Virgin Hotels is welcoming two new hires to its executive leadership team. Leslie Kaminski is vice president of sales, and her responsibilities include leading sales strategies and seeking new opportunities. Rory Lowe is vice president of finance, and he will drive profitability for the company. Both Kaminski and Lowe join Virgin Hotels from Two Roads Hospitality.
William Schultz is executive chef for the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park, where he will manage special events, banquets, and in-room dining operations. In this role, he is also presenting two new menus. Schultz was senior sous chef for the Fairmont Austin prior to the Fairmont Millennium Park.
Sage Hospitality has promoted Tiffany Owen to area general manager; in this role, she will supervise four properties in downtown Denver including Denver Union Station, The Crawford Hotel, The Oxford Hotel, and The Oxford Club, Spa, & Salon. Kersten Sommer-Raza has also been hired as are director of sales and marketing, leading two downtown Denver hotels.
Wesley Clark is general manager of the Embassy Suites by Hilton South Bend at Notre Dame, and he will lead operations for the property’s suites, guest services, hotel administration, and marking initiatives. Most recently, Clark was director of operations for The Inn at Penn, a Hilton Hotel.
The Hampton Inn Pittsburgh Monroeville, a First Hospitality hotel, is welcoming general manager Meghan Mongelluzzo. Before joining this new property, Mongelluzzo was general manager for the Hotel Indigo Pittsburgh-Technology Center and, before that, for the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Altoona.
Israël Benyaïr is general manager of the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection, in Washington, Conn. In this role, he will lead the hotel through its planned 2020 renovation. Prior to the Mayflower Inn & Spa, he was hotel manager for the Mandarin Oriental, New York, and before that, the Mandarin Oriental, Geneva.
The Concord Courtyard by Marriott and Grappone Conference Center, N.H., a Duprey Hospitality hotel, has appointed Gail Batstone general manager. Batstone has 35 years of hospitality experience working in various hotel roles, and was most recently general manager for Mills Falls at the Lake.
Cherie Davis has been named general manager for The Advenire hotel in St. George, Utah, which is opening in February 2020. Davis has worked for hotel companies including Joie de Vivre, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels, and Omni Hotels and Resorts, and has assisted in both opening new hotels and repositioning brands during her career.
Abe Liao is general manager for the Kimpton Hotel Palomar Washington DC, where he will lead daily operations, guest satisfaction, and property amenities. During his career, Liao has opened several Kimpton properties in the United States, and was most recently general manager for the Kimpton Rowan Hotel in Palm Springs.
Paul Marsico is director of sales and marketing for the Somerset Hills Hotel, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property, in Warren, N.J., which is reopening in January 2020. In this position, Marsico will lead the sales team and create and implement sales and marketing strategies for the property.
The Hampton Inn Smyrna Beach in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., has named director of sales Lilli Sheller, and her responsibilities include leading group travel sales and total hotel revenue. Before this position, Sheller spent almost a decade working for various local and countrywide positions in the New Smyrna Beach market.
The wellness brand Canyon Ranch has named Grant Dipman managing director for the Canyon Ranch Tucson. Grant has over 25 years of experience in luxury hotels, primarily working with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Before this new position, Grant was general manager for The St. Regis Deer Valley.
Jimmy Palmer has been named chief operations officer for Stay Cal Hospitality, an independent lifestyle hotels collection based in California. During his career, Palmer worked for brands including Four Seasons and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and he has experience working in hotel operations and guest services.
Steve Tipton has been named vice president of the hospitality division of Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC. Tipton was previously vice president of sales and design for Innvision Hospitality, and before that, he led the hospitality division for Simmons Bedding. In his new role, he is responsible for two of the company’s hospitality bedding brands.
Coral Hospitality-GA, LLC, a management and investment company for the hospitality industry, has named Gary Garmany director of golf. He will lead golf operations for three properties in Georgia including George T. Bagby State Park & Lodge, Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club, and Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodge.
Mr. C Miami Coconut Grove has named Iris Acosta-Zobel vice president of sales and marketing, where she will lead relevant operations for the newly-opened hotel. In addition, Dahiana Alvarez has been named director of accounts, working in the corporate traveler and group accounts divisions.
