Lexington® by Vantage, a collection of inns, hotels and suites in the midscale to upscale lodging segments, is pleased to announce plans to build a 158-room Lexington Inn & Suites in Dania Beach, FL that will be using the brand's innovative prototype. The hotel will be owned by a Vantage Hospitality affiliate and is expected to break ground soon.
Noble House Hotels & Resorts has appointed Catherine Cumings as Director of Sales and Marketing to Pelican Grand Beach Resort, located just steps from the Atlantic in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In this role, Cumings will provide leadership and oversee the day-to-day operations of the sales and marketing departments, while maintaining focus on the strategic goals of Pelican Grand Beach Resort.
Martin Wormull has been appointed general manager of the highly-anticipated Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, opening early 2016. Prior to his new role at Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, Wormull was Senior Director, Luxury Brand Performance Management – Americas for Hilton Worldwide Luxury & Lifestyle Brands, working directly with area leaders and management companies to develop and implement successful and measurable programs for Hilton Worldwide luxury brands, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts (NYSE:HOT), The Wurzak Hotel Group and DoveHill today announced the development of a 323-room dual-branded hotel under Starwood's recently launched Tribute Portfolio and eco-wise Element brands. Construction on the 24-story project will begin this Fall, with an opening scheduled for Spring 2017. The hotel will boast the city's only rooftop bar and 12,000 square feet of premium ground-floor retail space at the intersection of US1 and 3rd Street.
Noble Investment Group ("Noble") today announced the acquisition of the Renaissance by Marriott Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port. Located proximate to the Las Olas/Downtown central business district, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, the Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port and the Broward County Convention Center, the property will undergo a number of enhancements throughout the hotel.
Most recently, Galati was the Director of Sales & Marketing at W Hollywood Hotel & Residences in Los Angeles. She also has strong W Brand experience holding posts in both W New York Union Square and W San Francisco. While shes had roles in other major metropolitan markets like London, Toronto and DC, shes happy to be back in South Florida where she previously led Sales efforts for Starwood in both Ft. Lauderdale and South Beach.
With more than 20 years of experience in destination and hospitality sales and marketing, Purvey was assistant director of tourism for Bermuda, where he spearheaded a number of successful programs. He later moved to the U.S., where he continued his career as director of marketing and leisure sales at the Radisson Suite Resort (now Marriott Sand Key) in Clearwater, Florida. He spent 13 years in that position and was credited with developing a strategic marketing and sales plans that led to significant success for the resort financially, as well as in customer service and guest satisfaction. Since leaving Clearwater, Purvey has served as director of sales and marketing for Bahia Mar Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale as well as Radisson’s two Caribbean properties in Aruba and St. Martin.
B Hotels & Resorts® today announced the return of its coveted B Ocean, in an exciting beachfront location. The growing brand's newest property is the dynamic 486-room B Ocean Resort, located at 1140 Seabreeze Drive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formerly known as the Yankee Clipper Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel, the property has been reflagged and will immediately begin welcoming guests seeking a fresh, approachable lifestyle experience.
A resident of South Florida for 15+ years, Chris Bielski is no stranger to the market. Having most recently served in the Market Sales Leader position for South Florida he also held positions as Sales Leader at the Fort Lauderdale Marina Marriott and Area Director of Sales for Fort Lauderdale and Miami, along with a seven-‐year stint with Doral Golf Resort & Spa. Chris also served as the Area Director of Sales & Marketing for all Marriott managed hotels in South Florida for three years. Prior to living under the sunny skies of Florida, Chris called the Midwest home where he actually began his career as a banquet cook at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort near Chicago, IL. From there he went on to hold various food & beverage, catering and sales positions in Chicago, Cleveland & Detroit, before moving in to leadership roles as Director of Catering Sales, Director of Group Sales and Director of Sales & Marketing. Having now been with Marriott for more than 30 years, Chris will continue his run in Florida as the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa.
Having achieved top financial results and held various executive positions, Karen Chastain brings more than two decades of substantial leadership experience within the Marriott brand. Karen assumes her new role by way of the Scottsdale Marriott and the Scottsdale Marriott Old Town Suites where she served as Multi-‐Property General Manager. Prior to that she worked with the Marriott Western Regional Team as the Regional Director of Finance and Accounting for five years and the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa as the Director of Room Operations and Sales Manager, achieving top customer scores and financial results. Throughout her Marriott career, Karen is known to consistently achieve outstanding guest satisfaction, associate engagement and house profit, and looks forward to maintaining that streak in Fort Lauderdale as General Manager.
Sonesta adds to its growing portfolio today with the announcement of the Sonesta Fort Lauderdale, a recently renovated beachfront hotel located just eight miles from Fort Lauderdale/HollywoodInternational Airport. This stylish and sophisticated AAA Four Diamond-rated hotel overlooks Fort Lauderdale Beach and the Atlantic Ocean, with 240 guest rooms – including 24 suites – each boasting spectacular oceanfront views.
Allan most recently held the position of general manager of Pier Sixty-Six, down the street from his new assignment at the 25-story, all-suite flagship property. No stranger to Hilton, Allan was part of the Hilton family as hotel manager at GALLERYone, a DoubleTree by Hilton all-suites resort on the Intracoastal waterways. Allan started his career with Hilton Worldwide in food and beverage at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and Towers. Early in his career, he was instrumental in establishing Shula's Steak Houses as a nationally recognized restaurant brand, growing the organization from two restaurants to over thirty locations in most major markets.
Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed Mike Lauria director of operations for Bonaventure Resort & Spa, a Benchmark Resort® located in Fort Lauderdale. Charles Reece, Benchmark's general manager at the resort, made the announcement.Mike Lauria was previously director of rooms for the award-winning Bonaventure. He has served the resort in several operational areas of increasing responsibility. Lauria began his career with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, working for properties in New York, Virginia, Florida and Aruba.
Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed David Friedberg director of sales & marketing for Bonaventure Resort & Spa, a Benchmark Resort® located in Fort Lauderdale. Charles Reece, Benchmark's general manager at the resort, made the announcement. David Friedberg was most recently director of sales for The Kalahari Resort of Sandusky, Ohio, the largest resort and convention center under one roof in the Midwestern U.S. Previous to this, Mr. Friedberg held several sales & marketing leadership positions within Marriott Hotels and Resorts. These included serving as director of sales and marketing for the Saddlebrook Marriott in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, the Marriott East Side in New York City, and for both the Crystal Gateway and Crystal City Marriott hotels in Arlington, Virginia.
Hilton Worldwide announced today that it has signed definitive agreements with CFLB Partnership LLC to open and operate a 290-room Conrad Hotels & Resorts branded residence and resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Currently undergoing a more than $34 million renovation and property enhancements, the 24-story oceanfront Conrad Fort Lauderdale has an anticipated opening in 2015.
Hoellrigle will oversee the operations of the 13-story, 231 guest suite resort, located on the Intracoastal Waterway, just two blocks from Fort Lauderdale beaches, effective immediately. He most recently held the position of director of operations at Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort in Egypt, a position he held since 2009.
Prior to joining W Fort Lauderdale, Fitzgibbon was the General Manager of W Atlanta Buckhead, where she was responsible for the opening of the hotel from concept to completion in 2008. Within the first three months, her marketing savvy helped the hotel secure over 230 pieces of press coverage in top tier publications, reaching a global audience of nearly 200 million. Under her leadership, the hotel was named 2009 Buckhead Business of the Year and became one of the area’s premier destinations.
W Fort Lauderdale welcomes Starwood spa veteran Joan Bowden as the new director of its iconic bliss spa. Bowden’s responsibilities as director of spa will include overseeing marketing and promotions, retail initiatives and operations of the 4,000 sq. ft. facility featuring a luxe nail lounge, pampering treatment rooms, men’s and women’s lounges that open on to an outdoor terrace, a retail boutique and a legendary brownie buffet.
W Fort Lauderdale is proud to announce the appointment of Cesar Wurm as the new director of sales and marketing. A Starwood veteran, Wurm will be responsible for continuing to drive occupancy and overseeing all marketing and public relations efforts at the oceanfront resort.
Previously, Crumpacker was the general manager at the Residence Inn Merrillville where he has been since 2011. He started with White Lodging in 2007 as the event operations manager at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. Crumpacker was also the operations manager at the Courtyard Indianapolis at the Capitol where he oversaw the front desk, Courtyard Cafe, meeting space and many of the housekeeping department duties. He even served as an assistant pastor of Crossroads International Church in Athens, Greece for a year where he initiated and organized outreach campaigns, building renovations, taught classes and coordinated groups of members consisting of fifteen different nationalities.