David Duncan has been appointed president and CEO of First Hospitality. Duncan has been an integral part of First Hospitality’s growth since he joined the company as president in June 2018. Duncan’s background is in both real estate and hospitality, having held senior-level positions for companies including Denihan Hospitality Group and JC Resorts.
David Woolenberg has been promoted to CEO from president and chief operating officer of Duetto. Woolenberg will continue to lead business growth strategy and operations and will join the company’s Board of Directors. He joined Duetto as chief revenue officer in 2018 and was promoted to president and COO a year later after a period of record growth.
Sage Hospitality Group has named Daniel del Olmo president of its management division, Sage Hotel Management. As president, del Olmo is strengthening the hotel and restaurant operations, as well as financial goals and growth strategies. He is joining Sage after co-founding The Passionality Group.
David Martin has been named COO of Vision Hospitality Group, Inc. As COO, Martin will lead administrative, managerial, and operational executives. In his 30-year career, he has been a leader for hospitality companies including Kimpton, Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. He was most recently president of the centralized service hotel division for Sunwing Travel Group.
Founder and president of Marin Management, Inc., John Manderfield, is retiring on August 31, 2020, culminating a 50-plus-year hospitality career. During his transition, Manderfield will work in an advisory role until his official retirement in August. He started Marin Management in 1990 and sold it in 2018 to Hogan Hospitality Group.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has promoted Heather Balsley to SVP of global loyalty and partnerships. Balsley is responsible for IHG’s loyalty program, as well as global scalability and strategic growth. Filling Balsley’s previous position of SVP of global marketing, mainstream brands, is Jennifer Gribble, who is tasked with leading brand strategies and performance.
Kanvar Singh has been promoted to VP of operations for Dream Hotel Group. Singh started his career with Dream Hotel Group as a front desk agent for The Time New York in 2002, and he most recently held the title of area managing director for the same hotel, The Time Nyack, and Dream Midtown.
CoralTree Hospitality has announced Joe Won VP of business development. Won mostly recently lead acquisitions and portfolio management for CIM Group’s hospitality division in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, and Oakland. During his career, he has worked in real statement investment and financial positions for various hotel brands.
Alison Bybee will be creating concepts and managing restaurant outlets as VP of restaurants for Hostmark Hospitality Group (HHG). Bybee was a managing partner for Strong Like Bull Consulting before joining HHG. During her career, she was also director of food and beverage for the Conrad Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Radisson Hotel Group has made two executive leadership announcements for the Radisson Blu brand. Edean Kam and Alex Francis are leading daily operations and hotel team members as general manager of the Radisson Blu Mall of America and Radisson Blu Minneapolis Downtown, respectively.
Joseph Cardone is general manager for the Embassy Suites by Hilton Crystal National Airport, where he is leading guest services, hotel administration, daily operations, and marketing. Cardone was most recently general manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Washington D.C.—Crystal City.
The Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto, Calif., has named Brayton Gosling general manager. Before joining the Garden Court Hotel, Gosling held the same position for the Hotel Los Gatos, where he assisted in developing the management team. He was also a hotel manager and front office manager for Hotel Los Gatos.
Resort at Squaw Creek is a luxury property in Squaw Valley of Lake Tahoe, Calif., and Greg Gooding has recently been named its general manager, leading its restaurants, golf course, and guest services. Gooding was VP of operations for Pyramid Hotel Group and VP and area managing director for The Wigwam Arizona.
Jacob Musyt is director of food and beverage for the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. Musyt previously held the same role for the Waldorf Astoria Park City, Utah. In this position, he is overseeing the entirety of food and beverage outlets at the hotel, including in-house restaurants, in-room dining, and catering services.
Fairmont Century Plaza has appointed Brenda Urban director of public relations. The hotel is also welcoming a new culinary team: Daniel Sabo is director of food and beverage, Atticus Garant is executive chef, Jason Franey is executive chef of the French brasserie Lumière, Michael Aguilar is executive pastry chef, and CJ Catalano is beverage manager.
Estelle Mapp is director of sales and marketing for Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa, a Benchmark Gemstone Collection property in Vero Beach, Fla. Before joining Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa, Mapp worked for Coldwell Banker Paradise of Vero Beach, and during her career, she was director of sales and marketing for two hotels.
Liz Adams is director of sales and marketing for 907 Main, a boutique property in the Cambridge, Mass., Central Square neighborhood. Adams was previously VP of marketing for Associated Luxury Hotels International for the past two years, and during her career, she was director of sales and marketing for XV Beacon and a Hilton sales manager.
Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla., has announced Marcos De La O’ director of finance. He will be responsible for all financial planning, analysis, and capital improvements for the property. Before his new position at Innisbrook Resort, he worked for Crescent Hotels and Resorts’ Horseshoe Bay Resort.
Julie Coker is president and CEO for the San Diego Tourism Authority; she is succeeded Joe Terzi, who has retired. In this role, Coker will lead the organization’s management and strategic development strategies. Before her new positions, she was president and CEO of the Philadelphia CVB.
Southern Aluminum has promoted Ted Nelson to vice president of national accounts and Casey Whitehead to director of national accounts. In addition to its promotions, Southern Aluminum has named five new regional sales directors: Christina Burnett in Florida; Dawn Migliore in New York and New Jersey; Gabrielle Rooffener in northern California and Nevada; Cody Schaefer in Illinois and Wisconsin; and John Utz in Tennessee, Georgia, and Kentucky.
Cooper Hotels is restructuring its leadership team: Geoff Thompson has been promoted to vice president of operations from general manager and regional director of development operations; Andy Laubscher has been promoted to corporate director of operations from corporate director of food and beverage; Shannon Dilworth has been promoted to director of revenue management from revenue management specialist; and Becky Montoya has been promoted to corporate training chef.
Keno Helmi is CCO for Pegasus, a technology provider for the hospitality industry. Helmi’s responsibilities include planning and developing growth plans and executive business strategies. He will also lead new business model creation, direct team members, and supervise corporate strategies.
