Wyndham Hotels & Resorts made a series of leadership appointments to support its Asia Pacific (APAC) division: Rex Loh is vice president of commercial, APAC; Carl Weeis vice president, technical services, APAC; Eng San Quek is vice president, finance, APAC; Matthew Brosenne is vice president of human resources, APAC; and Joanne Simpson is vice president, legal, Southeast Asia and Pacific Rim (SEAPR).
“With decades of experience in the hospitality sector and deep knowledge across respective business functions, our senior leadership team of industry veterans is well poised to lead the APAC division with strategic insights and direction as we progress to the next stage of our growth and recovery,” said Joon Aun Ooi, president, APAC, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “I am confident that they will deliver tremendous value for the company, our hotels and our partners as we propel the business forward.”
Loh, who has more than two decades of experience, previously held leadership roles with Marriott, IHG and Shangri-La. Wee served as Wyndham’s senior director, design, planning and construction, Greater China, from 2013 to 2018. Prior to his current role, he was vice president, project management with CapitaLand Group. Quek has 20 years’ experience in hospitality finance encompassing finance, accounting and FPA, and also held leadership roles in IHG. Brosenne has worked in Asia for more than 25 years. Simpson will continue to oversee the legal function in SEAPR, providing legal advice across all commercial contracts and acquisitions, as well as franchise and management agreements to support the company’s expansion plans in the SEAPR sub-region.
Wyndham also structured its operations team to support managed and franchised hotels across the APAC division. Ben Schumacher was promoted to vice president, operations, SEAPR; Edward Wang is vice president, operations, Greater China; and Keegan Chwa is senior director, managed operations, APAC.
Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group and Pendry West Hollywood in West Hollywood, California, named Mark Andelbradt executive chef. Andelbradt is a longtime executive chef with Puck. He was executive chef at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Prior to joining the group, Andelbradt worked with Rick Tramonto in Chicago at Brasserie T and Tru, and with Daniel Boulud at Daniel New York in New York City.
Charlestowne Hotels promoted Matt Barba to corporate team as vice president of operations. Barba spent four years as Charlestowne’s regional director of operations, managing multiple properties and leading numerous openings and transitions. Since 2015, he has been general manager for the Charlestowne-managed Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, Illinois. After overseeing a complete property renovation, he worked to elevate the Inn’s service culture, as well as its food and beverage program. Prior to his time with Charlestowne, Barba coordinated the closing, liquidation and re-opening of The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, and developed various assets for the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Highline Hospitality Partners (HHP) named Charles Bordonaro and Jordan Scheiman managing directors. Bordonaro is responsible for sourcing, evaluating and capitalizing new acquisitions and investments, while Scheiman does the same for new debt investments. Throughout his career, Bordonaro has acquired more than US$800 million of full-service hospitality assets in primary and secondary markets and has acquired and developed more than US$5 billion of real estate nationally. Before joining HHP, Scheiman was vice president in the investment group of Rockbridge Capital and was part of a team responsible for leading the development and execution of strategic initiatives related to Rockbridge’s debt platform. He also previously served as director of Garrison Investment Group and vice president of Wells Fargo Bank.
Aimbridge Hospitality and its wholly-owned subsidiary Evolution Hospitality appointed John Caparella president of Evolution Hospitality. In his new role, Caparella will manage all facets of the Evolution Hospitality division, including a portfolio of lifestyle, luxury and independent hotels. With more than 35 years of experience in the hotel and entertainment industries, some of Caparella’s recent roles include chief executive officer of VSS Southern Theaters, and principal at Redmont Hospitality, where he focused on asset management, due diligence, distressed property analysis and management. Prior to that, Caparella was executive vice president of venue management for the Madison Square Garden Co., responsible for operations for the company’s portfolio of venues. In the past he served as president and chief operating officer for The Venetian, The Palazzo and Sands Expo complex in Las Vegas, and as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Gaylord Hotels.
Peachtree Hotel Group named Jamey Cua vice president of business development for its hotel operations and management division, Peachtree Hospitality Management (PHM). In the newly created role, Cua will generate growth in third-party management partnerships by leveraging industry relationships and identifying new management opportunities. Prior to joining Peachtree, Cua oversaw Sage Hospitality’s third-party, managed development throughout the U.S. as senior vice president. Before that, he was vice president of development for Marriott International, and senior director of development for Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
McKibbon Hospitality appointed Gina Fedotova general manager of Hampton Inn & Suites Orlando Airport at Gateway Village in Orlando, Florida. Fedotova most recently was general manager of the Residence Inn Orlando Convention Center, where she oversaw operations, including a complete renovation of the hotel’s guestrooms and public spaces. Prior to her time at the Residence Inn, Fedotova was first assistant general manager, then general manager of the Fairfield Inn Orlando Airport.
Canyon Ranch appointed Mike Fulkerson chief marketing officer. Fulkerson, who has more than two decades of hospitality and consumer marketing experience, most recently served as the Asia Pacific vice president of marketing for Marriott International, based in Hong Kong. Prior to that, he was Asia Pacific head of marketing for Mattel. Before his move to Hong Kong, Fulkerson held brand, marketing and product management roles at the global headquarters for Mattel and Activision in Los Angeles.
Sandro Gamba is executive chef of The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, Japan. Gamba most recently was director of culinary operations at Rosewood Hong Kong and executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong, China. Gamba has opened restaurants in more than 20 hotels around the world throughout his 34-year career.
Roman Goetsch is general manager of One&Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius. Goetsch joined One&Only from Hotel Bristol in Warsaw, Poland, a Luxury Collection hotel. Prior to that, he was general manager for The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa in Mauritius for five years. He spent the early part of his career in food and beverage and has held several management roles in locations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp. named Lori Gustafson executive vice president and chief brand and digital strategy officer. Gustafson is also a member of the company’s executive committee. Prior to her new role, Gustafson was senior vice president, global brands and digital for Wyndham Destinations. During her tenure there, she launched new branding for Wyndham Destinations and Panorama, and was responsible for the brand transformation of the global portfolio of more than 10 brands. Before Wyndham, Gustafson was corporate vice president of digital, e-commerce and media at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida, named David Hackett executive chef; Gladi Colon director of event management; Chris Andaur director of banquets; Amy Cohen complex director of revenue management; and Mark Cartotto complex director of security and risk management. Prior to this appointment, Hackett was executive chef at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Fort Washington, Maryland. Colon spent a decade with the Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, most recently as assistant director of events and catering. Andaur has spent his entire career with Hilton and recently served as director of banquets for Hilton Orlando. Cohen formerly served as complex director of revenue management for the Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Cartotto was director of safety and security for the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura, Florida.
William Haley is director of food and beverage of Hotel Cerro in San Luis Obispo, California. Before this appointment, Haley was general manager of the restaurant at Tin City in Paso Robles, California. Prior to that, Haley accumulated restaurant and managerial experience from his time in the Lake Tahoe area. He was general manager of the Truckee Hotel in Truckee, California. From there, he joined Vail Resorts, holding management positions at T.C.’s Pub and Tavern 6330, both at the Northstar Ski Resort in Truckee.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. named Mark Hehir general manager of Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands in the North Malé Atoll, set to open the second quarter of 2021. Hehir has more than 30 years’ experience in the Maldives. His first role in the region was with the pre-opening team of Hilton Rangali Island (now Conrad Maldives). Three years later, he joined Hilton Tokyo, Japan, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Following his time at Hilton, Hehir returned to the Maldives and took on his first general manager role at Huvafen Fushi by Per Aquum. He then joined Anantara to open two resorts in Indonesia and Thailand. Returning to the Maldives for the third time, Hehir worked at?One&Only?Reethi Rah as the general manager before becoming chief executive officer, partner and curator at The Small Maldives Island Co., which manages the two Baa Atoll resorts in the Maldives.
Edward Thomas Collection of Hotels appointed Charlie Lopez-Quintana general manager of Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, California. Lopez-Quintana has more than two decades of global hospitality experience, including three years at the hotel’s sister property, Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica. Before joining the Edward Thomas Collection of Hotels in 2017, Lopez-Quintana spent eight years at Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, where he was the executive director of resort operations. His career started with The Ritz-Carlton in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, where he helped open nine properties.
Hospitality Ventures Management Group named Javier Marquis director of sales and marketing for the AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach, opening the first quarter of 2021 in Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida. Marquis has spent more than a decade in South Florida’s hospitality industry, most recently as director of sales and marketing at The Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach. Prior to that, he held director and manager positions at other South Florida hotels, including Hotel Colonnade Coral Gables, Atton Brickell Miami by Novotel and Trump International Beach Resort in Sunny Isles Beach. Marquis worked with Hyatt Hotels in Texas and Hawaii before his time in Florida.
The Castell Project, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the careers of women in hospitality, named Tracy Prigmore to its board of directors. Prigmore founded TLTsolutions, a real estate and development firm focused on building new generational wealth, and launched She Has a Deal, a competition designed to create new pathways to hotel ownership and development for women by providing education, networking and investing opportunities. Prior to entering real estate, Prigmore spent 25 years as a health care executive and held senior leadership roles in strategic planning, business development and operations for three health care systems.
Benchmark named Jay Sheldon general manager of The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, a Gemstone Collection property in Manchester Village, Vermont. Sheldon previously was general manager of The Omni Richmond Hotel in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to this, he served as hotel manager of the Omni Fort Worth Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, a position he was promoted to after serving as the property’s director of operations.