Jyoti Chopra is joining MGM Resorts International as its senior vice president, chief diversity and sustainability officer, a position in which she will drive the company’s social interest and sustainability efforts. She will also liaison to the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee for the company’s Board of Directors.
Omni Hotels & Resorts has promoted executives to assist in growing the company. Omni’s promotions include: Andrew Rubinacci to chief commercial officer, Dan Surette to chief sales officer, Phil Yi to vice president of marketing and communications, Dan Piotrowski to senior vice president of operations, Devin Burns to vice president of rooms and food and beverage, and David Harker to corporate executive chef.
Dan Briks is general manager of the Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza; he is responsible for leading hotel management, operations, and guest experience for the property. Briks was hotel manager for The Lexington Hotel, NYC, an Autograph Collection property, before joining the Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza.
Accor has promoted Nenad Praporski to general manager of the Fairmont Austin, where he will oversee strategic direction and operations for the hotel and its restaurants and event spaces. He was hotel manager prior to his promotion, which gave him background on his new position’s responsibilities.
Effective December 2, 2019, Richard Wales will be general manager of The St. Regis Deer Valley in Utah. Throughout his career, Wales has worked as director of operations for the Claremont Club & Spa in Berkeley, Calif., and as director of operations and director of rooms for The St. Regis Aspen Resort. He also spent 10 years working for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
Marcus Wilson has been promoted to general manager and Julie Panzella has been promoted to director of sales for the Homewood Suites by Hilton Orland Park, a First Hospitality property. Before working at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Orland Park, both Wilson and Panzella held positions within First Hospitality’s portfolio.
The Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach in Miami, Fla., has appointed Fernando Riviera general manager and Lizmary Perez director of sales. Riviera previously worked for the Kimpton EPIC Hotel, and Perez has worked in the sales and marketing departments for the Hilton Bentley Miami/South Beach and the Hilton Cabana Miami Beach.
Opening in early 2020, The Clancy, an Autograph Collection property in San Francisco, Calif., has named Dawn Taylor-Cole executive chef. Taylor-Cole will create a menu for the property’s restaurant prior to the hotel’s opening. Before The Clancy, she was executive chef at the Redwood Room.
Keith Steigerwald is director of operations for the W San Francisco, where he will lead the hotel post-renovation. Before the W San Francisco, Steigerwald was director of restaurants for the Marriot Harbor Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and before that, he worked for The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa.
Castlerock Asset Management has named Thomas Roman corporate director of food and beverage. In this position, he will develop strategies and lead operations for the Bobby Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., The Westin Nashville, and The Westin Tampa Bay. Roman was most recently director of nightlife operations for PUBLIC Hotel in New York, N.Y.
Axiom Hotel in San Francisco, Calif., a Sightline Hospitality property, has named Ryan Maru director of revenue management. Maru joins the Axiom Hotel from Yotel San Francisco, where he served on the hotel’s opening team. He has also worked for The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas in Princeville, Hawaii.
Bridget Denby has been named director of sales and marketing for the Renaissance Dallas Hotel. Before joining the Renaissance brand, Denby was director of sales for the Dallas/Fort Worth market for Marriott International. She also worked for the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center for seven years.
Sileshi Mengiste is managing director of The Estate Yountville, where he will oversee the property’s residential, food and beverage, outdoor, and meeting spaces. He was most recently associate senior vice president for Remington Hotels, where he created and implemented a recruiting system and individual property plans.
Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia has named Jocelin Meesenburg director of catering and conference services. She was previously director of event planning and director of catering for the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown for five years, and before that, spent eight years with Marriott International.
Elizabeth Friedel is marketing manager for the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, where she will promote the property. Friedel has graphic design experience, and during her career, she has started and run her own design consulting business, taught college courses, and was a marketing creative director for a publication.
Shamin Hotels is welcoming and promoting new associates at two of its properties. Martino DeStefano has been promoted from hotel manager to general manager of the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel. Jay Agustin has been hired to fill the hotel manager role. Carlene Sharkey has been promoted to general manager of the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront’s restaurant Catch 31, and Nancy Caparelli has been promoted to Front Office Manager of the same hotel. And Sara Sanders has been promoted to marketing director for the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront and the Hilton Garden Inn Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
Jyoti Chopra is joining MGM Resorts International as its senior vice president, chief diversity and sustainability officer, a position in which she will drive the company’s social interest and sustainability efforts. She will also liaison to the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee for the company’s Board of Directors.
Omni Hotels & Resorts has promoted executives to assist in growing the company. Omni’s promotions include: Andrew Rubinacci to chief commercial officer, Dan Surette to chief sales officer, Phil Yi to vice president of marketing and communications, Dan Piotrowski to senior vice president of operations, Devin Burns to vice president of rooms and food and beverage, and David Harker to corporate executive chef.
Dan Briks is general manager of the Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza; he is responsible for leading hotel management, operations, and guest experience for the property. Briks was hotel manager for The Lexington Hotel, NYC, an Autograph Collection property, before joining the Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza.
Accor has promoted Nenad Praporski to general manager of the Fairmont Austin, where he will oversee strategic direction and operations for the hotel and its restaurants and event spaces. He was hotel manager prior to his promotion, which gave him background on his new position’s responsibilities.
Effective December 2, 2019, Richard Wales will be general manager of The St. Regis Deer Valley in Utah. Throughout his career, Wales has worked as director of operations for the Claremont Club & Spa in Berkeley, Calif., and as director of operations and director of rooms for The St. Regis Aspen Resort. He also spent 10 years working for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
Marcus Wilson has been promoted to general manager and Julie Panzella has been promoted to director of sales for the Homewood Suites by Hilton Orland Park, a First Hospitality property. Before working at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Orland Park, both Wilson and Panzella held positions within First Hospitality’s portfolio.
The Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach in Miami, Fla., has appointed Fernando Riviera general manager and Lizmary Perez director of sales. Riviera previously worked for the Kimpton EPIC Hotel, and Perez has worked in the sales and marketing departments for the Hilton Bentley Miami/South Beach and the Hilton Cabana Miami Beach.
Opening in early 2020, The Clancy, an Autograph Collection property in San Francisco, Calif., has named Dawn Taylor-Cole executive chef. Taylor-Cole will create a menu for the property’s restaurant prior to the hotel’s opening. Before The Clancy, she was executive chef at the Redwood Room.
Keith Steigerwald is director of operations for the W San Francisco, where he will lead the hotel post-renovation. Before the W San Francisco, Steigerwald was director of restaurants for the Marriot Harbor Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and before that, he worked for The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa.
Castlerock Asset Management has named Thomas Roman corporate director of food and beverage. In this position, he will develop strategies and lead operations for the Bobby Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., The Westin Nashville, and The Westin Tampa Bay. Roman was most recently director of nightlife operations for PUBLIC Hotel in New York, N.Y.
Axiom Hotel in San Francisco, Calif., a Sightline Hospitality property, has named Ryan Maru director of revenue management. Maru joins the Axiom Hotel from Yotel San Francisco, where he served on the hotel’s opening team. He has also worked for The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas in Princeville, Hawaii.
Bridget Denby has been named director of sales and marketing for the Renaissance Dallas Hotel. Before joining the Renaissance brand, Denby was director of sales for the Dallas/Fort Worth market for Marriott International. She also worked for the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center for seven years.
Sileshi Mengiste is managing director of The Estate Yountville, where he will oversee the property’s residential, food and beverage, outdoor, and meeting spaces. He was most recently associate senior vice president for Remington Hotels, where he created and implemented a recruiting system and individual property plans.
Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia has named Jocelin Meesenburg director of catering and conference services. She was previously director of event planning and director of catering for the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown for five years, and before that, spent eight years with Marriott International.
Elizabeth Friedel is marketing manager for the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, where she will promote the property. Friedel has graphic design experience, and during her career, she has started and run her own design consulting business, taught college courses, and was a marketing creative director for a publication.
Shamin Hotels is welcoming and promoting new associates at two of its properties. Martino DeStefano has been promoted from hotel manager to general manager of the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel. Jay Agustin has been hired to fill the hotel manager role. Carlene Sharkey has been promoted to general manager of the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront’s restaurant Catch 31, and Nancy Caparelli has been promoted to Front Office Manager of the same hotel. And Sara Sanders has been promoted to marketing director for the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront and the Hilton Garden Inn Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
