Aparium Hotel Group announces the grand opening of Cyrus Hotel in the heart of Downtown Topeka, adding to its extensive portfolio of hotels across the country which includes Detroit Foundation Hotel, Hewing Hotel, The Pontchartrain Hotel, nearby Crossroads Hotel and more.
General Manager Jeff Pavone brings over two decades of management experience to his new role, which has tasked him with overseeing all hotel operations including recruitment and community relations. Jeff joins Aparium Hotel Group from Hilton Hotels and Resorts, where he completed their Certified General Manager Training Program in 2016. Previously, he served as the General Manager of the Tides Folly Beach in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Director of Food and Beverage for both the Crowne Plaza Executive Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the Hilton Savannah Desoto in Savannah, Georgia. He also worked as the Assistant F&B Manager at Augusta Marriott Hotel at the Convention Center, the official hotel of the Masters Tournament. Born and raised in Ontario, Jeff attended Brock University/Niagara College of Applied Arts & Technology, where he earned a degree in advanced business management for tourism.
Stephanie Gassen is a lifelong Topekan who brings a wealth of sales and hospitality experience to her role as the Director of Sales at Cyrus Hotel. Stephanie has worked in leading sales roles at hotels across Topeka, having most recently worked as the Director of Market Sales for the Residence Inn Topeka and Fairfield Inn Topeka. Previously, Stephanie held roles as the Sales Manager for Courtyard by Marriott Topeka and Sales Manager for Ramada Hotel & Convention Center. Stephanie is the current President of the Topeka Lodging Association where she has been involved with the planning and development of the Topeka Business Improvement District.
Aparium Hotel Group has tapped hospitality veteran Raymond Alexander as the Director of Food & Beverage, where he will oversee operations for hotels flagship restaurant as well as banquets, catering and room service. Raymond joins Cyrus Hotel with experience working as Executive Chef, Assistant General Manager of Operations and Director of Food & Beverage for many industry leaders such as Hilton, Marriott, Starwood, JQH Hotels and RL Hotels. Raymond received his culinary degree from the SAAF Culinary Academy and his degree in Business Administration at Brigham Young University. Raymond has a deep passion for service and looks forward to bringing a phenomenal dining experience to downtown Topeka for both hotel guests and locals.