Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality Group, announces the appointment of Randi Milewski as general manager of the new Hammetts Hotel in Newport, RI. Scheduled to open in spring 2020, Hammetts Hotel is Main Street Hospitality's first management contract in Rhode Island.
The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection, the historic mansion situated in the charming coastal town of Newport, Rhode Island, announced today that Massimiliano Puglisi has joined as General Manager.
In her new role as General Manager, Bouman will oversee the day-to-day management of the property including all staff, guest services, and marketing initiatives. With nearly 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Bouman joins the Grace team following her role as Resort Manager at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Harwich, Massachusetts.
Chef Theocaropoulos has deep roots in the industry having previously opened his own restaurant in Brooklyn, New York and been recognized for his talent by the likes of The New York Times, Eater NY, amNY, and several other regional publications. Awarded the 'Best Octopus in New York' by Ask Men, Chef Theocaropoulos will incorporate his signature award-winning dishes along with new creations to Grace Vanderbilt's already robust and coveted culinary program. Chef Theocaropoulos received his education at the Lincoln Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, where he was trained in culinary arts and international cuisine. He was particularly influenced while working under Chef Michael White, who is one of his biggest mentors and has guided Chef Theocaropoulos to refine the cooking style he is so well-known for today.
With nearly 50 properties in their portfolio, both independent and branded hotels, the Shaner Group made a necessary choice for their Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina to advance their revenue strategy from a manual structure to an automated system.
Hotel Viking in Newport, R.I. announced the appointment of James Barrett as general manager. A hospitality industry veteran, Barrett, a professionally trained chef, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University. His new position marks a natural transition from his previous roles including stints at Historic Inns of Annapolis where he was the executive chef and director of food and beverage, and Boulders Resort & Spa where he served as executive chef. More recently, Barrett spent 10 years at The Westi n Annapolis where he graduated from executive chef to director of food and beverage to hotel manager.
Hotel Viking in Newport, R.I. announces the appointment of Richard Carroll, CMP, to the position of director of sales and marketing. Carroll’s accomplished background in the luxury hotel industry includes a wealth of experience and exceptional management skills.
Davidson Hotels & Resorts welcomes the addition of Hotel Viking, an iconic 208-room historic property in Newport, Rhode Island, into its portfolio, under its luxury and lifestyle division, Pivot Hotels & Resorts. Known as the "City by the Sea," Newport once rivaled New York and Boston as a center of commerce and was the preferred vacation destination for "America's First Families." Today, it remains one of the most affluent summer vacation destinations in the Northeast and attracts nearly 3.5 million visitors annually. Hotel Viking is located in the heart of Newport on Bellevue Avenue, steps from Newport's famed historic mansions and other attractions located along its path. Davidson's transition follows the acquisition of the property by an affiliate of KSL Capital Partners, LLC earlier this month.
Davidson Hotels & Resorts welcomes the addition of Hotel Viking, an iconic 208-room historic property in Newport, Rhode Island, into its portfolio, under its luxury and lifestyle division, Pivot Hotels & Resorts. Known as the "City by the Sea," Newport once rivaled New York and Boston as a center of commerce and was the preferred vacation destination for "America's First Families." Today, it remains one of the most affluent summer vacation destinations in the Northeast and attracts nearly 3.5 million visitors annually. Hotel Viking is located in the heart of Newport on Bellevue Avenue, steps from Newport's famed historic mansions and other attractions located along its path. Davidson's transition follows the acquisition of the property by an affiliate of KSL Capital Partners, LLC earlier this month.
Hotel Viking announced the appointment of Keith Chouinard as Director of Sales & Marketing. Chouinard joined Hotel Viking in December 2015 and is responsible for the hotel’s sales and marketing efforts including promotions, strategic partnerships, and new business development. Chouinard, who serves on the Board of Discover Newport, brings more than 15 years of experience in hospitality sales to the Hotel Viking team.
Kirby Payne, CHA, President of HVS’s asset management division in Newport, Rhode Island, has announced the appointment of Laura Benner as Senior Vice President of HVS Asset Management – Newport.
Robert “Bob” LaCasse has joined Davidson Hotels & Resorts’ team as general manager of the Hyatt Regency Newport, a resort property in downtown Newport surrounded by the waters of Narragansett Bay. He brings with him more than 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. Most recently he served as regional director of operations for Interstate Hotels & Resorts where he oversaw the day‐to‐day operation of five hotels. Prior to that, he was with HEI Hotels & Resorts, Le Meridien Hotel and the general manager at the Sheraton Austin in Texas.LaCasse has held a variety of roles throughout the hospitality industry, where he started as an executive steward at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. He was promoted up through the ranks to director of food and beverage. He has a Bachelor of Science from Hesser College, as well as a certification in Graphic/Advertising Arts from Blue Hills Vocational Technical Institute.
Prior to joining Castle Hill, Elias was first the Food & Beverage Manager and then the Director of Banquets at The Ritz-Carlton in Tucson, Arizona. There, he managed a team that coordinated $8 million of yearly functions of up to 800 guests and was instrumental in opening the property’s signature restaurant.
As Director of Sales & Marketing, Joshi is responsible for all sales and marketing efforts for Hyatt Regency Newport, including devising and implementing innovative strategies for increasing guest and meeting traffic. A Rhode Island resident, Joshi arrived from Marriott International, where an 11-year run saw him holding positions focused on domestic and international sales including Regional Director of Global Sales, Asia Pacific Region; and Area Director of Sales and Marketing, Caribbean and Latin America.
Ketchum joins Hyatt Regency Newport Hotel & Spa following success with Ketchum Hospitality Group, a sole-proprietorship during which he consulted with restaurants and hotels throughout New England. Previously, Ketchum was Executive Chef at the acclaimed Spiced Pear at The Chanler at Cliffwalk.
A ten-year veteran of the Relais & Chateaux property, James joined Castle Hill in 1999, starting as a banquet server and bartender before he was promoted to Captain and subsequently to Assistant Banquet Manager and then Banquet Manager. James transitioned to the property’s dining room in 2005 and was named Dining Room Manager in 2007. James also played an integral role in the Inn’s achievement of the coveted Relais & Chateaux status. James holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from the University of Rhode Island. He currently resides in Newport with his wife, Marie.
Prior to her new position, Lindsey was Reservations & Revenue Manager for the property. Before joining Castle Hill, Lindsey was the Assistant General Manager at the Crowne Plaza in Enfield, CT, where she was responsible for the daily operation of the 175-room property, including budget management and associate training. Before the Crowne Plaza, Lindsey was the Concierge Manager and Assistant Hotel Manager at Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino, where she oversaw the operations of the hotel lobby and its staff and ensured effective communication between hotel operations and the property’s additional departments. A graduate of Tulane University’s School of Business, Lindsey currently resides in Mystic, CT.
Originally from Luxembourg, Daniel is fluent in English, French, and German and brings a wealth of culinary and hospitality experience to the Inn, including his previous role as Castle Hill’s Food & Beverage Director, overseeing the awarded-property’s culinary and wine and spirits program. Prior to joining Castle Hill, Daniel was the Director of Food & Beverage for the five-star Grand Del Mar Resort in San Diego, CA, where he launched and directed all aspects of food and beverage operations at the luxury resort, including its fine dining restaurant, Addison; three-meal restaurant, Amaya; Cent’anni Café; Clubhouse Grill; in-room dining; lobby lounge; stewarding; banquets; and pool bar and supervised the 180-member food and beverage team. Previous to Del Mar, Daniel worked at the Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, first at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, a five-star, five-diamond property, where he served as Assistant Manager at the property’s Bistro before he became Director of Restaurants, managing the operations of Bistro, The Restaurant, Room Service, Atlantic Bar and Grille, and the lobby lounge and supervised the 90-member restaurants team. Daniel then became the Assistant Director of Food & Beverage at the Four Seasons Resort Aviara in Carlsbad, CA, where he managed the operation of ten food and beverage departments for the five-star resort and led the 220-member food and beverage team. Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant & Travel Management from Endicott College and a Hotel Management Diploma from Switzerland’s Les Roches. He also earned an advanced certificate in the Mastery of Wine & Beverages from Florida International University. Originally from Luxembourg, he resides in Newport.