The hotel industry mourned the death of Arne Sorenson, who was president and CEO of Marriott International since 2012. In May 2019, the company announced his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He died on Feb. 15.

As news spread of his death, executives across the hotel industry expressed shock and sadness. Mit Shah, CEO and founder of Nobel Investment Group, said he and Sorenson formed both a business and personal friendship.

“He could move across the quadrants in the most natural caring way. I’ve had a day full of tears, and I can’t fathom just the fact that he’s not going to be with us to provide to many that kind of comfort, vision, care and inspiration. It’s so sad on so many levels,” Shah said.

Thomas Penny, present of Donohoe Hospitality Services, said Sorenson’s death was the most “consequential loss in my 30 years in the hotel business.” He admired Sorenson for “taking on the fight of equity, opportunity and prejudice” in the hotel industry.

Marriott on Feb. 23 promoted Tony Capuano to CEO and Stephanie Linnartz to president. The two executives stepped up to oversee day-to-day responsibilities in early February when the company announced Sorenson would step back from full-time management.

Capuano told HNN’s Bryan Wroten that while he’s entering the CEO role during the worst global crisis the hotel industry has faced, he takes comfort in knowing the nearly 94-year-old company has an extraordinary group of long-tenured leaders.

“It's a team that understands the levers that we have to pull and the actions we need to take to navigate crisis situations, and it's of great comfort to me to have a leadership team here at the company that is so collaborative and so well-tenured,” he said. “It's that team — not me individually — and our associates around the world that give me great confidence that we can navigate these challenges,” he said.

The hospitality and tourism industries have historically done a poor job with diversity efforts, but could be “turning a corner,” according to Andy Ingraham, president, founder and CEO of the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers.

“I think there’s a consciousness that has happened. A number of new board members have been appointed for the first time on many different boards that are African American. [There are] a number of opportunities that have made themselves available to people of color," he said.

He said the industry also must decide “whether the industry wants to pay more than lip service in diversity and whether there’s a real commitment.”

Industry veterans Chris Manley and Jeff Blackman, formerly with Stonebridge Companies and Bedford Lodging, respectively, have formed a new hospitality management company Five Senses Hospitality Management. The company is based in Denver.

Five Senses Hospitality manages the day-to-day operations of existing properties for owners as well as enables an “accelerated cash flow recovery and investment in acquisition opportunities,” according to a news release. Since inception of the company last fall, its portfolio has expanded to five properties and more than 100 team members. Five Senses Hospitality also holds an exclusive partnership with Blackman’s Bedford Lodging to manage its day-to-day operations.

• Legendary Capital has acquired the 141-room Courtyard by Marriott Denver-Aurora hotel in Aurora, Colorado, in a deal valued at $27.9 million.
• Benchmark has appointed Eric Bates as general manager for Racine, Wisconsin’s Wingspread Retreat & Executive Conference Center.
• Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan, Florida, has named Chris Cantrel as head sushi chef.
• The Seagate in Delray Beach, Florida, has promoted Karl Bublitz to executive director. At The Seagate Hotel & Spa, Koji Akaboshi has been appointed general manager and Jessica Gonzalez has been named director of marketing.

• NewcrestImage has sold the 132-suite Hyatt House in Frisco, Texas, to an unnamed group.
• Hersha Hospitality Trust has sold the 245-key Courtyard San Diego Downtown hotel for $64.5 million to a private buyer. JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group represented the seller and secured the acquisition financing on behalf of the purchaser.

Compiled by Dana Miller.