Meliá Hotels International, Spain's leading hotel company, is excited to announce the appointment of Mauricio Patino as the new General Manager of its INNSIDE by Meliá New York hotel.
The Pierre New York, A Taj Hotel is pleased to announce that Suzanne Latapie has joined the iconic five-star hotel as Director of Restaurants. A proven executive with over 30 years of industry experience, Ms. Latapie will oversee operations for The Pierre's signature restaurant Perrine, Two E Bar & Lounge and The Rotunda.
tommie Hotels, a new micro lifestyle hotel brand from Commune Hotels & Resorts, is pleased to announce the appointment of three industry innovators to tommie Hudson Square’s management team. The team to debut tommie’s first New York City hotel, tommie Hudson Square, in early 2016 includes: Javier Egipciaco, General Manager; Rosa Gutierrez, Director of Sales & Marketing; and Jason Enany, Director of Food, Beverage & Entertainment. A 20-year veteran of the restaurant industry, Enany joins tommie Hudson Square following his most recent role as Director of Operations for EMM Group. In that position, he spent five years overseeing the concept creation, strategic development and day-to-day operations of six restaurants in New York City and Miami. Enany has a proven track record of success, holding various positions at other restaurant companies including BR Guest Hospitality, where his commitment to high service standards, product quality and employee retention resulted in the profitability of multiple high-volume restaurants over the course of his four-year tenure.
tommie Hotels, a new micro lifestyle hotel brand from Commune Hotels & Resorts, is pleased to announce the appointment of three industry innovators to tommie Hudson Square’s management team. The team to debut tommie’s first New York City hotel, tommie Hudson Square, in early 2016 includes: Javier Egipciaco, General Manager; Rosa Gutierrez, Director of Sales & Marketing; and Jason Enany, Director of Food, Beverage & Entertainment.
Trump SoHo® New York, the first Trump Hotel Collection property in downtown Manhattan and the neighborhood’s only AAA Five Diamond-rated hotel, today announced its appointment of Brian Honan as the new director of sales and marketing at Trump SoHo. A veteran in his field, Honan spent the past six years as the director of marketing at the 900-room New York Palace Hotel. He was an integral part of the brand’s efforts to establish a marketing presence in the American market, creating awareness and demand among domestic travel partners. Managing sales and catering relations, he developed instrumental strategies for the Palace’s two distinct properties: The Towers and The Palace Main House. For 14 years prior, Honan was the director of marketing at the Four Seasons New York Hotel where he consistently soared in the sales department by achieving record financial results and led all aspects of marketing for the flagship property. His career also includes senior marketing and sales positions with Hyatt International (UN Plaza Hotel), Nikko Hotels International (Essex House), and The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company’s first Manhattan property on Central Park South.
Highgate Hotels and FelCor Lodging Trust Incorporated are pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff David as Managing Director for the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City. The iconic landmark tower located on 42nd and Broadway in Times Square, that originally opened in 1906, will debut as an updated 330-room and suite lifestyle boutique hotel for the upscale corporate and leisure traveler. With his five star pedigree spanning twenty years in hospitality management, and as recent winner of the prestigious ‘Hotelier of the Year Award 2012’, David will lead the hotel through an initial repositioning phase before its reopening in early 2014. David brings with him an extensive background in the luxury market. Having launched his career at one of the world’s most recognized properties, the Four Seasons Regent Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles, David built a solid foundation of expertise in this sector. His growth continued with a move to the Four Seasons Boston where he functioned as an integral part of the management team that elevated the property into the only 5-Star, 5-Diamond hotel in New England. After nine years at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, David managed independent hotels and was later recruited by the Los Angeles-based Viceroy Hotel Group, a lifestyle hospitality brand known the world over for stylized properties across a range of markets. As a fundamental part of this team for almost six years, his tenure at properties in Palm Springs, California, Snowmass, Colorado and Anguilla in the British West Indies provided extensive exposure to the inner workings of these luxury hotels in the brand’s portfolio. Most recently as the General Manager of the Viceroy Anguilla, David was a key player in opening and operating of this $550 million flagship property. His efforts here were recognized when he won the coveted title of ‘Hotelier of the Year 2012’ at the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Associations (AHTA) Annual Tourism Gala in December 2012. David also managed the historic Viceroy Palm Springs in California, traveling regularly between the two destinations. David later transitioned from his post in Anguilla and Palm Springs to oversee the 2009 opening of the Viceroy Snowmass, a $200 million ski-in, ski-out facility that he guided through an on-time, under budget launch. Additionally, David has served as the Food and Beverage Director at Rosewood Hotel’s and Resort’s Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, as well as General Manager of several distinct luxury New England properties including the famed Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and The Chanler at Cliffwalk in Newport, Rhode Island.
Highgate Hotels announced the appointment of James Marino as General Manager of the Lexington New York City. With more than two decades of luxury hospitality experience in major metropolitan markets such as New York and Chicago, Marino will oversee operations of the storied Manhattan hotel currently in the midst of a multi-million dollar transformation. Marino joins the Lexington New York City from the Hyatt Arlington in Arlington, Virginia where he served as general manager for three years. His strong background in finance, sales and marketing drove the successful operation of the 318-room hotel; Marino exceeded Hyatt Arlington’s annual budgeted revenue goal for two consecutive years while also increasing the overall RevPar (Revenue per Available Room) by more than 20%. Under his guidance, the Hyatt Arlington also improved its standing on the international travel review forum, Trip Advisor – jumping from #31 to #9.
John Pritzker, Co-Chairman of Commune Hotels & Resorts named Niki Leondakis to serve as the company's new CEO. Ms. Leondakis joins Commune from Kimpton Hotels & Restaurant Group where she most recently served as President and Chief Operating Officer.
Ashfer Biju is the Executive Chef at The Pierre, A Taj Hotel on New York’s Central Park. Responsible for all culinary operations at the classic hotel, Chef Biju is a talented man on a mission: to deliver inventive, seasonal, sustainable options that delight a diverse array of discerning palates from around the world. He directs a culinary team of 50 cooks and seven sous chefs, and puts daily afternoon creative sessions devoted to testing and tasting new concepts under development to great use.
Andaz hotels announces the appointment of Jeffrey Miller to the position of General Manager at Andaz Wall Street; while former General Manager, Toni Hinterstoisser, will lead the highly anticipated opening of Andaz Amsterdam in late Summer 2012. Jeffrey Miller brings twenty-two years of experience with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts to Andaz Wall Street and has experienced every aspect of hotel operations and management throughout his career. Mr. Miller has held leadership positions at properties such as Park Hyatt Los Angeles and Grand Hyatt New York. Most recently Jeffrey Miller oversaw the successful rebranding of the Hyatt at The Bellevue becoming the preferred venue for "black-tie" social events in the Philadelphia area and landing the hotel on Travel + Leisure's "Top Urban Hotels in North America" list.
St Giles Hotels has announced the appointment of Cesar Avery as the new general manager for Manhattan portfolio which consists of two Manhattan side-by-side properties – The Tuscany and The Court. Avery, a nominee for the 2010 HSMAI Big Apple Chapter General Manager of the Year Award, is a hospitality industry executive with experience leading upscale boutique hotels in Washington D.C. and New York City. Avery joins St Giles after nearly a decade with the 130-room boutique Roger Smith Hotel in New York where he served as general manager for 8 years. Prior, he worked as their director of marketing. During his tenure the property’s rooms division revenue rose by 40 percent, with average rates increasing by 25 percent.
The soon-to-open Conrad New York is pleased to announce the appointment of Anthony Zamora as Executive Chef. A culinary visionary who counts several Five-Star and Five-Diamond hotel restaurants within his decade-long career, Zamora oversees all dining operations at Conrad New York including the hotel's signature restaurant, Atrio, the seasonal rooftop bar and in-room dining. Chef Zamora joins the Conrad New York team from Four Seasons Hotel New York, where he was Executive Chef. During his four-year term, he conceptualized the Garden Wine Bar, which continues to be a success. Zamora also oversaw a staff of 50 employees in five hotel dining outlets and nine kitchens. Chef Zamora, who is of both Italian and Lebanese ancestry, will bring a strong Mediterranean flavor and flair to his cuisine at Atrio. The restaurant's innovative and contemporary menu will complement the restaurant's sleek, modern design and stylish décor. The wood-burning stone oven will be the focal point of the open-air kitchen, which will have a cooking studio feel so diners can enjoy watching their meal being prepared. Atrio will offer a variety of fare including inventive flatbreads, artisanal cheeses, cured meats, salads and meatballs, as well as Old World wines by the glass and signature martinis. Prior to his tenure at Four Seasons Hotel New York, Chef Zamora spent six years with The Biltmore Hotel in Miami, where he designed a new In Room Dining kitchen to streamline the team's structure. During this time, he also served on the Advisory Committee at Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts in Miramar, Florida. A native of Michigan, Zamora earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University in Miami. He has also been honored with the Florida Restaurant Association's Award of Excellence in Hospitality. When he's not in the kitchen, Chef Zamora enjoys photography, skiing and spending time with his family. He resides in Waldwick, New Jersey.
Also serving on the 2012 IHMRS Board of Directors are Joseph Spinnato, president, Hotel Association of New York City; Jan Chesterton, president, New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association; Joe McInerney, president and CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association; Vijay Dandapani, president, Apple Core Hotels; John Fitzpatrick, CEO North America, Fitzpatrick Hotel Group; Pedro Mandoki, president, Mandoki Hospitality Group; Tony Mangano, vice president, Syramada Hotel Corporation; and John Russell, CEO, Advaya Hospitality.
Kathleen Shea, Taj Hotels Vice President, Sales & Marketing – The Americas, has named Brian Jones as Director of Sales & Marketing for The Pierre, A Taj Hotel on New York’s Central Park.
Desires Hotels, the unique collection of independently created modern boutique hotels, has announced the appointment of David Lopez as the General Manager of the 42-story Cassa NYC Hotel and Residences in New York City. In this role, Lopez will maximize production from all levels of hotel operations, implement revenue generation strategies, coordinate marketing and branding functions — all while ensuring compliance of Desires Hotels’ service standards. David Lopez brings more than 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry with 12 of those years being served in the New York City marketplace. Beginning with his first appointment as General Manager of The Rogers Williams Hotel in New York City, Lopez comes to Cassa NYC from the San Juan Water and Beach Club in San Juan, Puerto Rico where he was the General Manager. David has experienced success in managing boutique hotels, which will prove a valuable asset as he sets his sights on the Spring 2010 opening date for the five-star luxury, 166-room Cassa NYC Hotel and Residences. David joined Desires Hotels in January 2006 as General Manager of Hotel Mela in New York City and has since become a valuable member of the management team. “Cassa NYC is an important project for Desires Hotels as we continue to expand in different markets. We are excited to have David back in New York City spearheading this venture,” says Raul Leal, President of Desires Hotels.