Zena Phillips The Conrad New York, a contemporary luxury hotel in Lower Manhattan, is pleased to announce the appointment of Zena Phillips as director of catering and events. With 463 guest rooms, a unique catering partnership with Union Square Events, and an array of meetings and event spaces including two ballrooms, a boardroom, a rooftop bar and a private dining room, the Conrad New York is an ideal setting for a range of corporate and leisure events. Phillips joins the hotel team with a decade of experience, previously working at esteemed properties such as Conrad Miami, Hilton Toronto and Waldorf Astoria New York. “We are thrilled to have Zena Phillips join the Conrad New York team as our director of catering and events,” said Robert Rechtermann, general manager, Conrad New York. “Her proven expertise in key urban markets and results-driven approach will continue to enhance the hotel’s performance and reinforce our commitment to providing outstanding services across the board.” Phillips has over 17 years of sales and management services with the last 13 years focused on the catering and events discipline. Most recently, during her tenure with Hilton Worldwide, Phillips served as director of catering and events at Conrad Miami where she received the Hilton Worldwide Circle of Excellence Award for 2014 Catering Director of the Year, as well as the George S. Zell Spirit of NACE Award for the South Florida Chapter in 2013 and 2010. She was also named the NACE National Catering Professional of the year for the South Florida Chapter in 2009 while serving as the catering manager of Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. As the senior catering manager of Waldorf Astoria New York, Phillips was responsible for coordinating vendors and executing events for up to 1,500 guests within the landmark luxury hotel’s 60,000 square feet of functional space. A Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE), Phillips graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in international development and earned a hospitality management certificate from Cornell University.