Highgate appointed Cheryl Williams regional vice president of sales and marketing in Hawaii. Williams most recently was general manager of The Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu.
Gulf Hotels Group appointed Fares Yactine general manager for Gulf Hotel Convention & Spa in Manama, Bahrain. Yactine returns to the group after previously working as executive assistant manager in charge of the food and beverage department, as well as health and recreation.