InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta Appoints Executive Committee Members
ATLANTA | InterContinental Hotels Group [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world’s most global hotel company and largest by number of rooms, announced today appointments of the executive committee at the $115 million InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, the company’s flagship property scheduled to open in November 2004.
The new executive committee is comprised of the following hospitality industry veterans: Simon Antoine – director of food & beverage; Pascal Forotti – executive assistant manager; Debbie Grant – director of sales and marketing; Laura Hamilton – director of human resources; Patrick Kelly – financial controller; Jerry Maon – rooms division manager; Bixente Pery – executive chef; Yolima Rodriguez – executive housekeeper; and William Romero – chief engineer.
“I am delighted to have such an outstanding executive team in place in preparation for the hotel’s opening in November,” said Ronen Nissenbaum, general manager of the new InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta. “The expertise, attitude and service culture of this team will have a significant impact on both the guest experience and the Buckhead community overall.”
As director of Food and Beverage, Antoine will oversee the 160-seat Au Pied de Cochon restaurant and all other food and beverage outlets. He will also be responsible for the operations of the largest five-star conference and banqueting facility in Atlanta. With nearly 20 years experience in the hospitality industry, Antoine has managed Food & Beverage departments at InterContinental hotels in London and the Abidjan Ivory Coast, as well as Novotel hotels in New York and Great Britain. Antoine is a member of the following French professional organizations: Chevalier of the Cheese Master of France, Maitre de Table Restaurant and Baillie Delegue of the “Chaine des Rotisseurs” and Town Member of the Reunion des Gastronomes.
Forotti has been with InterContinental Hotels Group since 1992, and began his career with the company as assistant night manager at the InterContinental Luxembourg. Later, Forotti took on roles of increasing responsibility with InterContinental hotels in London, Amsterdam, Washington, D.C. and New York, where he was selected as a member of the pre-opening team. Forotti has extensive experience in operations and speaks fluently in four languages. In his new role as executive assistant manager, he will oversee the day-to-day operations, quality and standards for the new five-star hotel.
Grant, a 20-year veteran in the hospitality industry, has been with InterContinental Hotels Group since 1996. Grant has extensive experience in the areas of sales and marketing. In her new role with the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, Grant oversees sales, catering and reservations, as well as advertising and marketing for the new hotel.
Hamilton will oversee human resources for the 300 employees who will work at the hotel, including hiring, compensation, training, benefits and other personnel-related issues. Most recently with the Windsor Court Hotel-New Orleans, Hamilton served as director of human resources and before that, she worked in human resources with the Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta, as well as with the Ritz Carlton. Hamilton has more than 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry with a strong hotel operations background.
Kelly has nearly 25 years experience in hospitality finance. As financial controller, he will oversee the property’s finances including accounts receivable, asset management and profit improvement. Kelly built his hospitality finance career working with Marriott International at locations throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean. Most recently, Kelly served as director of financial analysis with Kerzner International.
Maon joined InterContinental Hotels Group in 1995 and in 2002 was named “Best of the Best Front Office Manager” by the company. With nearly ten years experience in the hospitality industry, Maon joins the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta as rooms division manager and will oversee operations for all hotel rooms, the housekeeping department and the front office. Most recently, Maon served as receptions manager at the InterContinental Chicago. He has also been involved in the pre-openings of InterContinental hotels in Cleveland and Houston.
As executive chef, Pery is responsible for managing the hotel’s four kitchens, including its notable Kosher Kitchen. Pery will oversee menu development and cuisine preparation, as well as handle the purchasing of the highest quality food products available. Pery has more than 17 years experience as a chef in the hospitality industry. He has prepared meals for a diverse group of world leaders at InterContinental hotels around the world including President Bush Senior, Vice President Dick Cheney, Governor John Kerry, the Crown Prince of Arabia, Queen Sofia of Spain and presidents of China, Nicaragua, Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Santo Domingo Republic and Egypt.
Rodriguez, a 24-year veteran in hospitality housekeeping will oversee all aspects of the housekeeping department for the 422-room hotel. Rodriguez has worked at InterContinental hotels in Colombia, Panama City, Puerto Rico and Guatemala, where under her leadership, the hotel’s housekeeping department earned the highest score in guest satisfaction in Central America for two consecutive years. Most recently, Rodriquez was executive housekeeper at the Crowne Plaza Medical Center – Houston.
As chief engineer, Romero will oversee all technical operations for the 21-story high rise. Romero joined InterContinental Hotels Group in 1990 as chief engineer at the InterContinental Medellin–Colombia. Later, he served as chief engineer at InterContinental hotels in Cartagena, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Puerto Rico and most recently, with the Crowne Plaza Royal Palm–Miami.
The InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta is located in the heart of the Buckhead community on Peachtree Road. The 21-story high-rise will include 401 guest rooms, 21 suites and the largest ballroom space of any five-star hotel in the city.
The hotel, which will be seen as a "grand dame" on historic Peachtree Road, is designed to capture InterContinental’s vision of a gracious contemporary hotel that expresses the character, ambiance and indigenous spirit of Atlanta. An interior garden courtyard, which can be viewed from all public areas of the hotel, will create an oasis of calm in a vibrant urban setting. The architecture and interior design offer architectural imagery that is forward-looking, yet respectful of Atlanta’s past.
Hotel amenities will include:
- Generous, covered port cochere entry with fountain to anchor hotel site on the corner of Peachtree Road and Highland Drive
- Three-story elliptical lobby and lounge area
- 55,000 sq. of meeting and function space, 31,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, matching the largest meeting space of any five-star hotel in Atlanta. This includes a unique to Atlanta, 24,000 sq. ft. central garden area.
- 12,000 sq. ft. ballroom is the largest of all the five-star hotels in Atlanta, the largest in Buckhead and can accommodate approximately 950 people for seated dinners and 1,500 theater style
- 6,185 sq. ft. junior ballroom will serve Atlanta’s social market
- 160-seat restaurant and bar with exterior terrace along Peachtree Road, encompasses fine and casual dining
- Day spa
- Health club facilities
- Outdoor pool and lounge area
- The only hotel in Buckhead where all rooms will have four-fixture bathrooms–separate stall shower and garden tub in each guest bathroom.
- 500 covered parking spaces
- Kosher Kitchen
InterContinental Hotels Group offers information and reservations capability on the Internet -www.intercontinental.com for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, www.crowneplaza.com for Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, www.holiday-inn.com for Holiday Inn hotels, www.hiexpress.com for Holiday Inn Express hotels, www.staybridge.com for Staybridge Suites hotels, www.candlewoodsuites.com for Candlewood Suites hotels, and www.hotelindigo.com for Hotel Indigo hotels, and for the Group’s rewards program, www.priorityclub.com.
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Carolyn Hergert
+1-770-604-8248
IHG
