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
 

	Patrick Grismer, CFO, Hyatt Hotels Corporation 11 February 2016 New hire Prior to joining Hyatt, Grismer was chief financial officer at Yum Brands. He also has career experience with The Walt Disney Company, where he served as VP of business planning and development for The Disneyland Resort and CFO for the Disney Vacation Club.

Executives
 

	Sue Adkins, VP of program development, Miraval Group; Tucson, Arizona 15 February 2016 Promotion Adkins previously worked at Miraval Tucson Resort & Spa as director of programs and assistant program director. She is a 17-year veteran of the company.

GMs

	Jeff Stewart, GM of the Sheraton Madison Hotel; Madison, Wisconsin 23 February 2016 New hire Stewart joined Marcus Hotels & Resorts in 2015 as hotel manager at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center. He previously was director of operations at Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, where he served since 2007.
	Daniel Meys, director of operations, Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach; Fort Lauderdale, Florida 22 February 2016 Promotion Meys was promoted from the property’s food and beverage director. He has more than 25 years of hospitality industry experience.
	David DiFalco, GM of the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel; New York City 22 February 2016 New hire DiFalco previously worked as GM of the Renaissance Boulder Flatiron Hotel in Broomfield, Colorado.
	Gerard Kiladjian, GM of Portland Harbor Hotel and the Inn at Diamond Cove; Portland, Maine 22 February 2016 New hire This marks Kiladjian’s return to the Portland Harbor Hotel, where he was GM of the property from 2004 to 2014. His previous position was GM at the Cliff House Resort & Spa in Ogunquit, Maine.
	Thomas Lloyd, assistant GM of the Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel; Denver 19 February 2016 Promotion Lloyd previously worked as the hotel’s director of food and beverage and has more than 15 years of restaurant and hospitality management experience.
	Rick Crain, GM of the Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas Downtown; Dallas 17 February 2016 New hire Crain has spent 11 years working with Hilton Worldwide Holdings but also worked for Holiday Inn Express and La Quinta properties.
	Andrew Tilley, GM of Innside New York NoMad; New York City 17 February 2016 New hire Tilley has more than 30 years of experience as a global hotelier and has worked with Meliá Hotels International since 2010.
	Mickael Damelincourt, managing director, Trump International Hotel; Washington, D.C. 16 February 2016 New hire Damelincourt has worked for Trump Hotels since 2007 and was the opening GM of Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto in 2012.
	Kevin Karau, GM of the Heidel House Resort & Spa; Green Lake, Wisconsin 16 February 2016 New hire Before joining Heidel House, Karau was GM of Timber Lodge & Waterpark in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, since 2014.
	Mark Fenton, GM of Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark; Lake Geneva, Wisconsin 16 February 2016 New hire Fenton previously worked as resident manager at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa. Fenton also has 25 years of experience with Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
	David Mariotti, GM of One Ocean Resort & Spa; Atlantic Beach, Florida 15 February 2016 New hire Mariotti’s luxury resort management includes more than 12 years as general manager with Ponte Vedra Inn & Club and The Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
	Eric Bates, GM of the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort and Theatre; Lincolnshire, Illinois 11 February 2016 New hire Bates has worked for Marriott for 15 years and The Bricton Group for eight years. He previously worked at Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa in Galena, Illinois.
	Nanci Sherman, GM of Bardessono Hotel & Spa; Yountville, California 9 February 2016 New hire Sherman previously worked as GM of Miraval Life in Balance in Tuscon, Arizona, and GM of the first W New York Hotel.

Sales and Marketing

	Alex Mabry, assistant director of sales, Marcus Hotels & Resorts 23 February 2016 New hire Mabry will lead sales strategies and initiatives for the 240-room Hilton Madison and 239-room Sheraton Madison. She joined Marcus Hotels & Resorts in 2013.
	Tracy Spodeck, area director of revenue management for Sonesta Hotels 22 February 2016 Promotion Spodeck previously worked as director of revenue management for Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach, and in her new position she will oversee that property as well as Sonesta Coconut Grove.
	Brooke Danielsen, director of sales, Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas Downtown; Dallas 17 February 2016 New hire Danielsen has worked in a number of hotel industry sales positions in the southern U.S. and has been previously employed by Marriott and Hilton properties in the Dallas area.
	Ashley Carroll, account director for group sales, Maui Sales Complex for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; Maui, Hawaii 17 February 2016 Promotion Carroll was promoted to her new position from group sales manager with the company and also has prior work experience with Ritz-Carlton.
	Patricia Tang, director of sales and marketing, Trump International Hotel; Washington, D.C. 16 February 2016 New hire Tang has more than 20 years of luxury hotel experience, including past positions with Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental and Salamander Hotels & Resorts.
	David Almond, director of sales and marketing, InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile; Chicago 15 February 2016 New hire Almond has more than 20 years of hotel sales management experience in his career, including stops at Hilton Worldwide Holdings and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.
	Nate Hardesty, regional VP of sales, Hyatt Hotels Corporation 12 February 2016 Promotion In his new role, Hardesty will be responsible for Hyatt sales production across the eastern U.S. region. He previously was director of sales and marketing at the Hyatt Regency Orlando.
	Christopher Finelli, regional VP of sales, Hyatt Hotels Corporation 12 February 2016 New hire Finelli will focus on the western and Midwest regions of the U.S. for Hyatt sales production. He previously worked as director of sales and marketing at Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago.
	Kelly Egan Merryfield, director of sales and marketing, Trump International Hotel & Tower New York; New York City 10 February 2016 New hire Merryfield comes to Trump International Hotel & Tower New York from Salamander Hotels & Resorts in Middleburg, Virginia, where she was director of travel industry sales. She previously worked as director of sales and marketing at the same Trump property from 2007 to 2008.
	Gemma Keating, corporate director of sales, Gansevoort Hotel Group 10 February 2016 New hire Keating previously worked as director of sales and marketing at The Knickerbocker New York.
	Keith Chouinard, director of sales and marketing, Hotel Viking; Newport, Rhode Island 11 February 2016 Promotion Chouinard joined Hotel Viking in December 2015 and also serves on the board of directors of Discover Newport. Chouinard has previously worked for Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

F&B
 

	Kara Gugel, banquets manager, Marcus Hotels & Resorts 23 February 2016 Promotion Gugel will be banquets manager for both the Sheraton Madison and the Hilton Madison. She first joined Marcus Hotels & Resorts in 2014.
	Cory Seykoski, executive chef, Silversmith Hotel; Chicago 22 February 2016 New hire Seykoski was previously a sous chef at Melrose Georgetown Hotel in Washington, D.C.
	Cristina Mach, food and beverage manager, Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach; Fort Lauderdale, Florida 22 February 2016 New hire Mach has several years of hotel F&B management experience.
	Jonathan Searle, executive chef of Lockbox, 21c Museum Hotel Lexington; Lexington, Kentucky 15 February 2016 New hire Searle has previously worked in the kitchens of Bourbon n’ Toulouse and Bellini’s restaurants in Lexington and 21c Museum Hotel Louisville’s Proof on Main.
	Marc Suennemann, executive chef, Emory Conference Center Hotel; Atlanta 11 February 2016 New hire A native of Hamburg, Germany, Suennemann most recently was executive chef for the Sheraton Atlanta.

Human Resources
 

	Leandro Ortega, area director of human resources, Sonesta Hotels 22 February 2016 Promotion Ortega will oversee human resources responsibilities for both Sonesta Coconut Grove and Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach. He previously was director of human resources for Sonesta Coconut Grove.
	Mallory Anderson, human resources manager, Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach; Fort Lauderdale, Florida 22 February 2016 Promotion Anderson has worked at Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach since 2011 and was promoted to her new position from executive administrative assistant.

Compiled by Dan Kubacki.