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
-	Chris Ropko, CFO, McNeill Hotel Company 19 March 2018 New hire Ropko joins McNeill Hotel Company from RobertDouglas, where he worked as managing director.
Executives
-	Jeff Wagoner, president and CEO, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts 29 March 2018 New hire Wagoner previously worked as EVP of hotel operations at Trump Hotels and held several senior positions with Wyndham Hotel Group.
-	Rikki Boparai, VP of operations, Benchmark 29 March 2018 Promotion Boparai was promoted from Benchmark’s managing director of the Gemstone Collection. He’s also worked as a GM for Benchmark properties in Florida, New York and Pennsylvania.
-	Patrick Berwald, VP of food and beverage, Benchmark 28 March 2018 New hire Berwald joins Benchmark from Loews Hotels, where he was corporate director of food and beverage.
-	Daniel Surette, SVP of sales and marketing, Omni Hotels & Resorts 27 March 2018 Promotion Surette joined Omni’s sales team in August 2017. Before joining Omni, he was VP of North America sales and field marketing.
-	Eric Gavin, SVP of sales and marketing, Benchmark 27 March 2018 Returning hire Gavin most recently worked as chief marketing officer at Salamander Hotels & Resorts. In his first stint with Benchmark, he was regional VP of sales and marketing.
-	Hugh Merryweather, EVP and chief financial and administration officer, Associated Luxury Hotels 26 March 2018 New hire Merryweather previously worked as CFO of Spartan Race and as global CFO of concierge services provider Circles.
-	Gul Goknar Turkmenoglu, regional VP of operations, Denihan Hospitality 22 March 2018 Promotion Goknar Turkmenoglu will continue to work as GM of The Benjamin, Denihan’s 209-room boutique property in Manhattan. She became GM of the property in 2016.
-	Craig Waterman, VP of openings and transitions, Two Roads Hospitality 15 March 2018 Promotion Waterman joined Two Roads in 2014 as GM of Hotel Kabuki. Before joining the company, he was transitions and acquisitions leader at Gemstone Resorts.
-	Angelique Kelly-Lara, VP of global talent acquisition, Choice Hotels International 15 March 2018 Promotion Kelly-Lara’s most recent position was as senior director of human resources at Choice.
-	Brent Bouldin, VP of marketing and customer acquisition, Choice Hotels International 13 March 2018 New hire Bouldin previously worked as SVP of enterprise digital marketing and media at Bank of America.
-	Michelle Woodley, president, Preferred Hotels & Resorts 1 March 2018 Promotion Woodley has worked for Preferred for 15 years, including her most recent position as EVP.
-	Kristie Goshow, chief marketing officer, Preferred Hotels & Resorts 1 March 2018 New hire Goshow previously worked for Viceroy Hotel Group as the company’s SVP of Commercial.
-	Caroline Michaud, EVP of corporate communications and public relations, Preferred Hotels & Resorts 1 March 2018 Promotion Michaud joined Preferred Hotels & Resorts in 2012 as senior manager of public relations for the Americas.

GMs
-	Ken Daugherty, GM of Salishan Resort; Gleneden Beach, Oregon 27 March 2018 Returning hire Daugherty worked in the food and beverage department at the property in the 1980s. His most recent position was as GM of Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Washington.
-	Alice Bouman, GM of Grace Vanderbilt; Newport, Rhode Island 26 March 2018 New hire Bouman previously worked as resort manager at Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Harwich, Massachusetts.
-	Tom Garcia, VP and GM, High Hampton Resort; Cashiers, North Carolina 13 March 2018 New hire Garcia most recently worked at the Eaglewood Resort & Spa.
-	Lisa Namour, GM of Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach; Fort Lauderdale, Florida 13 March 2018 Promotion Namour was promoted from her previous position as the hotel’s sales and marketing director.
-	Nicole Bambury, GM of Tru by Hilton Chicopee; Chicopee, Massachusetts 1 March 2018 New hire Bambury previously worked as GM of Days Inn Chicopee.

Sales and Marketing
-	Jeff Gillick, director of sales and marketing, Bobby Hotel; Nashville, Tennessee 29 March 2018 New hire Gillick’s most recent position was director of sales and marketing at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, California.
-	Kahi Arnaud, director of sales and marketing, Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills; Beverly Hills, California 28 March 2018 New hire Arnaud previously worked as director of sales at Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, California.
-	Liz Adams, director of corporate marketing and brand communications, Associated Luxury Hotels 26 March 2018 New hire Adams’ most recent position was as director of sales and marketing at the Fifteen Beacon Hotel in Boston.
-	Erin Patin, director of sales and marketing, Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa; Austin, Texas 22 March 2018 New hire Patin has worked for Hyatt Hotels Corporation for 10 years, including at properties in Chicago, Dallas, Maui and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
-	Nikki Jackson, senior sales manager, Fairfield Inn & Suites New Orleans Downtown French Quarter Area; New Orleans 21 March 2018 New hire Jackson’s most recent position was as group sales manager at the Le Meridien and W French Quarter.
-	Rhett Ferguson, director of group sales, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa; Lahaina, Hawaii 15 March 2018 Promotion Ferguson joined the Hyatt Regency Maui in 2007 as a sales manager and in 2017 was promoted to associate director of sales.

F&B
-	Steven Weaver, director of food and beverage, Bobby Hotel; Nashville, Tennessee 29 March 2018 New hire Weaver has worked as GM of Sullivan’s Steakhouse in Houston, where he opened Velvet Taco.
-	Myles Holdsworth, assistant director of food and beverage, The Roosevelt New Orleans; New Orleans 27 March 2018 New hire Holdsworth’s most recent position was as director of outlets at the Omni Royal New Orleans Hotel and held a similar position at the Windsor Court Hotel.
-	Anthony Theocaropoulos, executive chef, Grace Vanderbilt; Newport, Rhode Island 26 March 2018 New hire Theocaropoulos opened his own restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, before joining the Grace Vanderbilt team.
-	Sean Ruddy, executive chef, High Hampton Resort; Cashiers, North Carolina 22 March 2018 New hire Ruddy most recently worked as executive chef at the Greystone Inn in Lake Toxaway, North Carolina.
-	Matthew Gray, global culinary director, Valor Hospitality Partners 20 March 2018 Promotion Gray joined Valor Hospitality Partners in 2013. His most recent position was SVP chef and beverage operations.
-	Richard Goldberg, executive chef, Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach; Fort Lauderdale, Florida 16 March 2018 New hire Goldberg has worked in hotel F&B in past roles at the Holiday Inn Plantation and the Sheraton Boca Raton.
-	Carlos Cepero, director of food and beverage, The Don CeSar; St. Pete Beach, Florida 15 March 2018 New hire Cepero’s most recent position was as assistant director of food and beverage at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.
Miscellaneous
-	Sommer Shiver, director of communications, Hotel Equities 28 March 2018 Promotion Shiver joined Hotel Equities in 2012. Her most recent position was communications and marketing manager.
-	Jerry Rash, GM of loyalty and customer strategy, Associated Luxury Hotels 26 March 2018 New hire Rash has experience designing more than 20 loyalty programs across several industries, including Wyndham Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest.
-	David Nadolny, director of finance, High Hampton Resort; Cashiers, North Carolina 14 March 2018 New hire Nadolny’s most recent position was as director of finance at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas.
-	Tifani Fox, director of finance, Snow King Resort; Jackson, Wyoming 15 March 2018 New hire Fox previously worked as senior assistant director of finance and accounting at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa.

-Compiled by Dan Kubacki.

A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

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