Rosewood Hotel Group, Hong Kong, has appointed Andrew Girona as director of global sales. Girona will be responsible for managing the group’s leisure travel advisors in Florida and the Southeast United States, as well as partners in Latin America, South America, Mexico, and The Caribbean. He will also take on the tasks of identifying innovative partnership opportunities, providing brand-wide awareness, and developing strategies for long-term success with travel advisors in his region.
Girona’s appointment comes at an exciting time for Rosewood Hotel Group on the heels of high-profile activity in the Americas and worldwide, including the recent announcement of Rosewood The Raleigh Miami Beach and the openings of Rosewood Vienna, in Austria, and Rosewood São Paulo, in Brazil.
Girona brings more than 15 years of luxury hospitality sales experience to this position. He has a proven track record of developing revenue streams through distribution channels from North America and international markets. Most recently, Girona served as director of sales for Rosewood Baha Mar. As a key member of the property’s pre-opening team, he was responsible for creating and executing pre-opening sales and marketing plans while providing leadership and strategic direction in all sales markets. Prior to this position, Girona held the role of associate director of sales for Rosewood Bermuda. Before joining Rosewood in this capacity in 2014, he worked with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Toronto, Canada, as regional leisure sales manager. He began his career in hospitality in front office executive roles at luxury boutique hotels in Miami Beach, Florida, including The Betsy Hotel and The Raleigh, the latter of which he will again work closely with as it readies to relaunch under the Rosewood flag.
“It is a privilege to join such an incredibly talented team of seasoned sales and marketing professionals, and I am very much looking forward to extending my Rosewood experience into this exciting global role,” Girona said. “Over the years, I have established strong relationships with clients and guests around the world. I am excited to further strengthen these connections and create new ones while we continue to drive sales and marketing growth.”
Corporate Management
Outrigger Resorts and Hotels, Honolulu, Hawaii, has welcomed Carly Clement as vice president operations for Hawai‘i Vacation Condos. Clement was most recently general manager at the Lotus Honolulu/Hotel Renew, also in Hawaii.
Twenty Four Seven Hotels, Newport Beach, California, has announced Gabriel Coy as vice president and general counsel. Most recently, Coy was the principal attorney at Coy Law Firm, Sherman Oaks, California.
Jillian Katcher has been named president of Twin Bridges Hospitality, Houston, Texas. Most recently, Katcher served as co-head of hospitality investments at Cascade Asset Management Co., Madison, Wisconsin, the investment office for the Gates family and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.
Peachtree Group, Atlanta, Georgia, has appointed Tim Witt as president of the newly launched 1031 Exchange Delaware Statutory Trust program. Previously, Witt served as chief investment officer of DAI Securities, also in Atlanta.
SH Hotels & Resorts, Miami, Florida, has appointed Ron Sheldon as senior vice president of technical services. He is an industry leader in new construction, historic preservation, adaptive re-use and mixed-use buildings in North America.
LionGrove, new owners of the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Golf & Beach Resort, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, has appointed Amadeo Zarzosa as the new senior vice president and general manager of its resorts in Puerto Rico. Most recently, Zarzosa was managing director at Axjana, Miami, Florida.
General Managers, Managing Directors
Centara Hotels & Resorts, Bangkok, Thailand, has announced Metta Boonyaritipong as opening general manager for Centra by Centara Hotel Bangkok Phra Nakhon. Boonyaritipong was previously general manager at Centara Sonrisa Residences & Suites Sriracha, also in Thailand.
Ambiente, Sedona, Arizona, has appointed Brent Graef as general manager ahead of its opening. Graef previously served as director of operations in Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Ahead of its opening, The Global Ambassador has welcomed Geoff Gray as managing director and general manager. Gray joins after being general manager of the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa, Carlsbad, California.
W Aspen has announced Christopher Jaycock as its new general manager. Most recently, Jaycock served as multi-unit general manager at the DoubleTree Hotel, Breckenridge Hospitality F&B & River Mountain Lodge, in Breckenridge, Colorado.
David McManus has joined Grayson Hotel, New York, as general manager. Most recently, McManus served as general manager at Hersha Hospitality Management’s Hyatt Union Square, New York.
Commonwealth Hotels has chosen Alison Mitchell as general manager of The Art Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, Denver, Colorado. Most recently, Mitchell served as general manager at Hilton Garden Inn Denver Union Station.
The Gwen Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, has appointed Nadeem Siddiqui as general manager. Siddiqui has worked at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago during its launch phase and the Conrad Chicago.
The Forester Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, welcomed Dino Simoncelli as general manager. Previously, Simoncelli worked as general manager at The Standard Club, Chicago. The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley, Colorado, has hired Rachel Thompson as catering sales & event manager. Thompson joins from Vail’s Sonnenalp Hotel, where she held multiple positions including concierge, reservations agent and manager in training for conference services and group sales.
Outrigger Resorts and Hotels has welcomed Cynde Vannata as general manager of the Royal Sea Cliff by Outrigger, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Vannatta comes from Marriott Vacation Club where she was marketing manager for the Waikoloa Ocean Club, Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii.
Turtle Bay Resort, Kahuku, Hawaii, has promoted Joey Woofter to resort manager. Previously, Woofter served as director of rooms for the Omni Dallas and Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, California.
Sales & Marketing
Kimpton Canary, Santa Barbara, California, has appointed Debra Osborne as their director of sales and marketing. Osborne has held sales and marketing leadership roles at the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel & Resort, Oxnard, California; Residence Inn by Marriott at River Ridge, Lynchburg, Virginia; Bacara Resort & Spa, Santa Barbara, California; and Hilton Woodland Hills/Los Angeles, California.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, has announced Lisa Clark as senior sales executive. Most recently, she was senior sales executive for The Westin Boston Seaport District, Washington.
Golden Rock Nature & Dive Resort, Oranjestad, St. Eustatius, has welcomed Sally Glen as the new director of sales and marketing. Glen most recently served as regional sales manager for The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland, where she oversaw the entirety of the European, Australian and Asian markets.
Jeannine Graham will lead programming and brand visibility efforts as director of sales and marketing at Grayson Hotel, New York. Most recently, Graham served as regional director of sales and marketing regional at Real Hospitality Group, New York.
Preferred Hotels & Resorts has appointed Lori Strasberg to senior vice president of marketing. Previously, Strasberg served as chief marketing officer at PetVet Care Centers, New York.
Aaron Wells-Morgan has joined Lazia, the restaurant within the Crossroads Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri, as its new executive chef. Wells-Morgan has held executive chef positions at several fine dining establishments, including Market at Meadowbrook, Prairie Village, Kansas; Les Bourgeois Bistro and Winery, Rocheport, Missouri; Grand Street Dining, Kansas City; and Verbena, Prairie Village.
Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski Dominica has welcomed Rudolph Karam as its new director of sales and marketing. Most recently, Karam worked as sales and marketing director at the Royal Saray Resort in Bahrain.
Food & Beverage
Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills has appointed Fernando Bedolla as executive chef at the helm of the reopening of Estérel. Bedolla joins from Marriott, where he held positions across properties in the U.S., including Marina Del Rey Marriott, California; JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square, California; Westin Denver Downtown, Colorado; The Peabody Memphis, Tennessee; and Hilton Little Italy San Diego, California.
Mercy Me, the restaurant and bar within Yours Truly DC, Washington, has selected Samuel Diaz as executive chef. Most recently, Diaz cooked at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C.
Turtle Bay Resort, Kahuku, Hawaii, has appointed Eric Hanano as director of food and beverage. Hanano previously served as resort director of banquets and special events at Mauna Kea Resort, also in Hawaii.
Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Miami, Florida, has selected Jean Paul Lourdes as executive director of culinary. Most recently, Lourdes was executive chef at The Standard Highline in New York City.
Others
The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, St. Simons Island, Georgia, has welcomed Spencer Brookman as the new director of golf, and Brandon Youmans as the new golf professional for The King and Prince Golf Course, Home of the Hampton Club. Brookman began his career in golf in his home state of Virginia nearly 15 years ago. Youmans has more than two decades of experience in golf club operations in the Golden Isles.
Grayson Hotel, New York, announced a series of new hires to its leadership team. Lizzie Fernandez-Fruto will manage and yield inventory as director of revenue management. Jennifer Post joins as director of rooms. Soleilh St. Paul was hired as director of housekeeping, Roberto Brito as director of engineering, and Wade Grazette as director of life safety and security. Most recently, Fruto was dual director of revenue at InterContinental Hotels Group, New York; Post was director of front office at Hyatt Union Square New York; St. Paul was director of housekeeping within Hyatt properties; while Gazette was room operation manager within Marriott International properties.