The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) appointed Dean Bannon managing director, Europe, based in London. Nearly two-thirds of LHW’s portfolio of more than 400 hotels is located in Europe, and the European market represents nearly 30% of LHW’s business. Bannon is responsible for mapping the strategic director for the organization in Europe and navigating the team through a successful COVID-19 recovery. In his new role, he oversees the corporate, leisure and MICE segments across the region.
Bannon most recently was commercial director of the Grand Hôtel Stockholm in Sweden, a member of LHW. At the property, he led commercial strategy and revenue generation while managing a cross-functional team including revenue management, sales, public relations, marketing and reservations to ensure alignment across all functions. Prior to Grand Hôtel Stockholm, Bannon was director of sales Sweden for First Hotels in Sweden, responsible for 30 hotels in the country and a team of 20 sales representatives. Before that, he spent 10 years with Starwood holding roles in Europe, and co-founded a South African DMC.
Mali Carrow is general manager of the upcoming Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences New Orleans, Louisiana. Carrow joined Four Seasons 20 years ago as a server at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago and moved up the ranks of F&B divisions in Washington and San Diego, and then internationally in the Maldives and Amman, Jordan, where she was promoted to hotel manager. She then transferred to the company’s first location in Europe, Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane in London, in the same role.
Dallas-based Prism Hotels & Resorts announced a series of promotions and appointments. Chris Charbonnet was promoted to senior vice president of Prism Lender Services. Jamer Samonte was promoted to regional vice president of operations, where he will take up the company’s Most Satisfied Owner commitment on several Prism hotels and support the company’s CMBS and receivership efforts. Prism re-hired Jansen Medeiros as regional vice president of operations to help with consulting and asset management projects. Medeiros recently held positions as managing director and vice president of operations providing leadership for two independent resorts in Hawaii and 15 branded hotels across Arizona, California and Texas. On the sales and marketing side, the company welcomed Shannon Kane as regional director of sales. She comes to Prism after 10 years at LodgeWorks, where she held numerous roles, most recently serving as a regional director supporting four brands with sales, training, onboarding, revenue and strategy. Both Beth Mahoney and Jeff Miller were promoted to vice presidents of sales. Mahoney and Miller have spent the past six months improving revenue at the hotels, providing communication for ownership groups and onboarding new properties. Marilyn Beacham joined the accounting team as senior accounting manager. She has 30 years of hotel accounting experience at both corporate and property levels.
Midas Hospitality named Janessa Corpuz general manager and James Metcalf director of food and beverage of Element by Westin, opening later this month in St. Louis, Missouri. Corpuz has more than 20 years of hospitality experience and previously served as general manager for Midas Hospitality’s Courtyard by Marriott in St. Peters, Missouri. Metcalf, who will manage the Element’s rooftop Upbar, previously spent nine years as Panera Bread’s operating partner.
Marcus Hotels & Resorts appointed Andrew Flack chief commercial officer. Flack, who has more than 30 years of hospitality experience, most recently served as vice president of marketing and e-commerce with Hilton Worldwide, where he supported more than 5,000 managed and franchised properties with oversight for 140 team members throughout the Americas. His previous roles with Hilton include vice president of product marketing and customer insights, and vice president of global brand marketing. Flack’s international posts with Hilton include vice president sales and marketing Asia Pacific and regional director of sales, marketing and revenue management in Sydney, Australia.
The Last Hotel in St. Louis, part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt, appointed Tyler John general manager and Carrie Hunt director of sales and marketing. John previously served as area general manager for two California boutique properties, The Lodge at Tiburon and Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos. In addition to hospitality management, John has extensive experience within the food and beverage sector, having served as the director of F&B at several properties, as well as regional director of F&B for HRI Lodging. Hunt most recently was associate director of sales and marketing at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis. Prior to joining Hyatt, she held hospitality management and marketing roles for Hilton Hotels including Hilton McLean Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia.
Liz Johnson is director of sales and marketing for Salmon Falls Resort and its sister property, Edgewater Inn Restaurant & Marina, both in Ketchikan, Alaska. Johnson recently served as interim director and tourism manager for Visit Seattle, where she established strategic marketing plans in key European markets to increase travel and spending in Seattle. Prior to this, she was account manager of global sales for Icelandair, and her background includes many roles in Alaskan tourism.
Hall Arts Hotel in Dallas welcomed Ginger Martin as general manager and Haydee Hernandez as general manager of Ellie’s Restaurant & Lounge. A Texas native, Martin began her career as a front desk agent and worked her way into roles with brands including Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and Hei Hotels and Resorts. She has led her teams to accolades including Outstanding Performance: Guest Service Hotel from Hei Hotels and Franchised Hotel of the Year by Le Méridien – Marriott Hotels. Hernandez, also a native Texan, comes to Hall Arts Hotel from The Joule in Dallas, where she began as a bartender, later assisting in the opening of five on-property dining concepts. Most recently, Hernandez helped lead The Joule’s Americano team as assistant general manager.
Hotel Equities appointed Ryan McRae senior vice president of business development. McRae most recently was area vice president of lodging development at Marriott International. Based in Vancouver, Canada, he will focus on growing the company’s Canadian portfolio of full-service, select-service and extended-stay hotels. Prior to joining Marriott, McRae was vice president, acquisitions and development for SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts, where he was responsible for hotel development and acquisition across Canada. He also served as chairman of the company’s investment committee. Before his time with SilverBirch, McRae was a development director with Hilton Worldwide where he focused on corporate growth both in Canadian and global markets.
Capella Hotel Group appointed Cristiano Rinaldi chief operating officer. Prior to joining the company, Rinaldi was based in Tokyo, where he spent the past four years as general manager leading pre-opening activities for The Bangkok Edition in Bangkok, Thailand, as well as The Tokyo Edition Ginza and Toranomon in Tokyo. He also formerly was vice president, operations for One&Only Resorts in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he oversaw the performance of the nine resorts within the group’s portfolio, as well as leading plans for future expansion. Throughout his career, Rinaldi has opened more than 35 luxury hotels worldwide.
Brandon Tyler is general manager of Yotelpad Park City, opening in Park City, Utah, for the upcoming ski season. Tyler is an avid outdoor sportsman and snowboarder who has held leadership positions at resorts and properties in destinations including Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Dallas. He has 20 years of senior leadership experience within hospitality, including front office, housekeeping, food and beverage, engineering, safety and security, condo relations, recreation, spa, revenue management and retail operations.
IntercityHotel made several management changes at properties in Germany. Sandra Wiegmann is director of the IntercityHotel Kassel in Kassel, replacing Petra Bantle, who moved to the IntercityHotel Dortmund in Dortmund, to become general manager and to guide the property through its preopening phase. Nikolaus Kunz is director of the IntercityHotel Erfurt in Erfurt, following in the footsteps of Jürgen Kramer, who is retiring after 42 years with the company. Wiegmann already works for Deutsche Hospitality, having served as revenue manager and head of reservations at the Steigenberger Grandhotel & Spa in Heringsdorf since September 2016. Bantle also has prior experience with Deutsche Hospitality. She has held various positions at Steigenberger properties and at IntercityHotel Ulm in Ulm before being named director of the IntercityHotel Kassel in 2014. Kunz joined IntercityHotel from the Azimut Hotel Nuremberg in Nuremberg, where he acted as general manager since 2015.