William Hornbuckle has been named CEO and president of MGM Resorts International after serving as acting CEO since March 2020, following former Chairman and CEO Jim Murren’s departure. Hornbuckle also has joined the company’s board of directors.
“After a thorough national search, the board unanimously concluded that [Hornbuckle] is the best candidate to lead MGM Resorts through these immensely challenging times and into a more promising future,” said Paul Salem, chairman of the board, MGM Resorts International. “There are few tests of leadership greater than what [Hornbuckle] has faced. His seasoned global experience, depth of knowledge and steady hand have provided reassurance and confidence to our employees, partners, guests and shareholders during one of the most difficult periods in the history of our company.”
Hornbuckle has decades of experience in the gaming industry. He served as acting CEO, president and chief operating officer of MGM Resorts International and is currently executive director and board chairman of MGM China Holdings with operations and resorts in Macau. Additionally, he is chairman of the board of directors of the CityCenter JV Board of Directors (a joint venture with Dubai World) and is a member of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority board. Hornbuckle formerly served as MGM Resorts International’s chief marketing officer, and before that, president and chief operating officer of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. He also spent time as president and COO of MGM Resorts International – Europe, where he helped develop the company’s gaming operations in the United Kingdom. From 1998 to 2001, Hornbuckle was president and COO of MGM Grand Las Vegas.
Thibaut Asso is director of sales and marketing at Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth, scheduled to reopen in spring 2021 following an extensive restoration. Asso most recently was cluster director of sales and marketing, Americas, for Como Hotels and Resorts, based in Miami Beach, Florida, where he directed the sales and marketing department for two Como properties, implemented operational decisions as part of the executive committee, and in 2017, reopened Como Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos, following a renovation. Previously, he was based in New York City and was director of sales North America for Carlisle Bay Resort in Antigua, and associate director of sales North America for Pineapple Luxury Hotels and Resorts.
Victor Betro is general manager of Kempinski Hotel Aqaba Red Sea, Aqaba, Jordan. Betro started his career with Hyatt International in 2005 on the food and beverage team at Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. He went on to work in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Spain, Lebanon, Oman and finally back to the United Arab Emirates, where he was hotel manager at Emerald Palace Kempinski Dubai, located on Palm Island. A Jordanian and Spanish national, Betro speaks fluent English, Arabic and Spanish.
The Glenmark, Glendale, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Glendale, California, welcomed Kevin Briggs as general manager and Tony Trujillo as executive chef. Briggs has more than 24 years of experience working at Los Angeles-based hotels. Most recently, he spent eight years at OLS Hotels and Resorts as general manager of The Grafton on Sunset in Hollywood, California. Prior to that, he held positions at Hotel Palomar in Westwood, California, and Le Montrose Suite Hotel in West Hollywood, California, where he ran front office operations. An Orange County, California, native, Trujillo has worked at Studio (Montage Hotels & Resorts); Michael Mina Stonehill Tavern in Dana Point, California; Church & State in Los Angeles; Cobras & Matadors in Los Angeles, and more. Most recently, he was chef de cuisine at Cucina Enoteca in Irvine, California, where he was responsible for menu development, seasonal menu changes and private event menus.
Jon Chocklett returned to The Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., as senior vice president of sales and business development. Chocklett re-joined the property where he had previously served as vice president, sales and business development in 2016 before relocating to Beverly Hills, California. He has held sales and marketing positions at Four Seasons Hotel and Mandarin Oriental, both in Washington, D.C., Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills and Sagamore Pendry in Baltimore, Maryland. Just prior to rejoining the team at The Watergate Hotel, he was director of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, Virginia.
The Hotel at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, welcomed Russ Dlin as sales manager. With a focus on sports and special markets, Dlin will identify opportunities and develop proposals with professional and collegiate sports teams. He’ll also be responsible for managing any military, religious and fraternal business for The Hotel. Dlin is recognized by ESPN and CBS Sports as one of the top TV sports statisticians in the country and is a three-time Sales Manager of the Year recipient for Marriott International in the Mid-Atlantic region. After 13 years at Marriott International, Dlin moved to Baltimore and served as sales manager at Embassy Suites in the Inner Harbor. Most recently, he was senior sales manager of sports and entertainment at La Quinta Inn and Suites in Dallas and Parsippany, New Jersey.
The Edgewood Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada, named Jim Hindman director of food and beverage, overseeing the lodge’s three restaurants: Brooks’ Bar & Deck, The Bistro and Edgewood Restaurant. Hindman most recently was director of food and beverage at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento. He’s also held positions including director of food and beverage at Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minnesota, and has worked at Caesars Entertainment Corp.
Radisson Hotel Group appointed Phil Hugh chief development officer for the Americas. Hugh, who has 20 years of experience leading franchise sales and development teams, is responsible for executing the company’s growth goals for the Americas, driving the expansion of all seven of Radisson Hotel Group’s brands. Hugh most recently spent seven years as a development leader at Red Roof Franchising, where he created a franchise division. His team fostered relationships that transformed the company to an asset-light and franchisee-focused organization. Prior to that, he held a variety of development leadership positions at Realogy Franchise Group, Development Opportunity Corp. and Cendant Corp.
Wynn Las Vegas named Min Kim executive chef of Mizumi, the resort’s fine-dining Japanese restaurant. Formerly the executive chef of Mizumi at Wynn Palace, Cotai in Macau. Kim’s father ran a traditional Japanese restaurant in his native Korea. After college, Kim returned to Seoul and worked alongside his father for two years before moving to Tokyo, Japan, to hone his skills at the Michelin two-starred Narisawa and the Michelin three-starred Ryugin.
Aparium Hotel Group appointed Pablo Molinari, Allison Streu and Aaron Black general managers of the upcoming Hotel Haya in Tampa, Florida, opening in September; Surety Hotel in Des Moines, Iowa, opening in October; and Daxton in Birmingham, Michigan, opening in January 2021, respectively. Molinari most recently was general manager at Haya’s sister Aparium property in Minneapolis, Hewing Hotel. Prior to joining Aparium, he worked in various Hyatt properties, rising in the ranks from bellman in 1996 at Park Hyatt Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to director of operations at Park Hyatt Washington, D.C. Streu started her career as a restaurant manager at Des Moines Marriott Downtown before moving on to various positions at hotels in Cincinnati, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Nashville, Tennessee, before returning to her hometown of Des Moines, where she spent two years as general manager at Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel. Black, who has 23 years of experience opening and managing luxury hotels, recently was general manager at The Armstrong Hotel in Fort Collins, Colorado. He’s also held managerial positions at properties in Boise, Idaho; Portland, Maine; Burlington, Vermont; St. Louis; Palo Alto, California; in Hawaii and Toronto, Canada.
Singita promoted Lydia Nzayo to general manager at Singita Volcanoes National Park in Ruhengeri, Rwanda. Nzayo was among the first members of the team when she joined as assistant general manager during the opening of Singita Kwitonda Lodge and Kataza House. Nzayo was born in Rwanda but raised in Russia, France and Italy before spending a decade working in Spain.
The Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Paso Robles, California, appointed Shannon Spivey national sales manager. Spivey, a native Californian, started her career as sales manager for Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants in Los Gatos, California, before running sales efforts for properties including Hotel Los Gatos and the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa in Monterey, California. Most recently, she was the sole national sales manager for Ventana Big Sur in Big Sur, California.
Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown promoted Kelly Wilson to regional director, talent and culture, responsible for programs and initiatives across properties within the Mid-Atlantic region, including Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown, Sofitel Washington, D.C. Lafayette Square, Fairmont Pittsburgh, Fairmont El San Juan in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Novotel Miami Brickell in Miami. Wilson joined Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown in June 2013 as director of human resources from Fairmont Nanjing in Nanjing, China, where she worked on the pre-opening team as director, human resources.