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
-	Kevin Frid, COO for North and Central America; AccorHotels 21 July 2016 Promotion Frid was promoted from the position of president of the Americas for FRHI Hotels & Resorts, which was acquired by AccorHotels.

Executives
-	Bitsy Kelley, VP of corporate relations, Outrigger Enterprises Group 20 July 2016 Promotion Kelley was promoted from Outrigger’s VP of corporate communications, a position she held since 2013.
-	Monica Salter, VP of corporate communications, Outrigger Enterprises Group 20 July 2016 New hire Salter previously worked as SVP at Bennet Group Strategic Communications and provided counsel to Outrigger for the past eight years.
-	Omar Palacios, COO, Geolo Capital 19 July 2016 Promotion Palacios joined Geolo Capital a year ago as chief financial officer and will continue management of CFO duties in his new position.
-	Ben Gottlieb, principal, Geolo Capital 19 July 2016 New hire Gottlieb previously worked as VP of acquisitions at AJ Capital Partners.
-	Josef Haas, EVP and COO, Stand Rock Hospitality 18 July 2016 New hire Haas has prior senior management experience with Kalahari Resort, Blue Harbor Resort and Keystone Resort.
-	George Terpilowski, regional VP, Northeast United States; Fairmont Hotels & Resorts 18 July 2016 Promotion Terpilowski will oversee the operation of The Plaza New York, Fairmont Washington, D.C., and Fairmont Pittsburgh and also work as GM of Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston.
-	Kirk Jones, CFO; Benchmark Hospitality International 15 July 2016 Promotion Jones was promoted from Benchmark’s SVP of finance, which he held since joining the company in spring 2015.
-	Alinio Azevedo, VP of acquisitions and development; Loews Hotels 14 July 2016 New hire Azevedo joins Loews Hotels from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where he held the position of VP of development.
GMs
-	Jeff Smith, GM of the Omni Frisco Hotel; Frisco, Texas 21 July 2016 New hire Smith has worked for Omni Hotels & Resorts for almost 15 years. His most-recent position was GM of the Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West.
-	Bill Babis, GM of Kimpton Muse Hotel; New York City 20 July 2016 New hire Babis has held past GM positions at New York’s Kimpton 70 Park Avenue Hotel and Kimpton Onyx Hotel in Boston.
-	Michael Frits, GM of DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach Oceanfront; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 20 July 2016 New hire Frits previously worked as GM of the Hilton Atlanta.
-	Paul Jensen, GM of Sonesta ES Suites Malvern; Malvern, Pennsylvania 19 July 2016 New hire Jensen’s prior position was GM of a Courtyard by Marriott in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.
-	Lance Fischer, GM of Hampton Inn & Suites Carolina Beach Oceanfront; Carolina Beach, North Carolina 14 July 2016 New hire Fischer’s previous position was assistant GM of a Courtyard by Marriott property in Wilmington, North Carolina.
-	Vanessa Stickles, GM of Sonesta ES Suites Somerset; Somerset, New Jersey 14 July 2016 Promotion Stickles was previously the operations manager of the Sonesta ES Suites Parsippany hotel.

Sales and Marketing
-	Jennifer Lewis, director of sales and marketing, Kimpton Hotel Monaco Baltimore Inner Harbor; Baltimore 21 July 2016 New hire Lewis previously worked as an area director of sales and marketing for two Hilton hotels in the San Francisco Bay area.
-	George Adel, director of revenue management, W South Beach; Miami Beach, Florida 20 July 2016 New hire Adel has worked for a number of global Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide properties, including Le Meridien Dahab Resort, Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove, Le Meridien Barbarons and W Doha Hotel & Residences.
-	Juli Pray, director of revenue, DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach Oceanfront; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 20 July 2016 New hire Before accepting her new position, Pray was director of revenue at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel for nine years.
-	Scott Hagan, director of revenue management, Hyatt Regency Lexington; Lexington, Kentucky 18 July 2016 New hire Hagan previously worked as GM of The Somerset on Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos and The Campbell House in Lexington.
-	Amy Snider, director of sales, Hampton Inn & Suites Carolina Beach Oceanfront; Carolina Beach, North Carolina 14 July 2016 New hire Snider previously worked as director of sales at a TownePlace Suites by Marriott property in Wilmington, North Carolina.
-	Terri Benich, area director of sales and marketing; Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Spa; Scottsdale, Arizona 29 June 2016 New hire Benich will also oversee sales and marketing at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch.
-	Rachel Jessop, director of group sales; Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Spa; Scottsdale, Arizona 29 June 2016 New hire Jessop was a member of the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa sales team for the past 15 years.
-	Kristin Neibergs, director of business and luxury sales, Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Spa; Scottsdale, Arizona 29 June 2016 New hire Neibergs brings more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing to her new position.
-	Peach Duty, director of events, Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Spa; Scottsdale, Arizona 29 June 2016 New hire Duty has worked in banquet, wedding and event planning for the past 26 years, including at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort & Spa in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and The Driskill hotel in Austin, Texas.
F&B
-	Chad Marshall, executive chef, DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach Oceanfront; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 20 July 2016 New hire Marshall held the positions of executive sous chef and executive chef in The DeBordieu Club in Georgetown, South Carolina, before joining the Myrtle Beach Oceanfront.
-	Victor Calzada, director of food and beverage, Pendry San Diego; San Diego 21 July 2016 New hire Calzada’s prior position was director of food and beverage at the Joule Hotel and Stoneleigh Hotel and Spa.
-	Marcus Repp, executive chef and director of culinary operations, Lansdowne Resort and Spa, A Destination Hotel; Leesburg, Virginia 20 July 2016 New hire Among Repp’s prior positions was regional director of food and beverage for Columbia Sussex Hotel Group, where he oversaw F&B operations for 41 hotel properties.
-	William Owen, director of food and beverage, DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach Oceanfront; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 20 July 2016 New hire Owen previously worked as regional director of the Gastonia Conference Center in Gastonia, North Carolina, and director of food and beverage at Kingston Plantation in Myrtle Beach.
-	Joshua Squires, director of food and beverage, The Shores Resort & Spa; Daytona Beach Shores, Florida 18 July 2016 New hire Squires’ most-recent position was food and beverages outlets director for Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida.

Human Resources
-	Jessica Johnson, director of people and culture, Pendry San Diego; San Diego 21 July 2016 New hire Johnson previously worked as director of human resources at St. Regis Aspen Resort in Aspen, Colorado.
Miscellaneous
-	David Wiggins, director of finance, Pendry San Diego; San Diego 21 July 2016 New hire Wiggins has held prior hotel finance positions at Marina Del Rey Marriott, Ritz-Carlton San Francisco and Ritz-Carlton Phoenix.
-	Travis Campbell, director of front office, DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach Oceanfront; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 20 July 2016 New hire Campbell’s previous position was assistant director of front office at the Hilton Atlanta.
-	Rodahl Leong-Lyons, director of operations, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa; Honolulu 19 July 2016 New hire Leong-Lyons started her hospitality career as a front-desk employee at the resort in 1991. Her most-recent position was VP of sales operations Asia Pacific at Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
-	Ashley Stempler, director of interior design, Provenance Hotels 13 July 2016 New hire Stempler’s previous position was design director at Commune Hotels and Resorts.

Compiled by Dan Kubacki.

A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

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