Edwin Millan is Director of Engineering. He brings more than 20 years of experience as a Director of Engineering for Diamond Resorts International, Hilton Hotels, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and Radisson Hotels. Most recently, he was part of the opening team for Margaritaville Resort Orlando.
Marty Grozdanich is Director of Housekeeping. In his previous role as Director of Housekeeping at Westgate Resorts, he oversaw a team that serviced more than 2,100 rooms. Marty's background also includes Radisson Hotels, Holiday Inn Vacation Club and Walt Disney World.
Khalid Benghallem has been named Executive Chef. He was most recently Executive Sous Chef for the Wyndham Grand Resort Bonnet Creek, where he oversaw the culinary operations of multiple high-volume restaurants and banquets. Benghallem's career spans four continents with Executive Chef roles in Morocco, France and more. When he first arrived in Orlando, he worked as Sous Chef for Emeril's Orlando at Universal CityWalk.
Stephanie Legros has been named Director of Human Resources. She was previously opening Director of Human Resources for Universal's Aventura Hotel and Complex Associate Director of Human Resources for Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. Legros' robust 18-year career with Loews Hotels & Co began at Loews Philadelphia Hotel and brought her to Orlando in 2011, where she has served in a variety of human resources leadership roles.
Phil Klinkenberg is Director of Food & Beverage. He was previously Associate Director of Food & Beverage for Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, where he played a key role in building its award-winning and distinctive food and beverage operations. Klinkenberg joined Loews Hotels & Co in 2013 as the opening Director of Food & Beverage at Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort and brings more than 20 years of progressive food and beverage leadership experience.
Leonard Kong has been promoted to Hotel Manager. He was previously the Complex Director of Rooms at Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. With more than a decade of hospitality and leadership experience in a variety of positions with Loews Hotels & Co, Kong has been instrumental in driving guest satisfaction and operational excellence.
George Cronk is the Managing Director. He brings more than two decades of leadership experience working at Loews Hotels across the country. His deep company roots have taken him coast to coast, from an opening team member at Loews Coronado Bay Resort to Hotel Manager at Loews Chicago O'Hare Hotel, followed by General Manager at Loews Annapolis Hotel and Loews Hotel 1000 Seattle. Cronk returns to Orlando where he previously held a variety of roles, including Executive Chef for Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Executive Chef, Director of Food & Beverage and Executive Assistant Manager for Loews Royal Pacific Resort.
Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, announced today that Shane Battier, a six-time divisional winner of the NBA "Sportsmanship Award," will keynote its 2020 user conference—Inspire, taking place at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando from February 4 - 7.
Paramount Hospitality ManagementTM (PHM) and Manzie Hospitality GroupTM announce the newest addition to its portfolio of Central Florida hotels and resorts. The Grove Resort Orlando, an expansive 106-acre hotel destination located just minutes from the west entrance of Walt Disney World®, officially joined the portfolio today. Long-standing Paramount team member Rod O'Connor will be leading the transition as the resort's General Manager.
Sam Basu brings more than 25 years of top-level leadership experience at renowned full service and luxury brands at international and domestic locations. Career highlights include the Ritz-Carlton San Juan, where he spent almost 10 years and held various managerial positions including Executive Assistant Manager of Rooms and Food & Beverage. He also held additional stints at Marriott International and St. Regis Bahia Beach, both in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
A seasoned culinary professional, Daniel has served as Executive Chef at such esteemed properties as The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua and The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain.
With over 26 years of hospitality leadership experience with Marriott International, Jamie will create and execute a marketing plan that lays the foundation for the hotel's success.
With over a decade of finance and accounting experience in the hospitality industry, Ian will implement and maintain policies and procedures that result in the successful financial operation of the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa.
A longtime member of the Marriott family, Ned has almost two decades of engineering experience. In his new role, Ned will provide supervision and daily guidance to the engineering staff on property.
Originally from northwestern France, Guillaume has spent nearly two decades of international cooking in five-star kitchens. He will lead the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa food and beverage teams in delivering an unparalleled level of excellence in both dining and service.
With over 15 years of hospitality experience, Kate will be responsible for the smooth operation of the property's human resources department. Previously Director of Human Resources at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, she will manage recruitment, employee relations, benefits administration, training and associate development, and more.
Tami brings more than 25 years of event management experience to her role, including time at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.
With over a decade of experience within the hospitality industry, Shawn will be responsible for the smooth running of daily operations of the hotel. Before joining the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa team, Shawn was the Director of Rooms Operations at the St. Regis Deer Valley in Park City, Utah.
The upscale Cambria Hotels brand, franchised by Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), and Green Stay Hospitality LLC, part of Reddy Hotels, Orlando, announced Wednesday the official start of construction on the first Cambria hotel in Orlando at a groundbreaking event at the property's future location. The Cambria Hotel Orlando International Airport is slated to open in early 2021. The groundbreaking continues a strong year for Cambria, in which 11 hotels with 1,700 rooms have already opened their doors in top-tier markets across the country, including Boston, Houston and Phoenix.
Laurin Fuller has been appointed Director of Sales for Aloft Orlando Downtown. She rejoins McKibbon after a two-year stint as Area Director of Sales for Tara Investments in Charleston, South Carolina. Her former roles with McKibbon include Market Director of Sales for three McKibbon-managed hotels in Gainesville, Florida, where she oversaw room sales and banquet revenue, and Director of Sales for McKibbon's Aloft Tallahassee Downtown. She holds a B.S. in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism with a specialization in Tourism and Hospitality Management as well as a M.S. in Management from the University of Florida.