First Hospitality appointed David Duncan president and chief executive officer. Duncan has served as First Hospitality’s president since joining the company in June 2018. Stephen Schwartz, Chicago-based First Hospitality’s founder, continues as executive chairman of the board of advisors.
Duncan began his career with Ernst Young in Los Angeles and Boston, and then joined GE Capital in Stamford, Connecticut, and New York. He also spent time in senior leadership positions at Guggenheim Partners, Denihan Hospitality Group in New York, and JC Resorts in La Jolla, California.
“We have built a solid company with great prospects for the future,” said Schwartz. “The board and I are confident that [Duncan] is the right person to build on this momentum. As we enter the next phase of growth and continue to develop and operate high-quality hotels and restaurants, our partners, associates and clients can look forward to expert counsel with [Duncan’s] leadership. He is a proven leader with significant experience in capital markets, real estate investment and hospitality.”
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa in Cedar Creek, Texas, named Cory Baum director of sales and marketing. Baum joined the property from Hyatt Regency Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida.
Dream Hotel Group appointed Leiya Cohen general manager at Dream Midtown in New York City. She most recently was hotel manager of The Time New York, another property within the Dream Hotel portfolio.
Virgin Hotels welcomed Rick Colangelo as senior vice president of operations and Guy Lindsey as vice president of construction. Colangelo worked for Hyatt Hotels Corp. as senior vice president of field operations for the brand’s Two Roads Hospitality portfolio. Lindsey previously held the position of senior vice president of design and construction at Park Hotels and Resorts, a company born out of Hilton Worldwide.
Benchmark appointed Alex Comier director of food and beverage for Hotel Contessa in San Antonio, Texas. Comier had been outlet manager at the hotel.
Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa & Convention Center in Branson, Missouri, named Jon Davidson general manager. He had been vice president and chief operation officer of Shangri-La Golf Club, Resort & Marina on Monkey Island, Oklahoma.
Sage Hospitality Group named Daniel del Olmo president of the company’s hotel management arm. Del Olmo came to Sage from The Passionality Group, a company he co-founded with a focus on advising and investing in emerging hospitality brands.
InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown appointed Daniel Fennessy executive chef and Zaw Oo as hotel manager. Fennessy recently was the executive chef if the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Oo was director of operations at the St. Regis Houston.
Blake Herring is director of sales and marketing at Royal Sonesta Boston. He joined the team from Loews Boston Hotel, where he was director of sales for the past four years.
Diane Houlihan is general manager for the Residence Inn Boston Norwood/Canton in Norwood, Massachusetts. With more than 20 years’ hospitality experience, Houlihan has been with Marriott, in various brands, as well as with InterContinental Hotel Group.
Thomas Houston is director of food and beverage for Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, Hawaii. Houston recently was with Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in Vancouver, Canada.
Michael Inferrera is executive chef at The Summit in Cincinnati. Inferrera joined the team in 2019, having established a distinguished career across diverse culinary and hospitality experiences.
Justin Jabara is president of Meyer Jabara Hotels. Over the years, Jabara grew his career holding various operational positions across the portfolio. He made the jump to vice president of development and acquisitions six years ago.
Highline, a new mountain resort in West Vail, Colorado, named Hunter Jones general manager and Lori Adis director of sales. Jones most recently was general manager at Courtyard Rockaway-Mt. Arlington in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey. Adis recently was director of sales and marketing at Winter Park Mountain Lodge in Winter Park, Colorado.
Radisson Hotel Group appointed Edean Kam general manager of Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Alex Francis general manager of Radisson Blu Minneapolis Downtown in Minneapolis. Kam was part of the Radisson Blu Mall of America’s opening team in 2013 and brings more than 30 years of hospitality experience to her role. Francis joined Radisson Hotel Group from Graves Hospitality in Minneapolis where he was vice president of operations.
Canyon Ranch named Jeff Kuster chief executive officer. Kuster most recently was group president of North America for Ralph Lauren Corporation.
Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Funner, California, appointed Michael Marshall executive chef. Marshall most recently was executive chef at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina.
Palladium Hotel Group celebrated its 50th anniversary and named Abel Matutes Prats president and Jesus Sobino chief executive officer. Carmen Matutes Prats will now hold Sobrino’s previous position of deputy general manager.
Paula McColgan is director of sales and marketing for The Carlton Tower, Jumeirah and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel, both in London. McColgan more recently headed the sales and marketing team at Kimpton Fitzroy London.
The Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu, Hawaii, welcomed Jonathan Mizukami as executive chef. Mizukami recently held the same role at Vintage Cave and was chef de cuisine at Chef Mavro’s in Honolulu before joining The Kahala.
Todd Orlich joined SH Hotels & Resorts as managing director for the upcoming 1 Hotel Toronto in Toronto, Canada. Orlich recently was the Miami regional vice president and general manager of Delano South Beach, where he directed all property-level operations for the Miami area and Bahamas.
Fernando Sanchez is general manager of Haven Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa in Puerto Juarez, Mexico. Sanchez formerly was the general manager of the Iberostar Selection Cancun Golf & Spa in Cancun, Mexico, for eight years. Haven Resorts & Spas also named Jan LaPointe director of sales and marketing for North America. LaPointe had been a core part of the AMResorts leadership team for more than 16 years.
Jevon Smith is executive chef at Amara Cay Resort in Islamorada, Florida. Prior to joining the team, Smith held an executive sous chef position at Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada.
Dream Hotel Group promoted Kanvar Singh to vice president of operations. Singh, who began his career with Dream Hotel Group as a front desk agent in 2002, recently was area managing director overseeing three New York hotels.
Driftwood Capital appointed David Steiner managing director of capital markets. It also named Nelson Parker managing director of the company’s new GP Development Fund and Paul Sacco chief investment officer. Steiner joined from Wall Street investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald, where he was a director in the New York office’s Commercial Real Estate Finance Group. Parker was senior vice president of corporate development at Penn National Gaming, and Sacco served as executive vice president of global development for RLH Corp.
Kempinski Hotels appointed Karim Tayach cluster general manager of Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl – Doha, and Kempinski Residences & Suites, Doha, both in Doha, Qatar. He joined Kempinski from his recent assignment as general manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Bali in Bali, Indonesia.
Brendan Urban is director of public relations at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Throughout her career, Urban has represented all facets of the hospitality industry, including tourism boards, resort groups, hotels and transportation.
Timothy Wagner is director of food and beverage at Carte Hotel in San Diego. Previously, Wagner spent 15 years at Coastal Pacific Wine and Spirits of America, where he held several managerial roles, including director of learning and development and director of trade development.
Joe Won is vice president of business development at CoralTree Hospitality Group. Won recently oversaw hotel acquisitions, underwriting and portfolio management for CIM Group’s Hospitality Division.
