Aleph Hospitality is implementing a cross-geography approach to clustering senior management roles in the Middle East and Africa. The company recently promoted Ajnesh Kumar, financial controller, and Hilal Kaarafani, executive chef, of Getfam Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to cluster positions also responsible for Aleph Hospitality’s Best Western Plus Westlands, opening this September in Nairobi, Kenya. Both Kumar and Kaarafani will be based in Addis Ababa and will commute between the two cities to oversee operation of their respective departments in both hotels.
“These promotions will bring significant benefits to both hotels, as we streamline overheads for our owners and share the skillsets of our most talented people across properties in our portfolio,” said Bani Haddad, founder and managing director, Aleph Hospitality. “In addition, we’re proud to be able to offer such opportunities for career progression to our team, who gain exposure to different hotel brands in various dynamic markets.”
Pan Pacific Seattle appointed Jonathan Bartlett general manager and Rebecca Carrdirector of sales and marketing. Previously, Bartlett was managing director of the Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, while Carr spent 11 years at Starwood Hotels and Resorts in management, sales and marketing roles.
Marriott Hartford Downtown in Hartford, Connecticut, appointed Joshua Bettisexecutive chef. He most recently was executive chef at the Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, Connecticut.
Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda appointed Simon Boden area director, sales and marketing, effective June 24. Boden most recently was director of sales and business development at the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
Civana in Carefree, Arizona, welcomed Sandy Burkett as general manager. Prior to joining Civana, Burkett spent 16 years at Kimpton Hotels, holding general manager roles at four properties.
Benchmark named Priya Chandnani vice president, revenue management. Chandnani previously was vice president, revenue management and distribution for Trump Hotels.
The Alexander, a Dolce Hotel in Indianapolis, promoted Barry Cockrum to general manager. Cockrum has been with The Alexander as director of sales and marketing since March 2013.
Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico, appointed Becky Colbert market director of group account sales, a new position in the sales department. Colbert had been senior group sales manager at Lotte New York Palace in New York City.
Slated to open this summer in El Segundo, California, the AC Hotel Los Angeles South Bay named Victoria Coursen assistant general manager, Hector Martinez director of sales and marketing, and Alexis Hansen director of food and beverage. Coursen has spent the past nine years with Four Seasons in five different locations. Martinez, representing the third generation in his family to work in hospitality, most recently was associate director of sales at Long Beach Marriott in Long Beach, California. Hansen most recently worked for Blackhouse Hospitality Group.
Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Austin, Texas, named Tobias Cox director of food and beverage, and Joshua Hasho executive chef of restaurants. Cox, who joined Omni Hotels & Resorts in 2008, and has held positions including director of catering and conference services, and area director of food and beverage. Hasho had been area executive chef, Omni Chicago.
Amy Culverwell is executive chef at The Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia. Prior to joining The Bellevue Hotel, Culverwell was executive sous chef at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia.
Kimpton Palladian Hotel in Seattle welcomed Peter DiOrio as general manager. DiOrio, who has been with Kimpton since 2009, worked his way up through the sales, operations and housekeeping departments, and most recently was assistant general manager at Hotel Monaco and Hotel Palomar in Philadelphia.
Nicolas Dubort joined Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead as hotel manager of the Atlanta property. He formerly was director of food and beverage at Mandarin Oriental, New York, in New York City.
Donna Esparza is director of sales and marketing for Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property in Lake Arrowhead, California. She previously was director of sales and marketing for Marriott Hotels – Riverside, California.
Camila Frederico is hotel manager of The Westin St. Francis in San Francisco’s Union Square. Frederico came from W San Francisco where she was director of operations.
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas appointed three team members to its sales and marketing team, covering Maldives, Turkey, Fiji and Uluwatu Bali, Indonesia. Jad Frem is regional director of sales and marketing, Maldives and Turkey. He most recently was director of sales and marketing for Six Senses Zighy Bay in Dibba, Oman. Carl Amos is director of sales and marketing for Six Senses Fiji on Malolo Island, Fiji. He joined from the South Sea Cruises Group where he was global marketing services manager. Fadhlan Karim is director of sales and marketing at Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia. He formerly was pre-opening director of sales at The Mulia Resort & Villas – Nusa Dua in Bali.
Conrad Bora Bora Nui in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, appointed Guillaume Galvezexecutive chef. Galvez came to the resort from Kempinski Hotels in Mongolia, where he was executive chef.
Hyatt Regency Austin in Austin, Texas, named Sara Hamza marketing manager. Hamza previously held positions at Four Points by Sheraton in Knoxville, Tennessee, and at the W Hotel in San Francisco.
Pendry Hotels & Resorts named David Hoffman general manager of Pendry West Hollywood and Pendry Residences West Hollywood by Montage Hotels & Resorts, scheduled to open in West Hollywood, California, in 2020. Hoffman most recently was general manager of Sagamore Pendry Baltimore, which he opened in 2017.
Hotel Indigo – Los Angeles Downtown appointed Catherine Kent director of sales and marketing for the design-driven property in Los Angeles. She most recently was director of sales and marketing for Hilton Long Beach in Long Beach, California.
Mark Leslie is general manager at Six Senses Zil Pasyon on the private island of Félicité in Seychelles. He previously spent six years as general manager at Vomo Island Fiji.
Benchmark named Linda Maurer global account manager, Southwest. She will continue her property-based role as associate director of sales for Benchmark’s La Cantera Resort & Spa in San Antonio.
Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, appointed Patrick Mohn executive chef. Mohn previously worked with Hyatt Regency Tamaya when he joined the team as a culinary intern in 2005. He won the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Manager of the Year award in 2015.
Chantel Moore is general manager of 25hours Hotel One Central, opening in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2020. She recently oversaw the opening of the Hard Rock Hotel Shenzhen in Shenzhen, China. Patrick Mattick, food and beverage manager at the 25hours Hotel Langstrasse in Zurich, Switzerland, will be the soul manager at the forthcoming 25hours Hotel One Central, responsible for upholding the atmosphere of 25hours alongside the general manager.
Rotana appointed Karim Nahas complex general manager for its three properties based in the Capital Centre development in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Nahas, who has been general manager at Pearl Rotana Capital Centre since it opened in March 2018, will now also oversee operations at Centro Capital Centre and Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana.
Shane Namkung Hara is senior regional sales manager, representing Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kailua, Four Seasons Resort Maui in Wailea, and Four Seasons Resort Oahu in Kapolei, all in Hawaii. She will be based in Los Angeles. She most recently was senior sales manager and associate director of sales at Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
Performance Hospitality Management named Michele Olivier vice president of commercial sales. Olivier most recently was vice president of sales and marketing/managing director with Hospitality Metrics.
The Westin Verasa Napa in Napa, California, welcomed Darlene Plamenco as director of sales and marketing. She had been director of sales and marketing at Ala Moana Hotels in Honolulu.
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, appointed Balan Paravantavida hotel manager. Paravantavida had been hotel manager for the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he led a team of 2,000 employees from more than 70 countries.
Dallas-based Phoenix American Hospitality appointed Conan Porter regional vice president, wholesaler Southwest, and Melissa Sanders vice president of business development and national accounts and West Coast sales. Porter previously held positions at NorthStar Securities, Nationwide Financial, Legg Mason and American Century Investments. Sanders joined Phoenix American Hospitality from E*Trade, where she was vice president of regional sales.
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, appointed Yael Ron general manager. Ron joined the Nob Hill hotel from The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland, where she also served as general manager.
Hotel Casa del Mar, an Edward Thomas Collection property in Santa Monica, California, appointed Diego Ruiz de Porras director of food and beverage. Ruiz de Porras led food and beverage teams at restaurants including Jean-Georges at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills and the Polo Lounge at The Beverly Hills Hotel, both in Beverly Hills, California.
The Dominick Hotel in New York City appointed Edward Shapard general manager. Shapard most recently was managing partner at Jibe Hospitality Group in Aspen, Colorado, where he oversaw the organization’s launch, developed long-term strategies and provided support for its clients.
Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa in Sausalito, California, appointed Pat Sorber general manager. She joined the property after acting as an asset manager/task force general manager, a role in which she helped companies search for permanent general managers. She also previously was general manager at several area hotels, including Four Points by Sheraton in San Rafael and Hilton Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.
Jeannine Steinkuhl is catering and events manager for the Crowne Plaza North Augusta in North Augusta, South Carolina. For the past few years, Steinkuhl operated her own photography business, Jeannine Rae Photography.
Jeff Tomczek is vice president of brand marketing and sales at 21c Museum Hotels in Louisville, Kentucky. Tomczek had been vice president of brands and marketing for Two Roads Hospitality.
The Adolphus in Dallas named Ruben Toraño executive pastry chef. Toraño brings 23 years of industry experience to the property, most recently at Commissary, a bakery in Downtown Dallas.
Outrigger Hospitality Group appointed Sheryl Tsugawa general manager of Ohana Waikiki Malia by Outrigger in Honolulu. Tsugawa formerly was assistant general manager at the Outrigger-managed Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk and at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort, both also in Honolulu.
Opening late this summer in Fort Worth, Texas, The Sinclair, a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel, named Tammy Vallejos general manager and John Klukan director of sales and marketing. Prior to joining The Sinclair, Vallejos was general manager at SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. Klukan, who has more than 25 years of industry experience, joined Marriott International in 2006. He also serves as director of sales and marketing at the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West in Plano, Texas.