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People on the move: Week of August 13, 2018

Two Chicago hotels selected general managers and Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment appointed three executives. Meanwhile, a Honolulu resort named a director of vibe. Read on to discover more of this week’s appointments and promotions.

From left, clockwise: Oscar Mena, Barbara Kenney, Nikie Mok and Jeff McClure
From left, clockwise: Oscar Mena, Barbara Kenney, Nikie Mok and Jeff McClure

 The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara appointed Michael Aylmer director of sales and marketing for the hotel in Santa Barbara, California. Aylmer joined the resort from The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona, where he increased room nights and revenues, earning multiple accolades within the company.

Fairmont Orchid in Waimea, Hawaii, welcomed Catherine Cambra as director of public relations and communications. Cambra had been an account executive for Anthology Marketing Group, where she was a primary client contact for the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau, Travaasa Hana (Maui) and International Market Place (Oahu).

Virgin Hotels Chicago in Chicago’s Loop appointed Paul Cardona general manager. Cardona had been general manager at The James Chicago, a Denihan Hospitality hotel, also in Chicago. 

Duncan Clements became general manager at The Elms Hotel & Spa, A Destination Hotel in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. The property also promoted Kara Harrington to director of sales. Previously, Clements was general manager at YVE Hotel Miami. Before joining The Elms in 2014, Harrington was sales manager of the Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa & Convention Center in Branson, Missouri. 

Montage Laguna Beach in Laguna Beach, California, named Anne Marie Doyle director of sales and marketing. Doyle joined the property from The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, where she was director of sales and marketing, focused on transitioning the former Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, California, into a Ritz-Carlton property. 

Loews Hotels & Co promoted Olivier Gaupin to corporate chef. Gaupin joined Loews Hotels in 2010 as opening executive chef of Loews Atlanta Hotel and has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his time with the company.

Calistoga Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection, appointed Avinash Haksar general manager and regional vice president. Haksar departed Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, California, where he was managing director. 

Diane Heppel became director of human resources for Delta Hotels – Marriott Dallas Allen & Watters Creek Convention Center, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property under construction in Allen, Texas. Heppel had been director of recruiting for Pillar Hotels & Resorts.

Teneo Hospitality Group appointed Susan Hinfey director of sales, western U.S., focusing on the West Coast territory. Hinfey formerly was director of national accounts for The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua in Kapalua, Hawaii.

Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa in Gateway, Colorado, named Tim Johnson general manager and Mark Shine director of sales and marketing. Johnson previously served as general manager for Smith Fork Ranch in Crawford, Colorado. Shine had been the multi-property director of sales and marketing for Quorum Hotels’ portfolio. 

David Jurcak became vice president operations-transitions at Interstate Hotels & Resorts. In the past, Jurcak was managing director and general manager for properties including Atlanta’s Omni Hotel at CNN Center.

Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment appointed three executives. Drew Kelley became senior vice president and chief financial officer, Barbara Kenney assumed the role of senior vice president and chief human resources officer, and Richard Lindsay became senior vice president and chief development officer. Kelley previously was interim chief executive officer of ARC Group Worldwide while Kenney served as vice president of human resources for The Hartford Financial Services Group for 11 years. Lindsay worked with John Buck Company and Kerzner International before joining the team. 

Aloft Chicago Mag Mile, opening this October in Chicago, named Liz Kraft general manager and Brad Krillenberger director of sales and marketing. Kraft had been general manager of Aloft Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont, Illinois, while Krillenberger was business transient sales manager for W Hotels of Chicago, involved with multiple Chicago properties. 

InterContinental Cleveland named Jorge Landa area general manager. Landa joined the property from InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile where he was interim general manager. Landa will oversee the InterContinental Cleveland Hotel & Conference Center, InterContinental Suites Hotel Cleveland and Holiday Inn Cleveland Clinic. 

Jackie Lee became vice president of hotel investments at The Dow Hotel Company. Prior to joining the company, Lee was vice president of hotel investments at Interstate Hotels & Resorts. 

‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach in Honolulu appointed David Lukela executive chef and Jed Inductivo director of vibe, a newly created position. Inductivo – who will guide overall programming, entertainment, ambiance and menus – previously co-founded and acted as vice president of operations at Fresh Box, a meal kit delivery startup. Lukela formerly oversaw the staff at the Beachhouse Restaurant at Moana Surfrider, as well as at the Vintage Cave restaurant, both in Honolulu. 

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong named Alessandro Luppolo pastry chef at Tosca and Oscar Mena bar manager of Ozone. Mena previously worked at Ronnie Scotts’ Jazz Club, Sushi Samba London, Scarfes Bar of Rosewood London and Coya Mayfair, all in London, England. Luppolo was pastry chef de partie at The NoMad Hotel in New York City, specializing in chocolates. 

Waterford Hotel Group appointed Jeff McClure director of sales at DoubleTree by Hilton in Little Rock, Arkansas. McClure had been director of group sales and business travel for the Little Rock Marriott, also in Little Rock. 

Nikie Mok became director of sales and marketing at W Kuala Lumpur in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Mok previously was director of sales and marketing at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral, also in Kuala Lumpur. 

Najwa Murphy became general manager of the Residence Inn Boston Needham in Needham, Massachusetts. She has been managing limited service hotels for more than 10 years.

The Peacock Inn in Princeton, New Jersey, introduced George Parkinson as sommelier of The Peacock Inn Restaurant & Bar. Parkinson, a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, recently was sommelier at Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar in Radnor, Pennsylvania. 

McKibbon Hospitality named Rod Radcliff vice president of development. For the past two decades, Radcliff has managed projects at the executive level, serving as senior vice president of Hardin Capital and president of Advent PDS. 

Standard International announced Adam Rawson as executive chef of The Standard, London’s ground floor restaurant, scheduled to open in the King’s Cross neighborhood of London, England, in early 2019. Rawson will work with Angela Dimayuga, who recently joined Standard International as creative director of food and culture.

Benchmark appointed Domingo Rivera director of human resources for Hotel Contessa, an all-suite hotel on San Antonio’s Riverwalk. Rivera comes to the property from the Marriott Customer Engagement Center where he was human resources manager. 

Conrad New York in New York City appointed Edward Rodriguez executive banquet chef and Giovanna Alvarez executive sous chef. Prior to his promotion, Rodriguez was executive sous chef at the property. Alvarez was sous chef of Asiate Restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City. 

Aimbridge Hospitality appointed Mark Sampsell general manager of Houston Marriott CityPlace in Springwoods Village, Texas. Sampsell most recently was general manager of the Embassy Suites Houston West – Katy in Katy, Texas. 

Benchmark named Deborah Tant controller for the Doug Pitcock ’49 Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center, expected to open this month in College Station, Texas. Tant departed The Chattanoogan Hotel, where she was controller for the Benchmark-operated property in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

Enchantment Group appointed Jason Trollip managing director of The Cove, Eleuthera, Bahamas. Trollip, who began his career in South Africa and Tanzania, most recently was managing director and general manager of Nihi Hotels and Resorts on Nihi Sumba Island, Indonesia. 

Vincent Yi was promoted to general manager of the Moxy Seattle Downtown in Seattle. Yi had been the general manager for the Hampton Inn & Suites Anaheim Garden Grove in Garden Grove, California. 

Geraldine Zaragoza became hotel manager of Casa Velas in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. A member of the resort’s team since 2010, Zaragoza most recently was director of groups and conventions at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, Puerto Vallarta.

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