News | A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

Hotel News Now twice a month features a roundup of new hires and promotions in the hotel industry for U.S.-based positions. To be included in the next roundup, email HNN’s Dan Kubacki.

In the Spotlight
-	Arash Azarbarzin, president and COO, Proper Hospitality 10 May 2017 New hire Azarbarzin spent the last 12 years as president of SBE Hotel Group. He also has past industry experience with St. Regis, Four Seasons and W Hotels & Resorts.

Executives
-	Calvin Anderson, SVP and chief of revenue optimization; Red Lion Hotels Corporation 23 May 2017 New hire Anderson previously worked as VP of managed services at Duetto.
-	Kevin Carey, EVP and COO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association 16 May 2017 New hire Carey’s most recent position was managing director of The Americas at American Express.
-	Achim Lenders, SVP of operations, Americas and Europe, Rosewood Hotel Group 11 May 2017 New hire Lenders previously worked as global VP of food and beverage at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
-	Andrew Skobe, EVP and CFO, Carlson Hotels 11 May 2017 New hire Skobe’s most recent position was EVP and CFO at private equity Croscill Home.
-	Cory Ingram, SVP of creative, Dream Hotel Group 10 May 2017 New hire Ingram last worked as founding principal and chief creative officer of Identity Atelier and designed The Restoration Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.
-	Eric de Neef, EVP and global chief branding and commercial officer, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group 10 May 2017 De Neef was transitioned from Rezidor Hotel Groups’s EVP and chief commercial officer of Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
-	Christian Cooper, VP of information technology, Dream Hotel Group 10 May 2017 New hire Cooper recently worked as regional director of IT at Highgate.
-	Craig Lovett, VP of development, Trinity Investments 9 May 2017 New hire Lovett previously worked as VP of design and development at Prince Resorts Hawaii.

GMs
-	Jeremy Schaeffer, GM of the Westin Chicago Northwest; Itasca, Illinois 23 May 2017 New hire Schaeffer has held various operational and sales positions at Illinois hotels in the O’Hare and Downtown Chicago markets.
-	Sam Lucas, GM of Holiday Inn Charlotte University Place; Charlotte 23 May 2017 Promotion Lucas was promoted from the property’s director of rooms. He also worked for the Holiday Inn Charlotte Center City.
-	Paul Nash, managing director, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort; Miami Beach, Florida 18 May 2017 New hire Nash’s most recent position was corporate director of operations at the Al Khozama Management Company in the Middle East.
-	Philipp Knuepfer, GM of Mandarin Oriental Boston; Boston 18 May 2017 New hire Knuepfer previously worked as hotel manager of the Mandarin Oriental Washington D.C. He has also held prior positions at Mandarin Oriental properties in the Asia/Pacific.
-	Benjamin Duverge, GM of The Marker; San Francisco 17 May 2017 New hire Duverge previously worked as GM of Viceroy Princes’ Island Istanbul and Viceroy Palm Jumeirah Dubai.
-	Douglas Rucker, managing director, The Modern Honolulu; Honolulu 17 May 2017 New hire Rucker leaves his position of managing director at Human Hospitality Advisors to join The Modern Honolulu. He also previously worked as GM of The whaler on Ka’anapali Beach in Lahaina, Maui.
-	Kelly Hoen, area GM, Outrigger Waikiki Beach resort and Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort; Honolulu 17 May 2017 New hire Hoen’s most recent position as GM of The Modern Honolulu in Waikiki. She has also held past GM positions at The Royal Hawaiian and Princeville Resort.
-	Abe Liao, GM of Kimpton The Rowan Palm Springs; Palm Springs, California 17 May 2017 New hire Liao previously worked as GM at the Kimpton George Hotel in Washington, D.C.
-	Matt Herod, GM of Salmon Falls Resort; Ketchikan, Alaska 15 May 2017 New hire Herod has worked in the Alaskan hotel industry for 10 years.
-	Michael Keller, GM of Yellowstone National Park Lodges 11 May 2017 New hire Keller has worked for Xanterra Parks & Resorts for 28 years including a previous stint at Yellowstone and at Crater Lake National Park.
-	Jim Mauer, GM of the Mayfair Hotel & Spa, Coconut Grove, Florida 11 May 2017 New hire Mauer has spent time in independent counseling but also worked as managing director at Eden Roc in South Beach and as GM of Bonaventure Resort & Spa.
-	Joel Darr, GM of the Omni Interlocken Hotel; Broomfield, Colorado 11 May 2017 New hire Darr previously worked as GM of the Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria in Atlanta.
-	Sara Davis-Zapata, GM of the Marriott AC Hotel Chicago Downtown; Chicago 11 May 2017 New hire Davis-Zapata’s most recent position was GM of Chicago’s Raffaello Hotel.

Sales and Marketing
-	Christine Delgado, director of sales and marketing, Kimpton The Rowan Palm Springs; Palm Springs, California 17 May 2017 New hire Delgado previously worked as director of sales and marketing at Riviera Palm Springs.
-	Michael Briggs, director of sales, Salmon Falls Resort; Ketchikan, Alaska 15 May 2017 New hire Briggs has held past positions with the Alaskan Sport Fishing Industry and local convention and visitors bureau.

F&B
-	Justin Fitzsimons, food-and-beverage manager, Lodge on the Desert; Tucson, Arizona 10 May 2017 New hire Fitzsimons has held various culinary positions at restaurants in Oregon, California and Arizona.

Human Resources
-	Sylvia Deer, director of associate services, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa; Austin, Texas 17 May 2017 Promotion Deer was promoted from the resort’s assistant director of associate services. Before joining the resort in 2016, Deer worked as director of human resources at Crystal Bay Casino in Crystal Bay, Nevada.
Miscellaneous
-	Miranda Mankarious, executive meeting manager, Luxe Hotels 18 May 2017 New hire Mankarious’ most recent position was convention services and marketing coordinator at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles.
-	Tom Chagnon, director of finance, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa; Austin, Texas 17 May 2017 New hire Chagnon spent the previous 13 years as a director of finance for various Starwood properties in the southeastern U.S., including his most recent position with the Westin Hilton Head.
-	Riaan Nel, director of operations, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa; Austin, Texas 17 May 2017 New hire Nel will manage operations of the resort’s Barton Creek Country Club. His most recent position was GM of the Auburn Hills Marriott in Pontiac, Michigan.
-	Anthony McHale, managing director of The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel; New York City 17 May 2017 New hire McHale’s most recent position was GM of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai.
-	Patricia Rosentreter, corporate director of brand communications, Americas and Europe, Rosewood Hotel Group 16 May 2017 New hire Rosentreter joins Rosewood after a twelve-year career at The Peninsula Hotels. Her most recent position was regional director of brand communications.
-	Sheila Buciuman, director of operations, The St. Regis Atlanta; Atlanta 15 May 2017 New hire Buciuman has held various hospitality positions with the Ritz-Carlton brand, including as executive assistant manager of the rooms division at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead.
-	Matt Bauchle, front-office manager, Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza Hotel; Kansas City, Missouri 9 May 2017 New hire Bauchle previously worked as assistant front-office manager at the St. Louis Marriott Airport Hotel.

-Compiled by Dan Kubacki.

A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

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