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
-	Farrah Adams, COO, LBA Hospitality 9 May 2017 Promotion Adams has spent nearly 18 years with LBA Hospitality and was promoted from the position of SVP of hospitality.

Executives
-	Sebastien Silvestri, SVP of food and beverage, hotel division, SBE 8 May 2017 New hire Silvestri previously worked as VP of food and beverage at The Venetian and The Palazzo Casino Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas.
-	Timothy Smith, VP of operations and development, Broughton Hotels 4 May 2017 Promotion Smith was promoted from VP of operations at Broughton Hotels. Before joining the company in 2015, Smith worked as regional director of operations at Premier Hospitality.
-	Andrea Mue, EVP and CFO, Kokua Hospitality 2 May 2017 New hire Mue spent the previous 10 years with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, and most recently she held the position of CFO.
-	Leslie Lerude, SVP of people and culture, Kokua Hospitality 2 May 2017 New hire Lerude’s most recent position was VP of people at Revolution Foods. She started her career with Kimpton in F&B before transitioning into human resources.
-	David Hammarley, CFO, SBE 2 May 2017 New hire Hammarley worked as SVP of corporate finance at Marriott International following the company’s acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
-	Andréa Sorensen, VP of sales and marketing, Crescent Hotels & Resorts 27 April 2017 New hire Sorensen last worked as associate director of sales for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

GMs
-	Amy Isbell-Williams, GM of Ironworks Hotel Indy, Indianapolis 10 May 2017 New hire Before joining Ironworks Hotel Indy, Isbell-Williams worked as a GM for White Lodging Services, Dora Hotel Company and General Hotels Corporation.
-	Shane Nicolopoulos, GM of Andaz San Diego; San Diego 9 May 2017 New hire Nicolopoulos most recently worked as director of rooms at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale.
-	Tobias Arff, GM of The Darcy Washington D.C.; Washington, D.C. 8 May 2017 New hire Arff’s previous position was GM of Lorien Hotel & Spa in Alexandria, Virginia.
-	Ed Riley, GM of Stonewall Resort; Roanoke, West Virginia 3 May 2017 New hire Riley’s most recent position was GM of Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa in Vero Beach, Florida.
-	Mia Bell, GM of Grand Canyon, South Rim; Arizona 27 April 2017 New hire Bell joins the property after working as assistant GM at Yellowstone National Park. Bell is a 35-year veteran of Xanterra Parks and Resorts.
-	Jason Schlosser, GM of Chebeague Island Inn; Chebeague Island, Maine 27 April 2017 New hire Schlosser previously worked for TurnKey Vacation Rentals and managed properties in several Maine markets.
-	Christine Wechter, GM of Hotel EMC2; Chicago 26 April 2017 New hire Wechter is a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry and has held prior management positions at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide properties.

Sales and Marketing
-	Gayla Guyse, director of sales and marketing, Omni Frisco Hotel; Frisco, Texas 8 May 2017 New hire Guyse has worked with the Omni Hotels & Resorts brand for a total of 19 years.
-	Kelly McCourt, director of sales and marketing, The Darcy Washington D.C.; Washington, D.C. 8 May 2017 New hire McCourt’s most recent position was director of sales and marketing at The New York Edition hotel.
-	Ivan Tamayo, director of sales and marketing, The Adelphi Hotel; Saratoga Springs, New York 5 May 2017 New hire Tamayo previously worked as regional director of leisure and entertainment sales at the Gansevoort Hotel Group.
-	Kate Nawracaj, director of group sales for Midwest corporations and associations, Preferred Hotels & Resorts 4 May 2017 New hire Nawracaj’s most recent position was account director for global group sales at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
-	Juan Vicioso, director of sales and marketing, The Heldrich; New Brunswick, New Jersey 4 May 2017 New hire Vicioso previously worked as director of catering and convention services at the W New York and associate director of catering at the Westin Times Square.
-	Nina De Paz Rivera, director of sales and marketing, The Kimpton Everly; Los Angeles 2 May 2017 New hire Rivera has held past sales positions at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and The Redbury Hollywood & Vine.
-	Efren Aponte, director of sales and marketing, Ames Boston Hotel; Boston 27 April 2017 New hire Before joining the Ames Boston Hotel, Aponte worked as director of sales and marketing at Battery Wharf Hotel in Boston.
-	Jan Smith, director of sales and marketing, The Westin Jackson; Jackson, Mississippi 27 April 2017 New hire Smith has held prior sales positions at the Hilton Garden Inn King Edward Hotel and Embassy Suites Ridgeland.
-	Stefanie Rowe, director of sales and marketing, Hotel EMC2; Chicago 26 April 2017 New hire Rowe’s most recent position was director of sales and marketing at Fairfield Inn & Suites Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile.

F&B
-	James Morin, executive chef, Hyatt Regency Savannah; Savannah, Georgia 1 May 2017 New hire Morin will lead the hotel’s restaurant, Moss + Oak Savannah Eatery. His most recent position was executive sous chef at Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay and Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach.
-	Jillian Stevens, director of catering and events; Waldorf Astoria Chicago; Chicago 1 May 2017 New hire Stevens previously worked as a wedding specialist at the Boca Raton Resort & Club.
-	Whitney Dixon, senior catering sales manager; Waldorf Astoria Chicago; Chicago 1 May 2017 New hire Dixon has held past hospitality positions at First Hospitality Group and Hyatt Regency Chicago.
-	Brandon Brumback, executive chef, Hotel EMC2; Chicago 26 April 2017 New hire Brumback has cultivated culinary experience at restaurants in Napa Valley and Chicago.
-	Rebecca Royster, director of food and beverage, Hotel EMC2; Chicago 26 April 2017 New hire Royster previously worked in F&B for Hogsalt Hospitality and managed several Chicago bars and restaurants.
-	Lynn Pollock, director of catering and conference services, The Chattanoogan; Chattanooga, Tennessee 26 April 2017 New hire Pollock’s most recent position was assistant director of catering and conference services at the Grand Wailea Resort in Wailea, Maui, Hawaii.

Human Resources
-	Dave Ricci, director for human resources, Omni Frisco Hotel; Frisco, Texas 8 May 2017 New hire Ricci’s most recent position was director of human resources at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown.
-	Yesenia Salas, human resources manager, Hotel EMC2; Chicago 26 April 2017 New hire Salas previously worked at TheWit Chicago.
Miscellaneous
-	Ana Lanzas, director of communications and social media, Virgin Hotels 9 May 2017 New hire Lanzas’ most recent position was director of public relations and social media at Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
-	Taylor Jacobs, director of acquisitions and development, NewcrestImage 9 May 2017 New hire Jacobs worked in hotel acquisitions and portfolio analysis with RLJ Lodging Trust before joining NewcrestImage.
-	Lexy Coley, director of operations, Omni Frisco Hotel; Frisco, Texas 8 May 2017 New hire Coley held several leadership positions at the Omni Dallas Hotel before joining the Omni Frisco Hotel.
-	Ken Woods, director of finance, Omni Frisco Hotel; Frisco, Texas 8 May 2017 New hire Woods previously worked as director of finance at Omni Mandalay Hotel at Las Colinas.
-	Justin McNeely, director of engineering, Omni Frisco Hotel; Frisco, Texas 8 May 2017 New hire McNeely spent three years as director of engineering at Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West before accepting his new position with Omni Frisco Hotel.
-	Michael Salerno, GM of neighborhood services, Omni Frisco Hotel; Frisco, Texas 8 May 2017 New hire Salerno’s most recent position was GM of neighborhood services in Addison, Texas.
-	Brandon Bradford, development project manager, McKibbon Hospitality 2 May 2017 New hire Before joining McKibbon, Bradford worked as a project manager at John Hardy Group.
-	Ruben Sabater, Marenas Beach Resort; Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 2 May 2017 New hire Sabater previously worked as GM of The Sherry Frontenac Resort in Miami Beach, Florida.
-	Dyal Sandhu, director of operations, Stonewall Resort; Roanoke, West Virginia 28 April 2017 New hire Sandhu’s most recent position was director of food and beverage at Zemi Beach House Resort & Spa on the island of Anguilla.
-	Alexander Foster, director of rooms, Hotel EMC2; Chicago 26 April 2017 New hire Foster has prior management experience with several Starwood brands including Westin, W Hotels and Sheraton.

-Compiled by Dan Kubacki.

A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

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