Rotana Hotels & Resorts promoted Guy Hutchinson to permanent president and chief executive officer. Hutchinson has been acting CEO since January 2019, when the previous president and CEO, Omer Kaddouri, stepped down from the role. With 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Hutchinson joined Rotana as chief operating officer in January 2014. Previously, he held various roles with Hilton Worldwide in markets as diverse as Japan, Australia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates.
“Leveraging his extensive industry experience, as well as his progressive and dynamic leadership skills, [Hutchinson] led the team at Rotana to deliver a remarkable year in 2019 despite challenging market conditions,” said Nasser Al Nowais, chairman of Rotana. “I am confident that Rotana will continue to go from strength to strength under his tenure, as we continue to push ahead with our vision to be one of the leading hospitality management companies globally.”
Blantyre Country Resort in Lenox, Massachusetts, named Stephen Benson general manager and Alan Champney food and beverage director/sommelier. Prior to joining Blantyre, Benson was regional hotel director for American Cruise Lines. Champney was a fine wine consultant for Masciarelli Wine Co.
Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, named Peter Conboy director of finance. Conboy joined the resort from Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, where he was director of finance.
Monica Castillo is event manager at Hilton Palacio del Rio in San Antonio. Castillo previously was assistant director of development at the University of Texas, San Antonio, coordinating fundraising, donor relations and special events for the College of Business.
Marina Del Rey Hotel in Marina Del Rey, California, named Peter Coenen executive chef of Salt Restaurant & Bar. Coenen hails from Chicago, where he was executive chef at The Gage Restaurant, and later, the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel.
The Driskill in Austin, Texas, appointed Mark Dayanandan executive chef. Dayanandan has international and domestic culinary experience, as well as tenure as an executive chef at Hilton Austin and Omni Barton Creek, both also in Austin.
Prosper Hospitality named Blake Danner chief operating officer. Danner recently was chief operating officer for Sydell Group, helping to create hotel brands including NoMad, The Line and Freehand.
Katharine Degoma is general manager of Ambassador Chicago. Degoma joined the Chicago property from the Hyatt Regency Deerfield in Deerfield, Illinois, as general manager.
Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, appointed Marcos De La O’ director of finance. He previously was director of finance with Crescent Hotels and Resorts at the Horseshoe Bay Resort in Horseshoe Bay, Texas.
Chris Dunne joined Atrium Hospitality as chief finance officer. Dunne worked for InterContinental Hotels Group for more than 18 years, most recently as vice president operations finance, Americas for IHG in Atlanta.
Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, California, appointed Marina Dutton general manager. Dutton previously was general manager of the Costa Mesa Marriott in Costa Mesa, California.
Island Hospitality Management promoted Gregg Forde to executive vice president and chief operating office, and Roger Pollak to executive vice president and chief financial officer. Forde joined Island Hospitality Management’s predecessor in 2003, and recently served as executive vice president. Pollak joined the company’s predecessor in 1995, and has held many roles, including director of financial reporting and controller, as well as senior vice president, accounting.
Resort at Squaw Creek in Lake Tahoe, California, named Greg Gooding general manager. Gooding most recently was vice president of operations at Pyramid Hotel Group.
Grace Bay Resorts appointed Audrey Gonzalez director of marketing and communications for the Turks and Caicos-based resort brand. She recently worked at Davidson Hotels and Resorts as director of sales and marketing for Baker’s Cay Resort Key Largo, Curio Collection by Hilton, Key Largo, Florida.
The Tennessean Hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee, appointed Kyle Hagerty food and beverage director. This marks a promotion for Hagerty, who has been with the property since February 2017.
Oxford Club, Spa & Salon in Denver named Miriam Huntley director of spa. Huntley had been director of operations at the Five Wellbeing Studio + Spa in Littleton, Colorado.
Waimea Plantation Cottages, Waimea, Hawaii, named Janice Ishihara senior manager of sales and marketing. She recently was account director of group sales for Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu.
The San Francisco Marriott Marquis appointed Kunal Juneja director of operations. He recently was hotel manager at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. He also served as part of the Ritz-Carlton pre-opening task force, opening hotels in Africa, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Santa Barbara, California.
Oyo Vacation Homes appointed Raj Kamal chief operating officer. Kamal formerly was global head of investments at PayU, the payments and fintech arm of Naspers Limited.
New Castle Hotels and Resorts promoted Guido Kerpel to chief operating officer from vice president of operations. He joined New Castle in 1999.
Louis T Collection named Shane Lee hotel manager of Cesvi, a boutique hotel made of shipping containers, opening in March in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Lee recently was executive assistant manager to the general manager at Westin Yilan Resort in Yuanshan, Taiwan.
Paul Li is director of sales and marketing at Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, Canada. Li most recently was director of sales and marketing at Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver, also in Vancouver.
Hilton appointed Tom Mamalis general manager of Hilton Crystal City at Washington Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. He joined from Hilton New Orleans Airport in New Orleans, where he had been general manager since 2014. Charles Hill joined the company as general manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Washington, D.C. – Crystal City, also in Arlington. He had been at Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington, D.C. – Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
Yulia Maria is Artotel Group’s director of marketing communications. She joined the company as marketing communications manager and was promoted to assistant director of marketing communications in August 2017.
The Rose Hotel Chicago O’Hare, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton in Rosemont, Illinois, appointed Michelle Marvin director of sales and catering. Marvin has held positions at hotel brands including Marriott Schaumburg in Schaumburg, Illinois, Marriott International, Westin Chicago Northwest in Itasca, Illinois, and TPG Hotels and Resorts.
Kempinski Hotels appointed Julia Massey vice president global sustainability. She has consulted some of the world’s largest companies in the gas supply and oil derivatives sector, developing their sustainability strategies and communicating sustainability activities.
Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa in Gateway, Colorado, named Tim Mattos director of sales and marketing. Mattos had been general manager and director of sales at Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Broomfield, Colorado.
Michael Medeiros is general manager of Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Medeiros has been with Sonesta for more than 29 years, serving as the corporate food and beverage lead on all new hotel acquisitions and openings from May 2014 through 2018.
The Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington, now rebranded as The Centennial by Davenport Hotels, consolidated its sales team after the recent purchase of Hotel Red Lion at the Park, also in Spokane. Angela Mercado, previous director of sales at Hotel Red Lion, is now director of sales of the fused team. Meg Harper, who has been with Davenport Hotels for 18 years, is national group sales director, overseeing the Southeast U.S. region. Kamie Gylling is national group sales managers, overseeing the Midwest and Northeast regions. She has been with the company for 17 years, holding roles including corporate sales manager. With 34 years of hospitality experience, Ginny Whiffen is national group sales manager overseeing the Western region.
Hospitality Ventures Management Group in Atlanta named Andrew Pace senior vice president of business development. Prior to joining the company, Pace was senior vice president at Strand Hospitality.
Diana Plazas-Trowbridge is chief sales and marketing officer for Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America. Plazas-Trowbridge joined Marriott in 2015 as vice president, brand, marketing and digital, Caribbean and Latin America.
Luis Polanco joined Boulud Sud Miami in the JW Marriott Marquis Miami as executive chef. Polanco recently was executive sous chef at Café Boulud in Palm Beach, Florida.
Remington Hotels appointed Tom Riley senior vice president of business development. Riley joined from Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants where he was vice president – development.
Jonathan Andrew Ross became managing director of the Brenton Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel opening in June in Newport, Rhode Island. Ross recently was regional director of sales and marketing, New England for Auberge Resorts Collection.
Mark Sands is vice president of wellness at Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. Sands joined the group in 2011 as area spa director.
Kempinski named Corinna Saur vice president corporate human resources. Saur formerly was corporate director of human resources and training at Vienna House, hotels owner and operator of 51 hotels across Europe.
Mark Sergot is vice president of sales operations and enablement at InterContinental Hotels Group. Previously, Sergot was chief sales officer for Associated Luxury Hotels International.
Waterford Hotel Group promoted Stephanie Simmons to director of sales at the Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Simmons had been director of catering at Marriott Hartford Downtown in Hartford, Connecticut.
Access Hotels & Resorts appointed Fran Taloricco chief development officer. Prior to joining Access, Taloricco was managing director of North American Development for Best Western Hotels & Resorts.
Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, California, named Kelly Teo director of sales and marketing. Teo most recently spearheaded the pre-opening of the St. Regis Hotel in Hong Kong.
Four Seasons Resort Nevis in Nevis, West Indies, named Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Regional Vice President Yvette Thomas-Henry general manager. In addition to her role in Nevis, Thomas-Henry is also responsible for the operational oversight of several properties, including two Caribbean resorts. Prior to joining the resort, Thomas-Henry was general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta.
Lark Hotels named Peter Twachtman chief executive officer. Twachtman recently was chief operating officer at Migis Hotel Group.
Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia in Scottsdale, Arizona, named Oscar Valles chef de cuisine at Prado, and Andrew Allen sous chef at Prado. Valles has helped open upscale Scottsdale-area restaurants, including Hearth 61 at Mountain Shadows Resort and Harvest at Castle Hot Springs. Allen’s previous roles in Scottsdale include junior sous chef at Zin Bistro, sous chef at Isabella’s Kitchen and lead saucier at The Bohemian.
Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California, named Mike Waddell general manager. Waddell has spent 20 years at Hyatt, most recently as general manager of Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Absolute Hotel Services promoted Wayne Woods from general manager of Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to area general manager – Vietnam.