The 110-suite SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina is scheduled to open on Tuesday, April 19, 2016. Located at 245 Magrath Darby Boulevard, the SpringHill Suites Charleston Mount Pleasant will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Gateway Mt. Pleasant Hotel, LLC and managed by Raines Hospitality, Inc.
HVS announced that Heidi Nielsen has been promoted to Vice President. According to Stephen Rushmore, MAI, CRE, FRICS, President and CEO of HVS “Heidi joined HVS in 2006 and is considered our Carolinas/Georgia Coast expert, having worked on hundreds of assignments in this part of the country.”
Charleston Place Hotel , located in the heart of Charleston’s historic district, appoints Kristyn Brinker as National Sales Manager. In her new role at the iconic 435-room Orient-Express property, Brinker will oversee group sales originating from South Carolina and the Washington, D.C. area. Ideal for groups of all sizes, Charleston Place features the award-winning Charleston Grill; Palmetto Café; The Thoroughbred Club; The Spa; more than 30,000 square feet banquet, conference and seminar services; and the Riviera Theater.
Fred Julius, Vice President of Operations for The Wilderman Group announced the promotion of Lauren Braxton to Sales Manager at the multi-use 30,000-square-foot Gastonia Conference Center in Gastonia, NC.Born and raised in Gastonia, Lauren holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and gained solid experience as an intern at the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) which provided her with an enthusiastic pursuit of a career in meeting and event planning.
A native of South Carolina, growing up near Charleston, Mr. Gresham graduated among the top of his class from the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management at the University of South Carolina and is also a graduate of the world-renowned Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland. As General Manager of the French Quarter Inn, Mr. Gresham will focus on the continuation of enhancing the guest experience at the AAA Four-Diamond Inn. The Inn skillfully marries the pleasures of a stay in an old-world elegance of a Parisian chateau while experiencing the admired southern comforts of one of the country’s most service-minded hotels and dining destinations.
One of the fastest growing, highly valued fields in the global hospitality and tourism industry is managing marketing and sales using revenue management strategies. The School of Business recognizes the significant opportunity to meet the demand by offering a new MBA with a focus in hospitality revenue management.
Kristin D. Kurie of Johns Island, SC has been appointed President of The Wilderman Group, the Charleston, SC-based hospitality management company. Kristin has served for six years as Vice President of New Business for The Wilderman Group, where she managed the overall sales and marketing strategies as well as sales training and the pursuit of new business opportunities. As President, she will concentrate on the day-to-day operations of the business and continue to oversee the development of new business opportunities for the company. Kristin Kurie is a 27-year veteran of the hospitality sales and marketing discipline, having served as director of sales and marketing at Doral Arrowwood Resort & Conference Center, considered one of the nation’s premier conference centers. Her experience covers a wide range in the hospitality and meetings industries and she brings a national reputation for her expertise in conference center management and consulting. Ms. Kurie served as a director of the International Association of Conference Centers and was active on the marketing and sustainability committees. She remains involved with the association and is a frequent presenter at the IACC Annual Conference focusing on sales and marketing. She was presented the coveted Award of Excellence from IACC for her years of service to the association and to the conference center industry.
Privately held Noble Investment Group ("Noble"), today announced the acquisition of the award winning, 126-room Holiday Inn Charleston Historic District prominently located at the intersection of Calhoun and Meeting streets. Noble concurrently acquired an adjacent land parcel and has obtained entitlements to add 50 hotel guest rooms and 2,500 square feet of meeting space to the existing asset. Noble will complete the guest rooms and meeting space expansion in tandem with a comprehensive renovation of the current hotel. In 2011, the hotel will be re-branded as the Courtyard by Marriott Charleston Historic District with 176 guest rooms and 5,000 square feet of meeting space.