News | A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

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

In the Spotlight
-	Christopher Schaeffer, president, Coral Hospitality 28 April 2016 Promotion Schaeffer previously served as Coral Hospitality’s CFO and SVP of business development. He joined the company in 1999.
Executives
-	Paul Richardson, EVP and COO of global operations, Outrigger Enterprises Group 2 May 2016 New hire Richardson’s most recent position was COO of Greater China for AccorHotels. Earlier in his career, Richardson spent 10 years with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.
-	Ed Zalinski, corporate controller, Coral Hospitality 28 April 2016 New hire Zalinski’s most recent position was corporate controller at Graduate Hotels, and he has more than 20 years of hospitality finance experience.
-	Thomas Botts, SVP and chief marketing officer, Miraval Group 25 April 2016 New hire Botts most recently worked as EVP and chief customer officer at Denihan Hospitality Group.
-	Paul Sacco, president and chief development officer, TPG Hotels & Resorts 25 April 2016 Promotion TPG Hotels & Resorts is a newly named hotel division of The Procaccianti Group. Sacco joined the company in 2013, but prior to that he was SVP of brand development in North America at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
-	Karl Oates, VP of lifestyle hotels, McKibbon Hotel Group 19 April 2016 Promotion Oates joined McKibbon in 2001 as GM of the Courtyard Chattanooga Downtown. He has also served as director of operations and regional VP.
-	Wes Townson, VP of business development, McKibbon Hotel Group 19 April 2016 Promotion Townson started at McKibbon in 2003 as director of acquisitions and was soon promoted to VP of acquisitions.
-	Todd Kinney, regional VP of operations, McKibbon Hotel Group 19 April 2016 Promotion Kinney started with McKibbon in 1997 as a GM of a property in Knoxville, Tennessee.
-	Lisa Caskey, renovations manager, McKibbon Hotel Group 19 April 2016 Promotion Caskey has more than 12 years in the hospitality industry including positions in project management, design and sales.
GMs
-	Jonathan Crellin, managing director, Boston Park Plaza; Boston 3 May 2016 New hire Crellin’s prior positions included managing director and general manager of the Boston Harbor Hotel.
-	Karen Beranger, GM of the Atlantic House Inn; York Beach, Maine 1 May 2016 New hire Beranger previously worked as GM of the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Dover, New Hampshire.
-	Paul McNeil, GM of the Marriott Syracuse Downtown; Syracuse, New York 29 April 2016 New hire McNeil was hired in 2015 to oversee the opening of the hotel, which is scheduled for July. McNeil has spent 30 years with Marriott International.
-	Daniel Fry, assistant GM, Marriott Syracuse Downtown; Syracuse, New York 29 April 2016 New hire Fry’s prior position was assistant GM at the Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Nashville, Tennessee.
-	Peggy Trott, GM of The Stella Hotel; Bryan, Texas 21 April 2016 New hire Trott’s most recent position was GM at The Inn at Laguna Beach in California. The Stella Hotel will open in spring 2017.

Sales & Marketing
-	William Parris, national sales director, Gemstone Hotels and Resorts 4 May 2016 New hire Parris brings more than 25 years of hotel sales experience to his new position.
-	Ricardo Ramirez, director of sales, The Carneros Inn, a PlumpJack Resort; Napa, California 2 May 2016 New hire Ramirez’s most recent position was director of global sales at Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces.
-	Thomas Hansen, group sales manager, The Commons Hotel; Minneapolis 2 May 2016 Promotion Hansen has spent six years with The Commons Hotel, first as a bellman, then as guest services manager and his most recent role of business travel sales manager.
-	Jerry Keohane, director of sales and marketing, Marriott Syracuse Downtown; Syracuse, New York 29 April 2016 New hire Keohane’s most recent position was director of sales for the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center in Syracuse.
-	Felicia Rogers, digital marketing coordinator, Coral Hospitality 28 April 2016 New hire Rogers has prior digital marketing experience with hotel brands across North America.
-	Richard Yamaguchi, director of group sales, The Westin Nashville; Nashville, Tennessee 27 April 2016 New hire Yamaguchi’s most recent position was sales manager at the Sheraton Music City in Nashville.
-	Jessica Burd, sales manager, The Westin Nashville; Nashville, Tennessee 27 April 2016 New hire Burd has 12 years of experience with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, and her prior position was account director at the W Atlanta Midtown.
-	Mario Busquets, director of sales and marketing, The Knickerbocker; New York City 25 April 2016 New hire Busquet’s prior position was city director of sales for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, and he has more than a decade of sales and marketing experience.
-	Aaron Calabrese, regional revenue manager, McKibbon Hotel Group 19 April 2016 Promotion Calabrese has a decade of revenue management experience with a specific focus on select-service and extended-stay hotels.

F&B
-	Chuck Anthony, director of food and beverage, Marriott Syracuse Downtown; Syracuse, New York 29 April 2016 New hire Anthony’s prior position was food and beverage manager at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York.
-	Thomas Kiernan, executive chef, Marriott Syracuse Downtown; Syracuse, New York 29 April 2016 New hire Kiernan has held prior culinary positions in New York City, Boston and the Caribbean.
-	Eric Larcom, executive sous chef, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa; San Antonio 28 April 2016 New hire Larcom’s most recent position was executive chef at the Calgary Marriott Downtown in Calgary, Canada.
-	Monika Lotter, director of catering and conference planning, Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago; Chicago 27 April 2016 New hire Lotter was part of the team that opened the Trump Hotel Chicago nearly 10 years ago. She returns to the property after her most recent position as board relations manager at Choose Chicago.
Human Resources
-	Mary Jean Piraino, director of human resources, Marriott Syracuse Downtown; Syracuse, New York 29 April 2016 New hire Piraino’s most recent position was director of convention and events management at Convention Services Unlimited in Cheverly, Maryland.
-	Darrelle Johnson, director of human resources, Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago; Chicago 27 April 2016 New hire Johnson’s prior position was director of human resources at The Gwen in Chicago.
Finance
-	Phil Austin, director of finance, Marriott Syracuse Downtown; Syracuse, New York 29 April 2016 New hire Austin has prior experience in hotel accounting, operations and food and beverage.
Recreation
-	Michael McDavid, director of entertainment, The Westin Nashville; Nashville, Tennessee 27 April 2016 New hire McDavid is a veteran of Nashville’s entertainment scene and was hired in advance of The Westin Nashville’s fall 2016 opening.
-	Ken Simonds, head golf professional, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa; Carlsbad, California 21 April 2016 New hire Simonds brings more than 16 years of experience to his new position, and his most recent position was director of golf for Calabasas Country Club in Calabasas, California.
Legal
-	Jim Coyle, general counsel, McKibbon Hotel Group 19 April 2016 New hire Coyle began his own private practice at Stewart, Melvin & Frost in 2002.
Miscellaneous
-	Dominic Inouye, Pfister Narrator, Pfister Hotel; Milwaukee 22 April 2016 New hire In this position, Inouye will work in the hotel lobby and public spaces interacting with visitors and guests and blogging about their experiences.

Compiled by Dan Kubacki.

A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

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