Michael HooperHilton Worldwide today announced that Michael Hooper has been appointed General Manager of Hilton Miami Airport situated on a private 12.5-acre tropical peninsula surrounded by a 100-acre fresh water lake in Miami, Florida. Hooper will run operations, effective immediately, for the 508-room hotel centrally located hotel just minutes from Downtown Miami, Coconut Grove, South Beach and Art Deco District area and Miami International Airport. Hooper began his 30-year hospitality career as a front desk agent in Chicago at The Drake Hotel. Most recently, he served as hotel manager of the 1544-room Hilton Chicago where he was responsible for all operating departments in the hotel. Prior, he served as the director of full service hotels with First Hospitality Group, responsible for Hilton Chicago Indian Lakes, Holiday Inn Itasca and the Wit, a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. From 2009 to 2012, he was the general manager at Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. Hooper has also held several leadership roles at various properties including: Cable Beach Resorts, British Colonial Hilton Nassau, London Gatwick Airport Hilton and London Kensington Hilton. He has worked with Hilton Hotels for 27 years. While in London, Hooper was recognized as General Manager of the Year in 1997 for Hilton Hotels in the U.K. and Hotelier of the year in 2004 in the Bahamas Hotel Association. Hooper holds a diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver, British Columbia.