For the first week of October, Aparium filled leadership positions at its upcoming Crossroads Hotel, Badrutt’s names a new managing director and the Woodstock Inn & Resort in Vermont named three new appointments. Read on for more industry promotions, appointments and transfers.
AJ Capital Partners announced two appointments to its Graduate Hotels acquisitions and development team: Phillip Allen joins as chief development officer for international markets, and Pedro Zevallos joins as senior vice president, development for university partnerships. Allen most recently served as chief development officer for 21c Museum Hotels. Zevallos was vice president at U3 Advisors.
Vail Resorts Inc. named Timothy April, currently vice president of information technology and guest experience, has been promoted to senior vice president and chief information officer.
Julie Martin Barfield has been named general manager of the dual-brand Courtyard by Marriott/Residence Inn Syracuse Downtown at Armory Square, New York. Most recently, she was director of operations for the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center.
Habitas appointed Rui Barros chief operating officer. Previously he was senior vice president, head of operations – U.S./Canada East at WeWork.
Ed Blair is the new general manager of the Curtis – a DoubleTree by Hilton in Denver. Blair spent the past three years as GM at the Embassy Suites Denver Downtown.
Joe Bolash is now general manager of the Hilton Austin, Texas. Most recently, Bolash served as GM of Hilton Granite Park in Plano, Texas.
The Benson Hotel in Portland, Oregon, appointed Claudia Bowers business travel sales manager. Most recently, she was area group sales manager at Provenance Hotels, whose portfolio includes six hotels in that city.
Michael Chin has been appointed hotel manager at The Drake, a Hilton Hotel, in Chicago. He previously was senior manager for Hilton.
Brad Cirino was appointed director of sales and marketing Caribbean resorts for Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa and Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort, Spa & Casino. Most recently, he was director of sales at The Confidante Miami Beach.
Aparium Hotel Group named the leadership team for the Crossroads Hotel, due to open this month in Kansas City, Missouri: Jeff Conrade is general manager; Mimi Kippes is director of sales; and Jeremy Bennett is director of lifestyle. Conrade joins from Hyatt Hotels, where he most recently was director of rooms at the Hyatt Regency Washington in Washington, D.C. Kippes came from Pivot Hotels & Resorts in Kansas City, where she was senior business travel sales manager. Bennett, with experience in the fashion industry, freelanced for fashion and lifestyle brands before joining Crossroads.
The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in Texas made five executive appointments: Jaclyn Beaudreau Cummings is director of resort experience; previously she held membership and sales positions at Wigwam Resort, Pronghorn and Anthem Country Club. Jadan Sheive is director of food & beverage, promoted from his current role as a dual property director of F&B at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter and Marriott Riverwalk. Brian Morris is director of sales and marketing; formerly, he was complex director of sales & marketing at Sheraton & Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Brian Sundeen is now executive chef; he transferred from The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, where he was also executive chef. Shane Kelly is director of spa; he joins from the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago, where he was director of spa operations.
John Fareed was elected chairman of North America for Horwath HTL. Fareed, who also serves as chairman of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants chairman of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Foundation.
Ernesto Floro became director of sales and marketing for New York’s Lowell Hotel. He was most recently director of sales and marketing at The Pierre.
Aimbridge Hospitality promoted Brad Frazier to senior vice president sales and marketing, and Jamie Grittman to senior vice president of sales, strategy and innovation. Most recently, Frazier was senior vice president of sales-premium select service and channel point. Grittman was regional vice president of sales and marketing.
Waterford Hotel Group promoted Felecia Green to general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Lake Placid. She previously was assistant general manager. Sarah Howrigan was appointed director of sales at the hotel. Most recently, Howrigan was senior sales manager at the Hilton Hotel in Burlington, Vermont.
The Woodstock Inn & Resort in Vermont made three appointments: John Hallowell, vice chairman of the company, was named president and managing director. Paul Ramsey, director of operations, is now general manager. W. Courtney Lowe, director of sales and marketing, will become its first vice president of marketing and business development.
Waterford Hotel Group promoted Deborah Hermance to general manager of The Lord Jeffery Inn in Amherst, Massachusetts. Previously, she was director of operations at the hotel.
Richard Leuenberger was promoted to managing director of Badrutt’s Palace Hotel AG, with responsibility for the hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Benchmark named Cassandra (Casey) MacVeagh director of rooms for The Abbey Resort and Avani Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. She previously was GM of the Wingate By Wyndham Appleton in Wisconsin.
Hawaiian Hotels and Resorts promoted five executives on its leadership team: Jansen Medeiros was promoted to vice president of operations. June Pagdilao is the new vice president of sales. Jerry Sager was promoted from regional director of revenue management to vice president of revenue. David Knight is the new director of operations. Kory Strona was promoted from regional revenue manager to director of revenue management.
Becky Melchi has become director of sales for Wingspread Retreat & Executive Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin. Previously, she was senior sales manager for The Abbey Resort & Avani Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Radisson Red Portland Downtown in Oregon appointed Luca Merino general manager and Gregory Heinze director of sales and marketing. The hotel is opening in November. Merino previously opened the first U.S. Radisson Red in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and served as the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. Heinze was director of transient sales at The Benson Hotel.
JMJ Development appointed David Messersmith director of hospitality. Previously, Messersmith led Gatehouse Capital’s hospitality practice.
Provenance Hotels appointed Karen Theissen Moyer in-house counsel and Andrew Heilmann vice president of acquisitions and development. Previously, Moyer earned a law degree and worked at Hilton Hotels. Heilmann formerly served as vice president of acquisitions and development at GFI Hospitality.
Sage Hospitality made two appointments: Mike Nelson is general manager and Portia Hood is director of sales and marketing for two boutique properties, The Alexandrian Hotel and Morrison House, both in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Previously, Nelson was GM of the Union Station Hotel Nashville in Tennessee. Most recently, Hood worked with regional and local market hospitality brands.
Aqua-Aston Hospitality promoted Kimari Pada to hotel manager. She formerly was the hotel’s guest service manager.
Kaanapali Beach Hotel in Lahaina, Hawaii, appointed Alex Pelayo director of restaurants. He most recently served as director of F&B at Hotel Granduca in Austin, Texas.
Viceroy Los Cabos in San José del Cabo, Mexico, appointed César Pita Águila as executive chef of the resort, which opened in May. Pita previously was executive chef at Rancho Pescadero.
Virgin Hotels San Francisco hired Brian Richards as director of F&B and Adrian Garcia as executive chef. Richards joins the hotel from MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma, California. Garcia most recently worked locally at restaurant Stonemill Matcha.
GreenTree Hospitality Group Inc. promoted Amanda Saye to vice president of franchise operations. Say previously led the hotel brand’s marketing and development strategy.
Executive search firm Ward Howell International appointed Stuart K. Smith as partner in its hospitality and travel practice. His practice focused on leadership development and talent acquisition for emerging markets, advising global hospitality groups, developers and private-equity firms on new market entry strategy.
Benchmark named Judy Spooner director of finance for High Hampton Resort in Cashiers, North Carolina. Previously, she was director of finance for The Landings Association, overseeing a private residential community in Savannah, Georgia.
Rotana appointed Tom Stevens area general manager for Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo. Most recently, he worked at Hilton Hotels & Resorts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Paul Wieser joins the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa and Shangri-La Al Husn Resort & Spa in Oman as executive chef. He will manage 18 restaurants and bars across the two resorts. Previously, he oversaw the pre-opening of Melia Yangon in Myanmar.
JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa added two culinary team members: Perry Wiley is the new vice president of F&B; Megan Shaver is now executive chef of the hotel’s Hawthorn Grill. Most recently, he was at PCH Hotels & Resorts and director of F&B at the Renaissance Hotel, Spa and Convention Center in Montgomery, Alabama. Shaver most recently worked at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.
Union Station Hotel Nashville, Tennessee, appointed Peter Wright general manager. He previously served as general manager of Hotel Icon, a Marriott Autograph Collection property in Houston.
Doreen Young is now serving as spa director at Oxford Club at Denver’s Oxford Hotel. Young’s experience positions at Mii Amo Spa in Sedona, Arizona, and The Peaks Resort & Spa in Telluride, Colorado.