Read the latest roundup of U.S.-based hires and promotions in the hotel industry.
Executives
Sage Patel
Vice president of strategic initiatives and investment and feasibility analysis
PM Hotel Group
Oct. 10, 2023
Promotion
Experience: Patel joined PM Hotel Group in 2018 as a senior financial analyst and was promoted to corporate director of strategic initiatives in November 2020.
Tony Maness
Executive vice president of operations, head of Highgate Select
Highgate
Oct. 5, 2023
New hire
Experience: Maness most recently served as senior vice president of operations at Aimbridge Hospitality and oversaw the THL portfolio, which Highgate took over in early 2021.
Shannon Foster
Vice president of operations
Hotel Equities
Sept. 30, 2023
New hire
Experience: Prior to joining Hotel Equities, Foster served as area vice president of operations for HRI Lodging, overseeing the group’s lifestyle division.
Brad Read
Vice president of finance
Hotel Equities
Sept. 30, 2023
New hire
Experience: Read has a background in strategic finance and commercial leadership, with a track record of driving commercial growth, cost containment and profitability.
General Managers
Tiffani Timbrook
General manager
Aloft Denver Downtown
Denver, Colorado
Oct. 5, 2023
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Timbrook was general manager at the Residence Inn Denver Downtown. Prior to this, she served as task-force general manager and director of sales for Genuine Hospitality Group.
Casie Riopta
General manager
Aston Islander on the Beach
Kauai, Hawaii
Oct. 4, 2023
Promotion
Experience: Riopta has more than 10 years of hospitality experience, including most recently as Aston Islander on the Beach’s owner services representative and hotel manager.
Ernesto Fernandez
General manager
Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa
Clearwater Beach, Florida
Oct. 3, 2023
New hire
Experience: Fernandez has more than 23 years of experience in the hospitality industry, and previously was general manager at Andaz Savannah - a Concept by Hyatt.
Bertrand Mangeot
General manager
InterContinental San Diego
San Diego, California
Oct. 2, 2023
New hire
Experience: Mangeot has 19 years of experience with IHG Hotels & Resorts, including at properties in New York, Cleveland, Toronto and most recently as general manager at the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel in Atlanta.
Geoff Pearson
General manager
Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Sept. 29, 2023
Promotion
Experience: Pearson joined the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa earlier this year as the director of sales and marketing before being appointed to this role.
Sales and Marketing
Glenn Wentzel
Director of sales
Aloft Downtown Denver
Denver, Colorado
Oct. 5, 2023
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Wentzel was the general manager at The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club in Aurora, Colorado. He previously held sales and marketing roles at Hyatt Place Denver Tech Center, Hyatt House Denver Tech Center and Hyatt Place Denver/South Park Meadows.
Nate Ferguson
Director of marketing
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
Oct. 2, 2023
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Ferguson served as the director of marketing at Four Seasons Baltimore.
Food and Beverage
Robert Benett
Executive chef
The Westin Atlanta Gwinnett
Duluth, Georgia
Oct. 9, 2023
New hire
Experience: Bennett has served as the executive chef for hotel restaurants across the Southeast in the past three years, previously at Hilton Charlotte University Place, Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel and Hilton Atlanta Airport.
Ashley Castillo
Director of food and beverage
The Westin Atlanta Gwinnett
Duluth, Georgia
Oct. 9, 2023
New hire
Experience: Castillo most recently served as the director of operations for Volet Hospitality in St. Petersburg, Florida, after working for various restaurant and hotel properties across the U.S.
Caneale Mills
Director of food and beverage
Luminary Hotel & Co.
Fort Myers, Florida
Oct. 5, 2023
New hire
Experience: Mills joins Luminary Hotel & Co. from the ChampionsGate Country Club in Davenport, Florida, where she served as general manager. She has previously held roles in the Orlando market, including restaurant manager at JW Marriott Grande Lakes and director of restaurants at the Orlando World Center Marriott.
Joe Pankrath
Executive chef
Luminary Hotel & Co.
Fort Myers, Florida
Oct. 5, 2023
New hire
Experience: Pankrath's career includes roles such as senior sous chef at the Renaissance Chicago, executive sous chef at JW Marriott Marco Island and, most recently, the complex executive chef at JW Marriott Tampa Water Street.
Rory Allen
Chef de cuisine
The Davenport Grand Hotel
Spokane, Washington
Oct. 2, 2023
Promotion
Experience: Allen joined The Davenport Hotel Collection as a sous chef in September 2022. He has 15 years of executive chef experience at some of Washington’s and Spokane’s top kitchens including The Wandering Table, Durkin’s, Remedy and Scratch.
Eric Nelson
Chef de cuisine
The Historic Davenport Hotel
Spokane, Washington
Oct. 2, 2023
Promotion
Experience: Nelson joined The Davenport Hotel Collection as a sous chef in May 2017 before being promoted to executive chef a year later. Prior to joining the team, he spent several years as the executive chef at the Italian Kitchen in Spokane.
Andrew Smith
Executive chef
Hotel Per La
Los Angeles, California
Sept. 29, 2023
New hire
Experience: Smith's culinary career includes roles at Kings Seafood in Costa Mesa, Beachwood BBQ in Long Beach and SBE’s The Abbey in West Hollywood.
Miscellaneous
Tiffiany Holmes
Resort director
Hawks Cay Resort
Duck Key, Florida
Oct. 2, 2023
New hire
Experience: Homes began her career at various Ritz-Carlton properties and most recently served as the area general manager at Islamorada Resort Collection, facilitating a transition under new ownership and management.
To be included in an upcoming Hotel News Now U.S. Hires and Promotions List, email Associate Editor Trevor Simpson here.