Aimbridge Hospitality, Plano, Texas, has introduced hospitality industry veteran Patrick Volz as its chief operating officer, global operations. Volz will contribute to Aimbridge Hospitality’s current growth trajectory through strategic development and operational expertise.
In this newly created position, Volz will oversee hotel finance, as well as owner relations, brand partnerships, and transitions, while leading Aimbridge Food & Beverage. He will report to Mark Tamis, Aimbridge president, global operations. “Patrick is joining our operations leadership team at a pivotal time for Aimbridge Hospitality and our industry, and our shared emphasis on operational excellence is an important factor we will capitalize on as we look to the future together,” Tamis said.
With more than 25 years of global hospitality and real estate experience, Volz built his career running day-to-day operations and providing operational and financial oversight to roles in real estate and with major hospitality brands and associations. Most recently he served as president and chief operating officer of Blackstone Real Estate Hotel & Resorts, where he led asset management, revenue and eCommerce, capital deployment, and all operations for BRE Hotels & Resorts, encompassing most of Blackstone’s hotel investments.
Volz has deep experience in all hotel classes, from luxury to economy. Prior to Blackstone, he served as chief financial officer of The Americas at Hilton Worldwide, leading all aspects of the operational finance organization, including performance reporting, operating and capital budgeting, cash flow management, forecasting, and ROI analysis. In this role, he also led key decisions and strategies across revenue management and eCommerce, F&B, rooms, sales & marketing, and ancillary departments. He spent the first decade of his career at Marriott International, holding roles of increasing responsibility. He also served as executive vice president and CFO of The National Restaurant Association.
“The evolution we’re seeing in today’s industry is opening doors to new opportunities every day and joining Aimbridge Hospitality means harnessing that energy to ensure the best returns for our owners while focusing on operations excellence and empowering our team,” Volz said. “Aimbridge has an industry-leading operational team I am proud to be part of. I look forward to working closely with our teams around the world to maximize our processes and our potential.”
Corporate Management
Peter Palli has joined IHG Hotels & Resorts, Atlanta, Georgia, as senior vice president of property, owner and stay experience products and platforms. Previously, Palli served as chief commercial officer at Omni hotels and resorts, Dallas, Texas.
Extended Stay America, Charlotte, North Carolina, has hired three industry veterans for its executive leadership team. Elizabeth Uber will join the company as chief operating officer. Uber most recently served as senior vice president of operations at Aimbridge Hospitality, Plano, Texas. Mike Moore joined as chief human resources officer. He most recently held the same role at G6 Hospitality. John Laplante is the new chief information officer. He also joined G6 Hospitality, where he served in the same role as well as in other IT leadership roles for more than 10 years.
McKibbon Hospitality, Tampa, Florida, has promoted Michael Thomas from director of business intelligence and technology to vice president of business intelligence and technology.
Main Street Hospitality, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, has welcomed Jennifer Usaty as the new vice president of finance. Most recently, Usaty served as the regional director of finance at Auberge Resorts.
Rosewood Hotel Group, Hong Kong, China, has promoted Frederic Vidal to vice president of operations for the Americas after serving as regional vice president overseeing five of the collection’s properties across the Americas.
General Managers, Managing Directors
Dorchester Collection, London, England, has appointed Richard Alexander as general manager for The Lanai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Alexander has joined following five years in general manager roles in the Bahamas.
Kempinski Hotel Frankfurt has welcomed Kai Behrens as general manager and Frank Fuhrmann as executive assistant manager. Behrens’ last position was general manager at the Kempinski hotels Palace Portorož, Slovenia, while Fuhrmann previously served as executive assistant manager at Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, Germany.
Eagle Mountain House & Golf Club, Jackson, New Hampshire, has added Joel Bourassa as general manager. Most recently, Bourassa was chief operating officer of The Berry Companies, North Conway, New Hampshire.
The Inn on Fifth & Club Level Suites, a Noble House Hotels & Resorts property, Naples, Florida, has hired Maria Hamilton as general manager. Previously, Hamilton served as resort manager of the Jekyll Island Club Resort, Georgia.
Oliver Kuhn has been appointed as general manager of Kempinski Seychelles Resort Baie Lazare. Most recently, he had a pre-opening stint at Grand Hotel Kempinski, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Prominence Hospitality Group, Chicago, Illinois, has appointed Alain Lorminier as the general manager of Avid Hotels Zeeland, Michigan, and promoted Jason Wilcox to the general manager role at Homewood Suites by Hilton Philadelphia-Valley Forge, Audubon, Pennsylvania. Working in hospitality since 2006, Lorminier started as a front desk clerk and worked his way to the general manager position. Wilcox joins as an internal promotion, coming from Prominence’s Hampton Inn Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf St. Barth has welcomed William Numa as the new general manager. In his most recent role, Numa ran the Quatrième Mur, in the Bordeaux region, France.
Big Cypress Lodge, Memphis, Tennessee, has selected Romaine Scott as hotel manager. Scott previously served as director of training and development and director of housekeeping and laundry at The Peabody Memphis.
Food & Beverage
Oaken Bistro + Bar, Lake Forest, Illinois, has welcomed Christian Alejandro as their new executive chef. Most recently, Alejandro served as executive corporate chef at Veritas Lux Mae.
Grand Hotel Cancún by Kempinski, Mexico, has promoted Rene Camelo from executive sous chef to executive chef.
Azerai Can Tho, Vietnam, has appointed Bernardo Cabrera as new executive chef. Cabrera’s past experiences include three-Michelin-star restaurants Ryu Gin in Japan and Geranium in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Marcus Freminot has taken on the role of executive chef at the Avani+ Luang Prabang Hotel, Laos. Freminot has over eight years of experience and a career that has taken him across the globe from the Seychelles to Oman.
The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio, has welcomed Ron Mays as executive chef. Most recently, Mays held that role at Caroline with White Lodging and the Luxury Otis Hotel & AC in Austin, Texas.
The St. Regis Venice, Italy, has welcomed Giuseppe Ricci as executive chef. Previously, Ricci worked with Hiraki Masakazu at the Hotel Bauer Palazzo and later at the historic Hotel Danieli, both in Venice.
Eagle Mountain House & Golf Club, Jackson, New Hampshire, has announced the addition of Stan Shafer as executive chef. He most recently tapped into restaurant management as bar manager at 99 Restaurant, North Conway, New Hampshire.
Epicurean Atlanta, Georgia has welcomed Henry Tapia as its new executive chef. He most recently held the position of executive chef of Le Méridien Atlanta Perimeter.
Sales & Marketing
Sage Hospitality Group, Denver, Colorado, has welcomed Colin Bennett as the area director of sales and marketing overseeing The Maven Hotel at Dairy Block and The Rally Hotel at McGregor Square in downtown Denver. Bennett was director of group sales of JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek, now Hotel Clio, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Denver Cherry Creek, Colorado.
Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, Virginia, has named Lesly Connolly national sales manager. Most recently, Connolly served as director of sales and marketing for the Doubletree by Hilton Washington DC North/Gaithersburg.
Prominence Hospitality Group, Chicago, Illinois, has welcomed Jack Jones as area director of sales for the Pennsylvania region. Most recently, he served as group sales manager and director of sales for two Courtyard by Marriott locations.
McKibbon Hospitality, Tampa, Florida, has promoted Lynn Prater from senior vice president of sales and marketing to executive vice president of revenue generation.
Others
Mauna Lani, Hawaii, has welcomed industry leader Ross Birch as general manager of Mauna Lani Golf. Birch previously served as executive director of Island of Hawai’i Visitors Bureau.