Hilton has announced the executive leadership team for two new-build hotels opening in early 2022, Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya and Hilton Tulum All-Inclusive Resort, Tulum, Mexico.
Santiago Rivera has been appointed managing director of the two properties, after having served as the area managing director for Meliá Hotels International in the Dominican Republic. In his new role, Rivera will be responsible for leading the opening of both properties, administering management across hotel operations, and spearheading the development and execution of strategic sales and marketing initiatives.
Javier Martinez joins Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya, the brand’s first ever property in the Mexican Caribbean, as hotel manager. Bringing with him a wealth of hospitality expertise, Martinez will manage the administration of all day-to-day hotel services and activities at the new hotel. He was previously the general manager of Palmaïa – The House of Aïa, Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
“We are delighted to welcome Santiago Rivera and Javier Martinez to the team,” said Jorge Giannattasio, Hilton senior vice president, Latin America and The Caribbean. “Both are seasoned hospitality professionals and dynamic leaders, well-suited to successfully debut our newest offerings in the beautiful destination of Quintana Roo.”
Tiffany Alves is joining Makeready—a hotel, restaurant and retail operator and management company headquartered in Dallas, Texas—as director of global sales – group. Alves most recently worked as director of group sales at The Beekman, New York City, New York.
Hyatt Centric Buckhead Atlanta, Georgia, has appointed its leadership team. Kristi Cotten-Morris has been named general manager. Most recently, she was the general manager of The Bellevue Hotel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Yajaira Torres has been appointed as the director of sales and marketing. Previously, Torres held the same position at Hyatt Centric Brickell Miami, Florida.
Sarah Cozewith has joined the AHLA Foundation, the charitable giving arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Washington, DC, as vice president of career development. She most recently served as the director of workforce development at the National Apartment Association, Arlington, Virginia.
The Gant Aspen, Colorado, has selected Bree DiBernardo to be promoted from her prior role as event manager to sales manager. Before joining The Gant Aspen team, DiBernardo was a group sales manager at the Westin Snowmass Resort, Colorado.
Hard Rock International has appointed Daniel Earle as director of global travel industry sales for Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, Hollywood, Florida. He was most recently regional director of sales and revenue management for Performance Hospitality Management, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Executive Chef Laurent Elmerich is to helm the new culinary program at Enchantment Resort, Sedona, Arizona. Prior to that, he worked as executive chef at Rancho Bernardo Inn, San Diego, California.
MSpa International, the spa division of Minor Hotels, Bangkok, Thailand, has named wellness expert Chunxia Gao as group director of spa and wellness to lead the Asia region. She is joining the team after a 17-year stint at Six Senses Resorts & Spas, Bangkok, Thailand, where she most recently served as corporate director of spa projects.
Turtle Bay Resort, Kahuku, Hawaii, has hired Julie Gilmore as senior group sales manager, West Coast. Previously, she represented Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, Kamuela, Hawaii, as a senior sales manager.
Residential hospitality company Mint House, New York City, New York, has appointed Samantha Greenberg as chief financial officer. Previously, Greenberg worked as a portfolio manager at Ashler Capital, a Citadel company, out of its New York office.
The LaSalle Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, has announced its leadership team. Stefan Gruvberger has been appointed as the general manager of the newest Marriott Autograph Collection hotel opening in spring of 2022. Most recently, Gruvberger served as the resident manager for Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois. Shannon Moore has joined the team as the director of sales and marketing. Previously, she worked as the group sales manager of The Langham Chicago.
Javier Hernandez has joined Makeready as the executive chef for the food and beverage program at The Alida, Savannah, Georgia. Hernandez previously served as chef de cuisine of Lounges at JW Marriott in Savannah, Georgia.
Hilton Grand Vacations, Hawaii Island, has appointed general managers to two of its properties. Robert Ishihara has been named general manager at Kings’ Land, Waikoloa, Hawaii. He previously was the general manager of Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations, Honolulu, Hawaii. Wilbert W.S. Lee Jr. has been promoted to general manager at Ocean Tower, Waikoloa, Hawaii, after having worked as resort manager at Kings’ Land.
Des McCann has been appointed as chief operating officer of Dalata Hotel Group, Dublin, Ireland. McCann previously served as group general manager of Clayton Hotels in Ireland. Dalata has also announced board committee changes. Recently appointed board members Cathríona Hallahan and Gervaise Slowey will join the Audit & Risk Committee and the Remuneration Committee respectively. They will also serve as members of the ESG Committee, joined by Shane Casserly, corporate development director at Dalata Hotel Group.
Pablo Molinari has been appointed to the position of hotel manager by Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown. Most recently, he was general manager at Hotel Haya, Tampa, Florida.
Natalie Newberry has been promoted to head bartender at Henley, the award-winning restaurant/bar inside the Kimpton Aertson Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee. Before joining Henley, she worked as a bartender at Sinema Restaurant + Bar in the historic Melrose Theatre, Nashville, Tennessee.
Hotel Viking, Newport, Rhode Island has appointed Patrick Popores as its new executive chef. Chef Popores most recently served in the same capacity at Interstate Hotels & Resorts in Portland, Oregon, and in Captiva Island, Florida.
Award-winning pastry chef and chocolate maker Luis Robledo has partnered with Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection, Los Cabos, Mexico, as consulting pastry chef. Chef Robledo is the founder and owner of the artisan chocolate and confectionary shop Tout Chocolat in Mexico City, Mexico.
Hotel management and development group Gulph Creek Hotels, Wayne, Pennsylvania, has named Mahim Sharma as its regional vice president of operations. Previously, Sharma was the general manager of Scholar Hotel Group.
Stefen Shatto has been appointed as the new executive chef of Inn at the Pier, Pismo Beach, California. Prior to joining Pacifica Hotels, Chef Shatto worked at II Vecchio restaurant, Pacific Grove, California, as well as The Citizen Hotel in Sacramento, California.
Carly Skinner has been named general manager at Emeline, Charleston, South Carolina. Prior to joining Makeready, she held the same position at Hotel June, Los Angeles, California.
Jerome Strack has been appointed as the general manager of Mar Monte Hotel, Santa Barbara, California. Before taking on the role to lead the team of the new hotel, which is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Strack served as general manager at The Moran CITYCENTRE in Houston, Texas.
Brian Testorf has joined JLL Valuation Advisory as a vice president in its Hotels & Hospitality practice, working out of the firm’s Boston, Massachusetts office. Previously, he was a senior associate at LW Hospitality Advisors, Boston, Massachusetts.
The Dorchester, London, UK, has appointed Luca Virgilio as general manager. Virgilio will join from Dorchester Collection’s Hotel Eden, Rome, Italy, where he holds the position of general manager.
Conrad Nashville, Tennessee, has appointed Martin Wormull as general manager and John Stack as director of sales and marketing. Wormull joins the Conrad Nashville team from The Candler Hotel Atlanta, Curio Collection by Hilton, Georgia, where he served as the opening general manager. Stack previously worked as director of sales and marketing at Loews Hotels & Co. in Chicago, Illinois.