Jessica Sherbert has been appointed as Director of Sales at The Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando
Spire Hospitality is pleased to announce that Jessica Sherbert has been appointed director of sales for The Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando.
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Paul Varma has been named Complex Director of Sales at the FLAMINGO CROSSINGS Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, Home2 by Hilton, Homewood Suites
Yedla Management Company (YMC) has announced the appointment of Paul Varma as Complex Director of Sales. Varma will oversee sales efforts for four newly opened hotel properties located at Walt Disney World® Resort's FLAMINGO CROSSINGS Town Center in Orlando, Florida: Residence Inn by Marriott at FLAMINGO CROSSINGS, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott FLAMINGO CROSSINGS, Home2 by Hilton FLAMINGO CROSSINGS, and Homewood Suites by Hilton FLAMINGO CROSSINGS.
Sandy Lam has been appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing at The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Sandy Lam director of sales & marketing for The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located in Orlando, Florida. Bill Lee, general manager, made the announcement. A veteran hotelier, Sandy Lam brings extensive experience and a solid history of results from positions held at properties from New York to Florida. She was most recently director of sales & marketing for the Radisson Resort Orlando Celebration. In this role she was honored with the Director of Sales & Marketing of the Year Award by Interstate Hotels, which operates the property. Prior to this, Ms. Lam served as area director of sales & marketing for BVHG Hospitality and director of sales & marketing for the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort, an InterContinental Hotels Group property in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. She has also held leadership roles for hotels in New York City, including Swissôtel The Drake, the New York Helmsley and The Helmsley Palace. She resides in Windermere, Florida.
Tobby Rau has been appointed as Director of Operations at The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Tobby Rau director of operations for The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando. The 878 room all-suite hotel, which is a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property, opened its first phase on March 10, 2017, just minutes from Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, Florida. Bill Lee, The Grove’s general manager, made the announcement. Tobby Rau was previously director of food & beverage at Streamsong Resort, located southwest of Orlando in Streamsong, Florida; there he also served as part of the property’s opening leadership team. Prior to Streamsong, Mr. Rau was director of food & beverage for the Royal Sonesta New Orleans, as well as at a range of other resort and hotel facilities across the U.S. and in the Caribbean. Mr. Rau has managed a variety of large-scale operations during his nearly thirty-years in the hospitality industry. With a keen focus on food and beverage, he has experience overseeing operations for both individual properties and clusters. Mr. Rau has directed food and beverage programs with revenues exceeding $52 million, operated up to eight food and drink outlets on a single property, and managed food and beverage service to meeting spaces up to 64,000 square feet in size.
Antonio Estremera has been appointed as Executive Chef at The Grove Resort & Spa
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Antonio Estremera as executive chef for The Grove Resort & Spa, an expansive 106-acre hotel destination in Orlando, Florida, minutes from Walt Disney World®. The resort will open its first phase on March 10. The 878 room, all-suite hotel will feature multiple food and drink venues, including a three meal-a-day restaurant, two poolside eateries, two lounges, and a large-scale grab-and-go style marketplace. Each will be overseen by Chef Estremera. Bill Lee, The Grove’s general manager, made the announcement. Mr. Estremera arrives at The Grove Resort & Spa with more than 16 years of experience and more than half of his career spent in upper management positions. His tenure in the hospitality world has taken him up and down the eastern region of the U.S., including a selection of Benchmark properties. Within the collection, Mr. Estremera most recently served as executive chef at the Emilio & Gloria Estefan-owned Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa in Vero Beach, Florida; as executive sous chef at the Center for Leadership Excellence in Bethesda, Maryland; and as chef tournant for Lansdowne Resort, a Leesburg, Virginia, property formally operated by Benchmark. Mr. Estremera grew up in the food and beverage industry, learning the essentials of cooking during his formative years while working in his family’s restaurant. It was there that his love for the culinary arts developed, and he utilized his acquired skills to guide his remarkable career as executive chef. He’s since applied his refined technique and creativity to match the needs of the most discerning guests, meeting professionals, sophisticated special event planners, and wedding consultants. Mr. Estremera and his family are relocating to Orlando.
Ashley Mayo Gibson has been appointed as Senior Sales Manager at The Grove Resort & Spa, Orlando
Ashley Mayo Gibson, CGMP, has been appointed senior sales manager for The Grove Resort & Spa. In this position, she manages all group bookings for corporate events, student gatherings, sports related events, and social bookings such as weddings and family reunions. Most recently, Ms. Gibson was the Florida association and government sales manager for the Florida Hotel and Conference Center. She currently serves as second vice president for the Society of Government Meeting Planners (SGMP), the Florida Capital Chapter, located in Tallahassee. Ms. Gibson has been recognized as Member of the Year for the SGMP Florida Capital Chapter and Supplier of the Year for the SGMP Central Florida Chapter. Ms. Gibson holds a certification from the Government Meeting Professionals, which she earned through the Society of Government Meeting Professionals. She graduated from the University of Central Florida.
Peter Gruenthal has been appointed as Senior Sales Manager at The Grove Resort & Spa, Orlando
Pete Gruenthal has been named senior sales manager for The Grove Resort & Spa. Mr. Gruenthal was most recently with the hospitality website, Booking.com, where he managed southern U.S. sales teams responsible for developing business opportunities originating from emerging markets. Previous to this, Mr. Gruenthal served as strategic market manager for Orbitz, overseeing hotel partnerships with Disney and Universal. His new position with The Grove Resort & Spa brings him back to the Orlando market, having previously held roles within Starwood Vacation Ownership of Orlando. Mr. Gruenthal launched his career in hospitality with Summerfield Suites, also of Orlando. He is a graduate of Cal State University Northridge.
Bill Lee has been appointed as General Manager at The Grove Resort & Spa, Orlando
Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has named Bill Lee as general manager and Tony Aslanian as director of sales and marketing for The Grove Resort & Spa, an all-suite hotel located just minutes from Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, Florida. The Grove Resort & Spa is scheduled to open its first phase this November with 184 of its 878 two- and three-bedroom residential-style guest suites. The Grove’s professional sales team was also announced. The Grove Resort & Spa is part of the prestigious Benchmark Resorts & Hotels-brand portfolio. Bill Lee comes to his new position as general manager of The Grove Resort & Spa with extensive leadership experience gained at multiple start-up and transitional projects in locations throughout the Caribbean. These include such brands as Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Rock Resorts International, as well as notable independent properties at locations in the Bahamas, British Virgin Island, St. Kitts and Nevis. Mr. Lee’s new appointment with The Grove represents a return to the Orlando market, having previously worked for the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort and the Westin Resort Lake Buena Vista, which he helped develop. Mr. Lee is a graduate of the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Tony Aslanian has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at The Grove Resort & Spa, Orlando
During his distinguished hospitality career, Mr. Aslanian has held high-level sales and marketing leadership positions for Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, and for multiple independent hotel management companies. He is particularly known within the industry as a branding expert for independent, luxury, and historic hotels and resorts, including the Nickelodeon Suites Resort in Orlando; The Peabody Orlando; The Adolphus; Wentworth by the Sea, A Marriott Hotel & Spa; The Samoset Resort; and the New York Marriott Marquis. Mr. Aslanian brings important experience within business segments essential to The Grove Resort & Spa’s success, including the corporate and association group markets, the SMERF and MICE markets, and the wholesale and luxury leisure markets. Tony Aslanian is a graduate of SUNY Albany.