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People on the move: One&Only, Lungarno

Boston-based Pyramid Hotel Group announced that Richard Kelleher, Pyramid’s principal and co-founder, has transitioned day-to-day responsibilities as chief executive officer to Warren Fields, fellow co-founding partner and chief investment officer. Kelleher is now chairman of the board. In another move, Jim Dina, chief operating officer, transitioned to Pyramid’s board of directors. Both Kelleher and Dina remain closely involved with the business, according to the company.

Fields, who has served as chief investment officer since 1999, oversaw the company’s portfolio growth to approximately 100 hotels through development, acquisitions, third-party management and asset management. He was responsible for all aspects of business development, fundraising, acquisitions and new investment opportunities. Before Pyramid, Fields was vice president of development and operations of Promus Hotel Corporation, which was purchased by Hilton Hotel Corporation in 1998.

From left, clockwise: Jessica Tankersley, Dominik Trimborn, Greg Velasquez and Monika Schnepf
From left, clockwise: Jessica Tankersley, Dominik Trimborn, Greg Velasquez and Monika Schnepf

AutoCamp expanded its executive team, naming Anjali Agarwal chief operating officer and Todd Wynne-Parry chief growth officer. The firm also appointed Robert Smit regional vice president of operations. Agarwal joined AutoCamp from Chartres Lodging, where she oversaw the company’s portfolio of hotels and led re-positionings, operational turnarounds and exits. Wynne-Parry has held senior leadership positions at several brands, most recently at Commune Hotels & Resorts (now Two Roads Hospitality). Smit previously worked with Marriott, Hilton and Intercontinental Hotels Group.

Union Station Hotel Nashville, a Nashville, Tennessee, property managed by Sage Hospitality, named Trevor Bondarchuk director of sales. Bondarchuk had been director of group sales and events for Sage.

The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa in Denver and the adjacent Holiday Inn Express Denver Downtown named Justin Budyak complex director of sales and marketing. Budyak most recently was area director of sales and marketing at Pyramid Hotel Group, overseeing sales and marketing efforts for both the Renaissance Denver Hotel and Holiday Inn Denver East.

AJ Capone is property accountant for Stonebridge Companies in Denver. He will work directly with the company’s hotels to support and coordinate administrative and financial accounting.

Maya Hotels appointed Krishna Deva vice president. Before joining Maya Hotels, she was a management consultant for Boston Consulting Group, where she worked with clients across the aerospace and defense, pharmaceutical and financial institution industries.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group named Christian Dolenc general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Macau. The German native most recently was hotel manager of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.

Charmant Hotel in La Crosse, Wisconsin, promoted Michel Gabbud from food and beverage director to general manager.

Benchmark appointed Mitch Garrett vice president of business development. He previously was vice president of acquisition and development for Trump Hotels, where he led expansion initiatives across the U.S. and the Caribbean.

One&Only Resorts appointed Michele Giraudo general manager of One&Only Portonovi in Montenegro. Giraudo joined the property from One&Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius, where he was resort manager.

Krissi Grubka is director of sales for the Courtyard by Marriott/Residence Inn Syracuse Downtown at Armory Square in Syracuse, New York. She most recently was sales and marketing manager for the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center, also in Syracuse.

Robert Hickman is general manager of The Citrus Club at La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, California. He departed Pebble Beach Resorts, Pebble Beach, California, where he was the Golf Academy sales and operations manager.

Edward Hoganson is executive vice president, chief financial officer and chief investment officer for Crestline Hotels & Resorts. Hoganson rejoined the company from Hospitality Investors Trust, where he was chief financial officer and treasurer.

Dream Hotel Group promoted Jeff Lee to vice president, food and beverage. Lee joined the group in March 2016 as director food and beverage.

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa in Cedar Creek, Texas, appointed Frank Majowicz executive chef. He joined the property from Hyatt Regency Houston.

Timbers Resorts appointed Sean McLaughlin chief financial officer. McLaughlin joined the firm from SunGate Capital, a single-family private equity and investment office, where he was chief investment officer.

Florence, Italy-based Lungarno Collection appointed three Tuscan chefs to its culinary team:  Claudio Mengoni, Alessio Mori and Andrea Magnelli are at Borgo San Jacopo Restaurant, Caffè Dell’Oro and The Fusion Bar & Restaurant, respectively. Mengoni formerly worked at the Assaje at the Hotel Aldrovandi in Villa Borghese in Rome, while Mori gained culinary expertise in Italy, Belgium and Switzerland. Magnelli formerly worked at the Rafael and El Mercado restaurants in Lima, Peru.

Russell Michel is executive chef at Canyon Ranch Tucson in Tucson, Arizona. Prior to joining Canyon Ranch, Michel was executive chef at the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa in Tucson.

The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, appointed Simon Moulden executive chef of Circa 55, the property’s signature restaurant. Moulden comes to the property from MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas, where he was executive sous chef for dining outlets across three hotels – Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Delano and Four Seasons Hotel – overseeing the individual hotels as well as large-scale events.  

Chicago-based First Hospitality expanded its executive leadership team: Charlie Muller is senior vice president of investments, Don Fraser is senior vice president of operations, Danny Py is vice president of restaurants and bars, Deborah Cooley is vice president of hotel group reporting and analytics, and Travis Bowman was promoted to vice president of learning and performance management from his previous role as corporate director of training.

Live! By Loews – Arlington, Texas, named its executive leadership team for the hotel, set to open in late August: Scott Nasser is managing director, Marcela Ceccacci is director of sales and marketing, Chris Jones is director of finance, Kenneth Miranda is director of revenue, Mouhssine Benhamacht is executive chef, Bruno Rolleux is director of operations, Jill Price is director of catering and conference services, Leon Harrigan is director of engineering and Michelle Vinson is director of human resources.

The Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., appointed Ruben Rodriguez vice president of sales. Rodriguez most recently was area director of sales and marketing for Melia Hotels International in Miami, acting as the corporate liaison for hotels in the U.S. and English Caribbean.

Hotel Equities promoted Drew Salapka to senior vice president of operations, and Cesar Wurm to senior vice president of sales and revenue generation. Salapka, who joined Hotel Equities as a summer intern in 1999, most recently was senior vice president of revenue generation. Wurm was the firm’s vice president of sales and marketing.

IntercityHotel named directors to four hotels in Germany. Monika Schnepf is general manager of IntercityHotel Ingolstadt, departing her previous position as manager of IntercityHotel Augsburg, also in Germany. Daniel Kosin assumed Schnepf’s former role at IntercityHotel Augsburg. He recently was deputy general manager of the Superior Comfort Hotel Monheim in Monheim am Rhein, Germany. Lisa Edelmann departed her deputy director role at IntercityHotel Leipzig in Germany to become director of IntercityHotel Hanover. Finally, David Dreschner is director of the IntercityHotel Braunschweig. He previously was director of the IntercityHotel Ingolstadt.

Hotel asset manager and owner advisory services company CHMWarnick has promoted Managing Director Chad Sorensen to chief operating officer. Sorenson has nearly three decades of experience in many aspects of the lodging industry.

Effective in August, Simon Spiller is general manager at Hotel Eden Roc in Ascona, Switzerland. Spiller has more than three years of management experience at Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden, Germany.

The St. Jane Hotel, Chicago, named Kristine Subido executive chef, Pete Zudyk vice president of sales and marketing, and Stephen Blackford managing director. Subido’s recent ventures include opening her own restaurant, Pecking Order, in Chicago, and running Highflier Provisions. Zudyk spent two years as director of sales and marketing at Chicago’s Ace Hotel, while Blackford most recently was with The Ambassador Chicago.

Kimpton Aertson Hotel, a boutique hotel in Nashville, Tennessee’s Midtown neighborhood, named Lindsey Sullivan director of sales and marketing. Prior to joining the property, Sullivan was assistant director of sales for Hutton Hotel in Nashville.

Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa & Convention Center in Branson, Missouri, appointed Jessica Tankersley event service manager. Before joining the resort, Tankersley was marketing and sales representative for OMG! Marketing in Branson.

The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park in New York City appointed Dominik Trimborn director of sales and marketing. Trimborn most recently was market director of sales and marketing at The St. Regis Bal Harbour in Miami Beach, Florida, and W Miami in Miami.

Kimpton The Rowan Palm Springs in Palm Springs, California, appointed Peggy Trott general manager. Trott departed Colony Palms Hotel, also in Palm Springs, where she was general manager.

The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills in West Hollywood, California, appointed Greg Velasquez director of sales and marketing. Prior to this role, Velasquez was chief marketing officer at Hotel Figueroa, Los Angeles, and held the role of director of sales and marketing at Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, California. 

Starhotels appointed Federico Versari general manager of Helvetia & Bristol Firenze – Starhotels Collezione in Florence, Italy. Versari joined Starhotels from Grand Hotel et de Milan in Milan, Italy, where he spent the past three years as general manager.

Harris White is chief financial officer of Virgin Hotels. Before joining Virgin, White held a leadership role at Sage Hospitality, where he oversaw finance, accounting and technology functions for the firm’s hotels and restaurant concepts nationwide.

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