A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

In the Spotlight

Rajiv Castellino, chief technology officer, Marcus Hotels & Resorts
2 November 2017
New hire
Castellino’s most recent position was chief information officer for Great Wolf Resorts.

Brian Czarnecki, COO, Camelback Resort, Tannersville, Pennsylvania
10 November 2017
Promotion
Czarnecki was promoted from the resort’s VP of sales and marketing.

Robert Cheng, VP of brand marketing and communications, Rosewood Hotel Group
9 November 2017
New hire
Cheng previously worked as group VP of marketing for Peninsula Hotels and prior to that was director of sales and marketing at The Peninsula Shanghai.

Lila Hedlund, VP of HR operations, Concord Hospitality
8 November 2017
Promotion
Hedlund began her hospitality career with Marriott International and first joined Concord in 2009.

Claire Bennett, chief marketing officer, IHG
6 November 2017
New hire
Bennett spent the previous 11 years in various marketing positions with American Express.

Justin Magazine, VP of business operations, PM Hotel Group
3 November 2017
New hire
Magazine previously worked as managing director of the hospitality group at Savills Studley and before that cofounded Humboldt Hospitality Advisors.

Joseph Del Guidice, VP of operations, PM Hotel Group
3 November 2017
New hire
Del Guidice previously worked as president of GF Management.

Erin Levzow, VP of marketing, Marcus Hotels & Resorts
2 November 2017
New hire
Levzow began her career at Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas and went on to work for MGM Resorts International.

Adriana Molina, VP of association sales, Teneo Hospitality Group
1 November 2017
New hire
Molina spent 25 years at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and led the company’s global sales office in Washington, D.C.

Michael Palmeri, SVP, head of investments and business development, KSL Resorts
31 October 2017
New hire
Palmeri previously worked as SVP and head of acquisitions and development at Loews Hotels.

Bryan DeCort, SVP of operations, Hotel Equities
30 October 2017
New hire
DeCort has prior management experience with Marriott International.

Greg Presley, VP of business development, Hotel Equities
30 October 2017
New hire
Presley previously held executive positions with Vision Hospitality Group and Alliance Hospitality Management.

Patrick Trainor, VP of projects and facilities, Hotel Equities
30 October 2017
New hire
Trainor’s most recent position was as project coordinator at Noble Investment Group.

David Rijos, GM of the Heritage Hotel & Convention Center; Southbury, Connecticut
6 November 2017
New hire
Rijos previously worked as GM of the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ryan Burkart, GM of the Hampton Inn Boston-Natick; Natick, Massachusetts
16 October 2017
New hire
Burkart most recently worked as GM at The Hotel Indigo Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mark Lindsey, director of national accounts, The Arizona Biltmore; Phoenix
9 November 2017
New hire
Lindsey has held past director of sales and marketing positions with Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort and The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa.

Paul Sposare, director of sales and marketing, Montage Beverly Hills; Beverly Hills, California
8 November 2017
New hire
Sposare previously worked as area director of sales and marketing at SBE New York and helped to rebrand The Martha Washington Hotel and The Redbury Hotel.

Alex Gregory, director of sales and marketing, Montage Palmetto Bluff; Bluffton, South Carolina
6 November 2017
New hire
Gregory’s most recent position was as director of sales and marketing at The Omni Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia.

Thomas Harrison, regional director of sales, Hotel Equities
30 October 2017
New hire
Harrison previously worked as a director of sales and marketing for Interstate Hotels & Resorts.

Caleb Lara, executive chef, The Essex, a Culinary Resort & Spa; Essex, Vermont
10 November 2017
New hire
Lara’s most recent position was as chef de cuisine at the Chatham Bars Inn in Chatham, Massachusetts.

T.J. Boyland, chef de cuisine, St. Regis San Francisco; San Francisco
8 November 2017
New hire
Boyland last worked as executive sous chef at the Michael Mina restaurant in San Francisco.

Christopher Damskey, executive chef, Montage Kapalua Bay; Kapalua Bay, Hawaii
7 November 2017
New hire
Damskey spent the past three years as chef de cuisine at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

John Shelton, director of food and beverage, Outrigger Resorts
2 November 2017
New hire
Shelton will lead F&B operations at both Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort and Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort. His hotel culinary career includes positions with Ritz-Carlton and Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Andrew Jay, food-and-beverage director, Ace Hotel New Orleans; New Orleans
2 November 2017
New hire
Jay previously worked as SVP for a resort complex in College Station, Texas, and has hospitality management experience at properties in New Jersey, Rhode Island, New Mexico and Texas.

Ashley Reese, executive chef, Canyon Ranch Tucson; Tucson, Arizona
1 November 2017
New hire
Reese has worked in various culinary positions with Loews Hotels and Resorts during the past seven years.

Todd Owen, executive chef, Canyon Ranch Lenox; Lenox, Massachusetts
1 November 2017
New hire
Owen spent the last three years as executive sous chef and executive pastry chef at Belterra Park Gaming and Entertainment Center in Cincinnati.

John Kujundzich, executive chef, Canyon Ranch Las Vegas; Las Vegas
1 November 2017
New hire
Kujundzich previously worked as assistant executive chef at the Red Rock Resort and Casino.