Accor has appointed Heather McCrory as its new CEO, North and Central America. McCrory will also serve as a member of the group’s executive committee. In her new position, McCrory will have strategic oversight for more than 115 hotels and more than 28,000 employees across North and Central America.
Here are more of the latest new hires and promotion in hospitality:
Tina Burnett has been promoted to divisional vice president of franchise operations for G6 Hospitality. Burnett is a hospitality veteran with over 20 years of leadership and franchise operations experience. She served as vice president of franchise strategy and development for the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands before her promotion.
Margaritaville Holdings has named Shamim Lodin director of hotel development for the company. Lodin will assist in expanding both the Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts and COMPASS portfolios in the Americas region. Lodin most recently worked with InterContinental Hotels Group.
Brian Bainum is joining the board of directors for Choice Hotels International. Bainum is currently a management consultant and a director for SunBridge Capital Management, LLC. Bainum has a background in real estate development and franchising and is also knowledgable on hotel development and operations.
Massimiliano Puglisi is now general manager of The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection, in Newport, R.I., where he will lead operations and guest experience for the 110-year-old hotel. Puglisi was most recently the hotel manager for The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, in New York City.
The Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center has appointed David Child general manager to lead the hotel’s teams. Child held the same position at the Bethesda Marriott prior to moving hotels. During his 30-year career, Child worked for brands including Renaissance and The Ritz-Carlton.
Sean Castady is general manager of Woodlark, a Provenance Hotels boutique property in Portland, Ore. Castady will supervise daily operations, quality management, and revenue generations. His 13 years of hotel management experience include regional director of hotel operations for 3 Aparium Hotel Group properties.
Sage Hospitality has named Dean Griffin general manager of the JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek. Prior to his new position, Griffin was hotel manager for the Loews Coronado Bay Resort. During his career, he also worked at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, and the InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa.
Michael Melendez is general manager of The DAYTONA, an Autograph Collection hotel. Melendez previously served in the same position at Playa Largo Resort & Spa in Key Largo. And at The DAYTONA, Melendez will be leading teams, property maintenance, and financial operations.
Kristin Duncan has been named general manager of the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel in Chicago’s theater district. Duncan most recently held the same position for the Chicago Marriot Oak Brook, the Oak Brook Hills Marriott Resort, and the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort.
Endeavor Hospitality has appointed Melissa Minisci director of sales for the Courtyard New York Midtown West, opening this year. Minisci will lead strategic and tactical sales efforts and plan longterm for the property’s future. She has worked as director of sales and marketing at the Element Times Square during her career.
Katherine Saad-Loman is the new director of sales and marketing for both the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington D.C. and Kimpton George Hotel. Saad-Loman’s responsibilities include creating sales and marketing strategies and activities, managing key corporate accounts, and leading sales, catering, and events teams for both hotels.
Naples Grand Beach Resort is welcoming Melinda Hutchins to lead destination services and sales as director of sales and marketing. Hutchins previously spent 13 years as director of group sales for the Trump National Doral Miami, and she has experience with Marriott International and Trump Hotels.
Distinctive Hospitality Group and the VERVE-Crowne Plaza Boston-Natick have named Amanda Solomon senior catering manager. Solomon’s experience is largely in customized social event planning and menu guidance. Before her new position, Solomon served as director of catering operations for Lasting Impression.
Kevin Davis is now executive chef of the Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta and Sonesta ES Suites Gwinnett Place. Davis was previously executive chef for the Callaway Resort & Gardens, where he managed culinary programming and teams; he also has tenured with Wyndham Worldwide Hotels & Resorts.
Panzano northern Italian eatery at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver is welcoming Logan Stephenson to refine the menu as executive chef. During his career, Stephenson worked as executive chef of SaltRock in Sedona and Blue Hound Kitchen, another Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants property.
Matthew La Vine is the new managing director of the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, the flagship Sun Hill Properties hotel. La Vine was recently appointed president and chief executive officer of Sun Hill Properties, Inc., and he will assist in growing the hotel’s operations as managing director.
Paséa Hotel & Spa is welcoming Ed Christensen as director of food and beverage, where his responsibilities include leveraging culinary and beverage operations for the property. Christensen was previously director of catering and event services for the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and The Hotel Del Coronado.
Paola Moreno is now director of the food and beverage program at Hotel Erwin, where she will lead the High Rooftop Lounge and the new on-site restaurant Erwin’s Kitchen & Cocktails. Moreno will also manage hotel events, catering, room service, and service standards in this new position.
Hunter Jones is the new sales and cultural programming coordinator for the Kimpton Goodland in Goleta, Calif. His responsibilities include planning on-site events and activities that enhance the guest experience, developing strategic partnerships, leading sales teams, and managing social media for the hotel.
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley in Avon, Colo., has named Elizabeth Elia event manager and has promoted Tom Davies to sales manager. Davies started at the hotel in 2015, working as guest service manager and reservations manager, and Elia was previously event manager for the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort.
Francis Vidal is the new director of aquatics for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property in Monticello, N.Y. Vidal has 10 years of leadership experience in hospitality, and during her career, she served as director of safety and security and director of aquatics for Great Wolf Lodge.
CrediVia, a cloud-based hospitality platform, has named Trusha Patel chief business development officer. Patel’s previous position was with TEN-X, and she comes to CrediVia with over 20 years of real estate experience. In this position, she will grow the company’s strategic partnerships and digital loan platform.
Kristen Adamo is the new president and chief operating officer for The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB), where she previously served as vice president of marketing and communications. Adamo started with the PWCVB in 2005, and has since successfully launched marketing initiatives and communications strategies.
Hotel fund management company Phoenix American Hospitality has named Jan Kuehnemann vice president of acquisitions and asset management. Kuehnemann will identify, evaluate, and recommend merger and acquisition candidates in her new position, and she was most recently vice president of capital transactions for FelCor Lodging Trust.
Opening in fall 2019, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain has named an executive team: Christopher Balaban is vice president of finance; Ryan Flieger is vice president of human resources; Anika Gaskins is vice president of marketing; Paul Mollo is vice president of table games; Matthew Morgan is vice president of IT; Will Provance is vice president of slot operations; and Kaywan Samadani is vice president of hospitality.
