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Appointment

Stephen Bilby has joined Hotel Valencia Riverwalk as Director of Sales and Marketing

Prior to joining Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, Bilby started his hospitality career at the Hilton Hotel San Antonio as the Business Travel Manager. He went from there to the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau where he led Corporate Sales efforts for the city into the vital Northeast area of the United States with a focus on New York/New Jersey and became the Associate Director of Sales. Bilby soon became the Director of Sales for The RK Group, the caterer at the San Antonio Convention Center. In that position he lead a catering sales team that tripled the revenue in three years. After opening the RK office in Phoenix, Bilby came back to San Antonio where he re-entered on the Hotel side with HEI Hotels and Resorts at the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk Hotel and then moved over as Senior Sales Manager at the Omni La Mansión del Rio/Mokara Hotel.Bilby holds a Bachelor of Science in Tourism, Parks and Marketing from Texas A&M University.

Valencia Hotel Collection (VHC)
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Robert Fagen has been appointed as General Manager at Éilan Hotel, Resort and Spa

Fagen brings six years of experience in the San Antonio market, most recently as General Manager of the new Wyndham Hotel Riverwalk Downtown. Fagen has served with the San Antonio Hotel Association and was a founding board member of the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Frisco, TX. Fagen has a proven track record of driving results and improving guest satisfaction scores throughout his career.

Sage
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Melanie Koscelnak has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at Éilan Hotel, Resort and Spa

As Director of Sales and Marketing, Koscelnak brings experience from two outstanding Marriott properties the Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel and the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel. During her time with Sage Hospitality, she has created a proven track record in meeting and exceeding revenue goals with new and existing accounts in profitable selling approaches. Before joining Sage in 2000, she held sales leadership positions in Pittsburgh, including the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center and the Harrisburg Marriott. She looks forward to beginning a new adventure, relocating to the San Antonio area.

Sage
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Kirk Anderson has been appointed as General Manager at Courtyard San Antonio Airport/North Star Mall

Anderson joined the company from his position as assistant general manager at the Hartford/Windsor Marriott Airport. Anderson has worked for companies such as Winegardener & Hammons, Inc., HEI Hotels and Resorts and Strategic Hotels and Resorts, Inc. Across these companies, he's held positions such as assistant general manager, food and beverage department head and food and beverage outlets manager.

White Lodging
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Joe Garcia has been promoted to General Manager at Fairfield Inn & Suites San Antonio Downtown/Market Square

Joe Garcia has been promoted to general manager at the Fairfield Inn & Suites San Antonio Downtown/Market Square. Previously, Garcia was the operations manager and assistant general manager at the Residence Inn Houston/Sugarland. As operations manager and assistant general manager at Residence Inn Houston/Sugarland, Garcia operated the hotel during a full renovation and provided leadership for sixteen associates. Prior to joining White Lodging, Garcia managed front desk services as a guest service representative for the London West Hollywood in Hollywood, Calif.

White Lodging
San Antonio, Texas, United States
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Appointment

Jordan Mackey has been named Executive Chef at Hotel Contessa

Benchmark Hospitality International®, a leading US-based hospitality management company, has named Jordan Mackey executive chef of Hotel Contessa. Les Utley, general manager for the property, a Benchmark Hotel® located in the heart of downtown San Antonio on the Riverwalk, made the announcement. Chef Mackey was previously the executive chef and food and beverage director for the River Terrace Inn and Restaurant Cuvee in Napa, California. He has held similar positions at resorts in Florida and Washington. Jordan Mackey is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute in Essex, Vermont, receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management and his Associates Degree in Culinary Arts. He resides in San Antonio.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

John Herdman has been appointed as Executive Chef at Hotel Contessa

Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed John Herdman executive chef for Hotel Contessa. Les Utley, general manager for the hotel, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located on the famed Riverwalk in San Antonio, made the announcement. John Herdman was previously fine dining sous chef for the highly-acclaimed Inn at Palmetto Bluff, located in Bluffton, South Carolina. Mr. Herdman has also served as sous chef for the Westin La Cantera in San Antonio, where he participated on company task forces for resorts that later were awarded Five Stars and Five Diamonds. Chef Herdman has been honored with the opportunity to cook at the James Beard House in New York City as part of a culinary team of professionals. He is a graduate of Johnson and Wales’ inaugural class in Charlotte, North Carolina. Herdman earned his Bachelor’s degree in Art from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He has relocated to San Antonio.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Darren Nicholas has been appointed as Director of Food & Beverage at Hotel Contessa

Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed Darren Nicholas director of food and beverage for Hotel Contessa. Les Utley, general manager for the hotel, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, made the announcement. Darren Nicholas was most recently the director of food and beverage for the Heathman Hotel in Kirkland, Washington, including its critically acclaimed farm-to-table restaurant, Trellis. Previous to this, Mr. Nicholas served as general manager for the fine dining restaurant at the Woodmark Hotel, also located in Kirkland, which was operated by MTM Luxury Lodging at the time, a company Benchmark Hospitality International purchased in 2011.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Les Utley has been appointed as General Manager at Hotel Contessa

Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has named Les Utley general manager for Hotel Contessa, located on the picturesque Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas. Greg Champion, Benchmark’s chief operating officer, made the announcement. Prior to joining Hotel Contessa, Les Utley was general manager of The Heathman Hotel, located in Kirkland, Washington, near Seattle. He has served as general manager for multiple luxury hotels and resorts throughout his productive career. Mr. Utley began his hospitality career working in sales and marketing in Cincinnati, and has held director of sales & marketing and general manager positions at luxury hotels in Los Angeles, New York City, Vail, Houston, and previously in San Antonio. While serving in his most recent position, Mr. Utley held Board of Director positions for the Washington Lodging Association, Kirkland Chamber of Commerce and Kirkland Downtown Association. He is a graduate of The University of Cincinnati where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and business. Mr. Utley is returning to San Antonio with his family.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Steven DeFelice has been appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing at Hotel Contessa

Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed Steven DeFelice director of sales & marketing for Hotel Contessa , located on the famed Riverwalk in San Antonio. Ted Davis, Benchmark’s senior vice president sales & marketing, made the announcement.Steven DeFelice was previously director of sales and marketing for Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa, a Hyatt flagship property located in Santa Fe. Prior to that, Mr. DeFelice was the director of sales and marketing for the Hyatt Regency in San Antonio. He has also held sales & marketing positions for other major hospitality brands at properties located in New Orleans, Phoenix, and Point Clear, Alabama.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Mary Crisman-Portobanco has been appointed as Director of Human Resources at Hotel Contessa

Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed Mary Crisman-Portobanco director of human resources for Hotel Contessa, located on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. Jeff Wardlaw, Benchmark’s general manager at the property, made the announcement. Mary Crisman-Portobanco was previously human resources director for Barceló Hotels & Resorts, headquartered in the Dominican Republic. Previous to this she served in the same role for Hilton Hotels in Manalapan, Florida, where she began with the company as vacation club sales associate.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Alex Petrollini has been appointed as General Manager at Hilton San Antonio Hill Country Hotel and Spa

The Dow Hotel Company, LLC, (DHC) a hotel ownership investment and management company, today announced that Alex Petrollini, CHA, a six-year veteran of the company, has been named general manager of the 227-room Hilton San Antonio Hill Country Hotel and Spa. The property is owned by a joint venture between Prudential Insurance Company of America and DHC, which also operates the property. Petrollini most recently served as general manager of DHC’s 369-room DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago O’Hare, which earned its four-diamond ranking under his direction. As general manager of the Crowne Plaza Portland, Lake Oswego, Ore., also managed by DHC, Petrollini and his team earned the brand’s top ranking for meeting satisfaction. Prior to his tenure in the United States, he was general manager of the Vlad Inn Hotel in Vladivostok, Russia. Petrollini is a Certified Hotel Administrator and was certified as a Master Chef by the Cordon Bleu in London.

Dow
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Jeff Wardlaw has been appointed as General Manager at The Hotel Contessa

Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed Jeff Wardlaw general manager for Hotel Contessa , located on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. Greg Champion, Benchmark’s chief operating officer, made the announcement. Jeff Wardlaw was most recently Benchmark’s acting general manager for The Heldrich Hotel and Conference Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Prior to this he served as director of rooms for the company’s Eaglewood Resort & Spa, located near Chicago, where he began employment as front office manager. Wardlaw served in the same position for Benchmark’s Chaminade Resort & Spa of Santa Cruz, California. He previously held the position of general manager for Hotel Arista near Chicago, the first LEED certified hotel in Illinois.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Brother Luck has been appointed as Executive Chef at Hotel Contessa

Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has named Brother Luck executive chef for Hotel Contessa, located on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas. Jeff Wardlaw, Benchmark Hospitality’s general manager at the hotel, made the announcement. Brother Luck has previously served as executive chef for Benchmark Hospitality’s Cheyenne Mountain Resort of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was initially executive sous chef for the property. Luck has also served as chef for World of Whirlpool, a private corporate conference center in Chicago, which is operated by Benchmark Hospitality International. Prior to joining Benchmark, Chef Luck served as chef de cuisine with a major hotel company at properties in Arizona and Texas, garnering awards for culinary excellence. Brother Luck has been honored with an invitation to cook at the renowned James Beard House in New York City. He and his family have relocated to the San Antonio area.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Appointment

Scott Larsen has been appointed as General Manager at Crowne Plaza San Antonio

A veteran hotelier, Larsen joined HEI after 11 years with InterContinental Managed Hotels, where he most recently served as the general manager of the Holiday Inn San Antonio International Airport. There he directed the hotel through a $6 million renovation and led sustainability initiatives that earned national recognition for the hotel and a spot on IHG’s global green team for Larsen.

HEI Hotels
San Antonio, Texas, United States