White Lodging has named Jean-Luc Barone CEO of the hotel management company. Ken Barrett, who previously held the position, will continue to serve as president. Barone joined White Lodging in 2016 as the vice president of food and beverage, and he was most recently chief operating officer.
citizenM appointed Hendrik Jan Roel to chief financial officer and promoted Ernest Lee to chief growth officer, which is a new position for the company. Roel is assuming the role on May 1, 2022, and previously, Lee was the company’s managing director of the Americas; he begins his new position this month.
MGM Resorts International has announced the reappointment of Melonie Johnson as president and chief operating officer of MGM National Harbor. Johnson is overseeing the property’s daily operations, providing strategic direction and focus on employee engagement, and working on community relations.
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort and W Miami have appointed Winfred van Workum to market general manager. He has worked at hotels across the globe within The St. Regis and The Ritz-Carlton portfolios for 25 years. He will be overseeing all operations and team members for the property, including its dining concepts.
Pendry Hotels & Resorts has named Pascal Forotti general manager of Pendry Washington D.C.—The Wharf, scheduled to open in late 2022. Forotti joins the Pendry family with over 25 years of hospitality experience across the globe. Most recently, Forotti served as managing director of The Watergate Hotel.
Alila Napa Valley has appointed Dave Stevens to general manager of Acacia House. Stevens brings over 14 years of hospitality and culinary experience to the property. Prior to joining the team, Stevens was director of rooftop operations for Thomason Hotels in San Antonio, Texas. He also worked in Mexico, Washington, D.C., and Florida.
The JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort announced new Executive Chef Adam Haverland to join the property. Opened in August 2020, the property has multiple dining options that will be led by Haverland. Haverland has over 20 years of experience working in hospitality and tourism culinary programs.
Hotel Drover, an Autograph Collection Hotel by Marriott, appointed Devin Walline to executive chef and Jamel Taggart to director of hotel food and beverage operations. Walline will oversee culinary operations for the property, and Taggart will manage the property’s creative food and beverage development and operations.
Consuelo Vega has been appointed to executive chef of SaltRock Southwest Kitchen at Amara Resort and Spa in Sedona, Arizona. Vega has over a decade of hospitality experience working in multiple restaurant positions during her career including as a sous chef, a chocolatier, and a pastry chef.
Blossom Hotel Houston has appointed Tasir Bukhari to director of guest relations. With over 25 years of customer service experience, Bukhari joins the team from New York City where he was a member of both Les Clef d’Or organization of professional concierges and the New York City Association of Hotel Concierges.
The International Association of Visitor Information Providers announced DeAnne Mitchell of Official Guides of Savannah has been elected President for 2022. Mitchell manages a team of over 20 people across two different entities, Official Guides of Savannah and Convention Consultants, which provide services to the hospitality industry.
The Meetings Mean Business Coalition board of directors has selected Martha J. Sheridan, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, as its next co-chair. Effective January 2022, Sheridan will take part in guiding the coalition through a pivotal moment for the meetings industry.
RealTime Reservation LLC, a centralized inventory management software company for hotels and resorts, welcomes Dawn McGowan as senior account manager, responsible for luxury brands, asset-managed hotels, and resorts.
