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
-	Patrick Pacious, president and CEO, Choice Hotels International 12 September 2017 Promotion Pacious was promoted from Choice’s president and COO position to succeed Steve Joyce.
Executives
-	Mario Kontomerkos, CEO, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment 12 September 2017 Promotion Kontomerkos was promoted from MGE’s CFO, a position he has held since September 2011.
-	Craig Greenberg, president and CEO, 21c Museum Hotels 12 September 2017 Promotion Greenberg has worked as president of 21c Museum Hotels since 2012. He succeeds Steve Wilson, who will stay on at the company as chairman of the board.
-	Michael Bluhm, EVP and CFO, Host Hotels & Resorts 11 September 2017 New hire Bluhm previously worked as managing director, head of western region real estate and global head of lodging and leisure investment banking at Morgan Stanley.
-	Nathan Tyrrell, EVP and chief investment officer, Host Hotels & Resorts 11 September 2017 Promotion Tyrrell was promoted from Host’s EVP of investments. He first joined Host in 2005.
-	Kelly Smith, SVP and chief digital officer, MGM Resorts International 5 September 2017 New hire Smith joins MGM Resorts from Starbucks, where he was VP of global digital products.
-	Brian Karaba, EVP and CFO, Montage International 29 August 2017 New hire Karaba previously worked for Hyatt Hotels Corporation as treasurer and SVP of investor relations and corporate finance.
-	Terry Sanders, chief development officer for the Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group 28 August 2017 New hire Sanders joins Carlson Rezidor from Avison Young, and he has past hotel industry experience as an SVP of development at Wyndham Hotel Group.

GMs
-	Greg Schmidt, GM of AC Hotel San Francisco Airport/Oyster Point Waterfront; San Francisco 12 September 2017 New hire Schmidt’s most recent position was GM of the Residence Inn by Marriott in San Diego.
-	Dan Johnson, GM of Hyatt Regency Austin; Austin, Texas 11 September 2017 New hire Johnson joins Hyatt Regency Austin from Hyatt Regency Savannah, where he was promoted to GM in 2015. He’s worked with Hyatt for more than 23 years.
-	Kellie Adams, GM of AC Hotels by Marriott/Residence Inn Dallas; Dallas 6 September 2017 New hire Adams previously worked as GM at the Homewood Suites Dallas Downtown.
-	Dave Mattesen, GM of Hyatt House Windsor; Windsor, Connecticut 6 September 2017 Promotion Mattesen’s most recent position was director of operations at the Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley International Airport.
-	Jhenny Pierre, GM of Courtyard by Marriott Warwick; Warwick, Rhode Island 6 September 2017 Promotion Pierre joined the Courtyard by Marriott Warwick as operations manager and was later promoted to interim GM. She first joined Waterford Hotel Group as a guest service agent in 2008.
-	Dan Bergmann, GM of the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport; Louisville, Kentucky 6 September 2017 New hire Bergmann previously managed independent properties such as the Heritage House Resort in Mendocino, California, Paramount Hotel in New York and Hotel Phillips in Kansas City.
-	JP Roberts, GM of The Draftsman, Autograph Collection; Charlottesville, Virginia 31 August 2017 New hire Roberts has prior hotel management experience at Hotel Vandivort in Springfield, Missouri, as well as properties in Florida.
-	Kenya Bannister, GM of the Courtyard Marriott Long Beach Airport; Long Beach, California 29 August 2017 Promotion Bannister helped open the hotel in March 2013 as director of sales.
-	David Cronin, GM of W Scottsdale; Scottsdale, Arizona 28 August 2017 New hire Cronin previously worked as GM of the W Minneapolis The Foshay and Le Méridien Chambers.
-	Hugh Templeman, GM of The Westin Nashville; Nashville, Tennessee 25 August 2017 New hire Templeman’s most recent positon was GM and regional VP at Viceroy Snowmass in Snowmass Village, Colorado.

Sales and Marketing
-	Susan Greenberg, regional director of sales, Hotel Equities 7 September 2017 New hire Greenberg’s most recent position was director of sales and marketing at the Embassy Suites Austin Central. In her new role, she’ll manage sales for a portfolio of Texas properties.
-	Monica Weagel, director of sales, AC Hotels by Marriott/Residence Inn Dallas; Dallas 6 September 2017 New hire Weagel previously worked as director of sales at the Hilton Garden Inn in Frisco, Texas.
-	Candy Iannucci-Guay, director of sales, Hyatt House Windsor; Windsor, Connecticut 6 September 2017 Promotion Iannucci-Guay joined Waterford Hotel Group in 2005 and was part of the opening team at Marriott Hartford Downtown. Since then, she has worked as sales manager at the Marriott Hartford Downtown and Hilton Hartford.
-	Jaime O’Connor, director of sales, Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley International Airport; Windsor Locks, Connecticut 6 September 2017 New hire O’Connor joins the Sheraton Hartford Hotel from Sheraton Hartford South, where she was also director of sales.
-	Dionne Dabney-Williams, director of national accounts, Galt House Hotel; Louisville, Kentucky 6 September 2017 New hire Dabney-Williams’ most recent position was executive director of group sales at The National Conference Center.
-	Victoria Wyatt, director of sales and marketing, The Draftsman, Autograph Collection; Charlottesville, Virginia 31 August 2017 New hire Wyatt previously worked as director of sales at Emerald Grande in Destin, Florida.

F&B
-	Christina Gibson, associate director of catering, Salamander Resort & Spa; Middleburg, Virginia 8 September 2017 New hire Gibson’s most recent position was event sales manager at the Lansdowne Resort and Spa in Leesburg, Virginia.
-	Shane Arnold, executive chef, Hilton Hartford; Hartford, Connecticut 6 September 2017 New hire Arnold’s most recent position was executive chef at the Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
-	Everett Christensen, executive chef, Crowne Plaza Louisville Downtown; Louisville, Kentucky 6 September 2017 New hire Christensen has prior hotel F&B experience at the Westin Hotel in Cleveland and Crowne Plaza Union Station in Indianapolis.
-	Thomas Hartwell, executive chef, Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa; Gateway, Colorado 29 August 2017 New hire Hartwell has held culinary positions at The Westin Copley Place in Boston and the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.
-	Michael Hammes, director of food and beverage, Wintergreen Resort; Wintergreen, Virginia 29 August 2017 New hire Hammes’ most recent position was director of F&B at the Omni Barton Creek Resort and The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center, which are both in Austin, Texas.
-	Robert Birnschein, chef de cuisine, The Marker; San Francisco 23 August 2017 New hire Birnschein has a culinary career that spans more than 17 years. He previously worked at the Lions Gate Hotel in Sacramento.

Miscellaneous
-	Richard Mcleroy, director of revenue management, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa; Austin, Texas 12 September 2017 New hire Mcleroy has worked for Omni Hotels & Resorts for more than 15 years. His last position was director of revenue management and reservations at Omni Rancho Palmas Resort & Spa.
-	Theresia Kelly, director of spa, The Westin Jackson; Jackson, Mississippi 7 September 2017 New hire Kelly has operated her own business, the Wellness Store and Day Spa, since 1999, with several locations in New England.
-	Stacy O’Brien, owner project manager, Roedel Companies 5 September 2017 New hire O’Brien previously worked as facilities construction project manager for C&S Wholesale Grocers.
-	Molly Fierro-Preston, director of development, Benchmark 29 August 2017 New hire Fierro-Preston’s most recent position was VP of product development at Source1 Purchasing.

-Compiled by Dan Kubacki.

A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

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