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US hospitality hires, promotions: Highgate hires Pete Sams as president

New hotel general managers in Florida and California
Corey Cohen (Hotel Maya), Rhonda Mestler (Mainsail Lodging & Development), Pete Sams (Highgate)
Corey Cohen (Hotel Maya), Rhonda Mestler (Mainsail Lodging & Development), Pete Sams (Highgate)
CoStar News
July 10, 2025 | 12:54 P.M.

Read the latest roundup of U.S.-based hires and promotions in the hotel industry.

Executives

Jason Reader

Jason Reader (Davidson Hospitality Group)
Jason Reader (Davidson Hospitality Group)

Chief operating officer
Davidson Hospitality Group
July 7, 2025
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Reader held the role of chief operating officer at Remington Hospitality, where he was promoted from senior vice president of operations to executive vice president and eventually chief operating officer. Previously, Reader served as chief operating officer at Magna Hospitality and spent 15 years with Pyramid Hotel Group in a variety of leadership roles.

Pete Sams

Pete Sams (Highgate)
Pete Sams (Highgate)

President
Highgate
July 7, 2025
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Sams served as the chief operating officer at Peregrine Hospitality, formerly KSL Resorts, where he led performance management, operational optimization and strategic direction of a rapidly expanding portfolio of luxury, lifestyle, resort, and select-service properties.

Jared Schlosser

Jared Schlosser (Peachtree Group)
Jared Schlosser (Peachtree Group)

Head of originations for commercial real estate and hotel lending
Peachtree Group
June 26, 2025
Promotion
Experience: Schlosser will take on this new role in addition to continuing his role as head of Peachtree Group's Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy, or CPACE, lending program.

Brandon Marshall

Brandon Marshall (Mainsail Lodging & Development)
Brandon Marshall (Mainsail Lodging & Development)

Vice president of sales and marketing
Mainsail Lodging & Development
June 25, 2025
Promotion
Experience: Marshall joined Mainsail in 2013 as the opening director of sales for the award-winning Epicurean Hotel in Tampa, and brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the role. Prior to joining Mainsail, he held sales and catering leadership positions with Marriott International, Wyndham Hotels and Harvard University.

Rhonda Mestler

Rhonda Mestler (Mainsail Lodging & Development)
Rhonda Mestler (Mainsail Lodging & Development)

Senior director of commercial strategy
Mainsail Lodging & Development
June 25, 2025
Promotion
Experience: Mestler was formerly the corporate director of revenue for Mainsail. Since joining Mainsail in 2010 as revenue manager, Mestler has played a key role in advancing the company’s revenue strategy.

General managers

Burak Sezgin

Burak Sezgin (Amrit Ocean Resort)
Burak Sezgin (Amrit Ocean Resort)

General manager
Amrit Ocean Resort
Palm Beach County, Florida
July 7, 2025
New hire
Experience: Prior to joining Amrit Ocean Resort, Sezgin served as vice president of hospitality operations at Sharfi Holdings, where he oversaw a portfolio of luxury resorts, elite marinas, fine-dining venues and exclusive events.

David Emig

General manager
Appellation Healdsburg
Healdsburg, California
June 23, 2025
New hire
Experience: Emig's tenure with Four Seasons — spanning leadership roles across Asia, Europe and the U.S. — and his most recent role as general manager at Sensei Lana’i, reflect a career dedicated to elevating guest experiences and nurturing high-performing teams.

Sales and marketing

Doug McLain

Doug McLain (Windrose on Hudson)
Doug McLain (Windrose on Hudson)

Senior director of brand, marketing and sales
Windrose on Hudson
Ossining, New York
July 8, 2025
New hire
Experience: In his most recent role as manager of strategic accounts at Brandlive, McLain oversaw strategic account management and C-level marketing event communications for a portfolio of Fortune 500 clients.

Jill Klinsport

Director of sales and marketing
Trump International Beach Resort Miami
Miami
June 30, 2025
New hire
Experience: Prior to joining the resort, Klinsport held sales roles at Marriott International, representing a portfolio of three hotels totaling 831 rooms and 22,000 square feet of meeting space. She later joined Highgate Hotels, where she oversaw various properties, spearheading efforts to reposition each hotel, restructure sales and marketing teams, and drive year-over-year revenue growth while enhancing brand visibility.

Mike Kovensky

Mike Kovensky (Hilton Anatole)
Mike Kovensky (Hilton Anatole)

Director of sales and marketing
Hilton Anatole
Dallas
June 25, 2025
New hire
Experience: Kovensky joins the Hilton Anatole team with more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, bringing a proven track record of driving revenue growth, building strategic partnerships and leading high-performing sales teams. Prior to joining the Anatole, Kovensky held several senior leadership roles at prominent Hilton properties across the country.

Emily Reynolds

Director of sales and marketing
The Compton
Bentonville, Arkansas
June 25, 2025
New hire
Experience: Reynolds brings a proven track record of transforming commercial performance across a diverse portfolio of hotels, from boutique openings to nationally branded properties. In her most recent role at Phoenix American Hospitality, she oversaw sales and revenue strategy for six hotels throughout Arkansas and Louisiana, generating more than $31 million in annual revenue.

Food and beverage

Corey Cohen

Corey Cohen (Hotel Maya)
Corey Cohen (Hotel Maya)

Director of restaurants and mixology
Hotel Maya
Long Beach, California
June 26, 2025
New hire
Experience: Prior to joining Hotel Maya, Cohen served as food and beverage outlet manager at Hyatt Regency Los Angeles, where he implemented operational improvements and introduced a refreshed cocktail program.

Glenda Hernandez

Glenda Hernandez (National Landing Hotel Crystal City)
Glenda Hernandez (National Landing Hotel Crystal City)

Senior food and beverage manager
National Landing Hotel Crystal City
Arlington, Virginia
June 26, 2025
New hire
Experience: Hernandez most recently served as the senior food and beverage director for the Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport.

Anoop Nathoo

Anoop Nathoo (National Landing Hotel Crystal City)
Anoop Nathoo (National Landing Hotel Crystal City)

Executive chef
National Landing Hotel Crystal City
Arlington, Virginia
June 26, 2025
New hire
Experience: Nathoo is an accomplished executive chef with a distinguished career that spans premier hotels, luxury cruise lines and international culinary landscapes. Renowned for his innovative approach to contemporary cuisine, Nathoo crafts exceptional dining experiences that resonate with guests worldwide.

Katia Soujol

Katia Soujol (Kimpton Gray Hotel)
Katia Soujol (Kimpton Gray Hotel)

Executive chef
Kimpton Gray Hotel
Chicago
June 18, 2025
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Soujol served as executive sous chef of food and beverage at the InterContinental Boston, where she led kitchen operations and helped enhance the hotel’s dining experience through her globally influenced approach.

Miscellaneous

Henk Jeurink

Henk Jeurink (Hilton Anatole)
Henk Jeurink (Hilton Anatole)

Hotel manager
Hilton Anatole
Dallas
June 25, 2025
Promotion
Experience: Jeurink was promoted from his previous role as director of food and beverage at Hilton Anatole, where he successfully oversaw the hotel’s acclaimed banquet program, on-site dining venues and large-scale culinary operations.

To be included in an upcoming Hotel News Now U.S. Hires and Promotions List, email Associate Editor Trevor Simpson here.

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