Claudia Fossa has been appointed Restaurant Chef for THE Blvd at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel. Claudia joins the iconic Beverly Hills property after her previous position as Restaurant Chef at Aramara at Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, Mexico.
Jeffrey Livingston has been promoted to director of sales. He was previously associate director of sales and oversaw the San Diego and the Northeast territories. Livingston's background also includes serving as national sales manager for both L'Auberge Del Mar and its former sister property, Estancia La Jolla, where he was recognized as a 2011 President's Club member for top sales. Livingston is a graduate of California State University of Chico with a degree in resort and lodging management.
L'Auberge Del Mar has hired Jamie Clave as sales manager overseeing San Diego and Southwest. Clave joins the hotel from Estancia La Jolla Hotel where she was sales manager. Clave's career history includes sales positions with Hotel Connections, LTD in New York, NY, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, Calif. and West Inn & Suites Carlsbad, Calif. Her successful track record has earned her several industry awards including the Pacific Hospitality Group 2012 Full Speed Ahead Award, SITE Southern California Young Leader Scholarship and CH&LA's "Stars of the Industry" - Lodging Property Achievement Award for Guest Relations. She is a graduate of University of California, Davis with degrees in communications and psychology.
Robert Harter has been tapped to replace Williams as director of sales and marketing. Formerly the hotel's director of sales, Harter will oversee all marketing, communications and sales activity for the 120-room property. Harter joined L'Auberge Del Mar in 2012 after serving nearly six years as associate director of group sales at La Costa Resort and Spa. Prior to that, Harter spent nine years at Rancho Bernardo Inn working his way up from food and beverage manager to associate director of group sales. Harter has a degree in business administration from San Diego State University.
Benchmark Hospitality International®, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has named Denielle Godwin director of sales & catering for Costa d’Este Beach Resort. Ed Riley, general manager for the property, Benchmark’s Personal Luxury Resort® located oceanside in Vero Beach, Florida, made the announcement. Denielle Godwin was previously the highly successful director of sales for both the Westgate Resort & Spa of Park City, Utah, and the Westgate River Ranch, located in River Ranch, Florida. During her tenure with the company, she significantly increased business in both the leisure and group segments. Prior to this she served in sales leadership positions for properties and travel-related companies located in Utah and California.
Offer Nissenbaum, Managing Director of The Peninsula Beverly Hills, has announced the appointment of David Codney as Executive Chef. Chef Codney will take over the position held by former Executive Chef James Overbaugh, who now serves as the hotel’s Executive Assistant Manager – Food & Beverage Operations. Prior to joining The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Chef Codney spent a large part of his career at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, Florida, most recently as Executive Sous Chef. Chef Codney grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where he discovered his passion for cooking during high school. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, he began his career with an externship at The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas.
Rulla has more than 15 years of hotel catering experience, most recently as the director of catering and conference services at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. In this role, she oversaw group sales from booking events to execution and handled off property catering events with custom menus at local wineries. Prior to that, Rulla spent six years at the Arizona Biltmore Resort, most recently as director of catering for the luxury resort, overseeing a staff of five managers. Rulla opened the St. Regis Resort in Dana Point and also worked as a director at the Wigwam Resort, Royal Palms Resort and national sales manager at the Scottsdale Princess Resort in Arizona.
Aqua Hospitality (www.aquahospitality.com), Hawaii's leading hotel management company, has hired Steve Velez in the newly created position of sales manager mainland. Based out of Aqua's San Francisco offices, Velez will be responsible for developing and facilitating business from the domestic, retail and corporate markets on the mainland and in Canada. Velez most recently served as business development manager for Sandals Hotels and Resorts. In this position, he represented Sandals, Beaches, Royal Plantation and Grand Pineapple Hotels and Resorts throughout the Caribbean and was awarded top suppliers sales representative 2010 by Travel Agent Magazine. Velez began his travel industry career in a reservations center position with Apple Vacations. He was quickly promoted to an inside sales and special bookings position and was responsible for travel agent itineraries as well as incentive promotions, tradeshows and special events. While assisting the organization Apple Vacations Tradeshows West, Steve was offered a position with Riu Hotels and Resorts Mexico. For the next three years, he represented Riu as the business development manager for the Pacific Mountain region and Texas. Velez grew up in Southern California near Los Angeles and has lived in the Southwest and East Coast.
Velasquez brings more than 15 years of luxury hotel experience to his new role. Most recently, Velasquez was the director of sales and marketing at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa, where he rebranded the 18 year old boutique resort, restaurant and spa to reach a multi-generational, prosperous audience. Prior to that, Greg served as director of marketing and sales for L’Auberge de Sedona, where he re-positioned the hotel following a USD 25 million renovation, and helped recapture top of mind awareness for Sedona bound luxury travellers.
Most recently, he served as resort manager at Paradise Point Resort & Spa, overseeing the idyllic resort’s operation. During his tenure, the property was ranked number one in its competitive set and he led the resort to the first AAA Four Diamond award rating in its 50-year history. Several of the top awards and accolades earned during his leadership included being named the 2012 “Best Hotel Space” by the Professional Convention Management Association, a “Top San Diego Seaside Hotel” in 2011 by USA Today, and Destination Hotels & Resorts Hotel of the Year, along with an Elite Meetings’ Gold Collection Certification in 2012.
Tacinelli began his Four Seasons career sixteen years ago in Sales at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago and The Ritz-Carlton Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel) before moving on to positions as Director of Sales, and later Director of Marketing, for Four Seasons Resort Nevis (based in the New York worldwide sales office), Director of Marketing at Four Seasons Resort Whistler, and Director of Marketing at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. Most recently, he held the position of Senior Director of Marketing at Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, overseeing all sales, marketing, advertising and public relations efforts. Tacinelli graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Administration from the University of New Hampshire, and resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.
San Francisco is pleased to announce the appointment of Roger Huldi as the hotel’s new General Manager. A seasoned hospitality operations leader, Huldi brings with him more than 20 years of leadership experience with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide – and with a great passion for the W brand in particular. Huldi makes a most welcome return to W San Francisco, where he served as Director of Operations for three years before becoming the General Manager of W Silicon Valley in 2007. Prior to that, Huldi excelled in several key roles at Starwood properties in California, Hawaii and Switzerland, including Director of Food & Beverage at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa in Lahaina, in 2004 and at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina, where he joined in 2001 after serving as Director of Outlets at the Westin Maui Kaanapali and as Food and Beverage Manager at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. He began his career with Starwood in 1991, working in the Food & Beverage department at the Sheraton Mirage Resort in Port Douglas, Australia. Huldi’s dedication to the Starwood brand extends to the Sheraton Denver, where he most recently served as Task Force General Manager before returning to San Francisco to assume his new role.
Stewart has served as Hotel Vitale’s executive chef since 2010. Since his arrival at the hotel in 2007, he held the additional posts of executive sous chef and sous chef. At Americano, Stewart’s comprehensive “hand-crafted” menu celebrates bold, Italian flavors in a California context, with daily house-made pasta, fresh mozzarella and other fresh Italian cheeses made in house. His menu choices are driven by what is available at the Ferry Building Marketplace, located across the street from his kitchen. Stewart also creates bi-annual “wild foods” dinners, which feature chef-foraged local foods including fish, seafood, wild mushrooms, wild flowers, vegetables and fruits. Prior to Hotel Vitale and Americano, Stewart worked in the kitchens of Michael Mina and Scott Howard at both chefs’ acclaimed eponymous restaurants. Stewart studied at San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy in 2002, during which time he worked the award-winning Postrio restaurant for chefs Steven and Mitchell Rosenthall, who later recruited Stewart to join the culinary team at their Southern-inspired restaurant, Town Hall.
Chef Wetzel rejoins CordeValle following his most recent position as Executive Chef of Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville, CA. Prior to this role, Wetzel served as Executive Sous Chef of CordeValle, managing all kitchen operations for the property’s three restaurants in addition to serving as a consultant on the kitchen openings for two of the most notable restaurants in the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts collection: Madera, the one Michelin star restaurant at Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, CA, and the widely-acclaimed Hawksworth Restaurant at Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, BC.
She arrives with more than twenty five years experience to lead the iconic Beverly Hills property's impressive Concierge team.
The Palace Hotel is pleased to welcome Christophe Thomas as General Manager of San Francisco’s most historic hotel. Christophe comes to San Francisco from the W Union Square in New York. As General Manager, he led his team to the 2nd highest Guest Experience Index score of all W properties in America, a spot the property held for several years. He recently over-saw the entire renovation to the property. His focus on team-work and quality service produced outstanding results during his time at the hotel. Christophe is very proud to be leading the Palace team. “This is an exciting time for the Palace, a Luxury Collection property. The Luxury Collection is an assemblage of more than 80 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in over 30 countries. The Palace will go through some major changes over the next few years and we are excited about the opportunity for the entire team to work together to create an elevated experience for our guests. I am thrilled to join this iconic property in San Francisco and look forward to meeting and getting to know our clients, partners and neighbors and becoming involved in this wonderful community.” Christophe began his career in hospitality in 1990. He has worked in the Rooms Division in many hotels around the world. Christophe was employed at the Hilton Paris, and then moved to a corporate position that took him to Ecuador, Brazil, Morocco and many other locations. In 2000, he became the Director of Revenue Management at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. He was promoted to Director of Rooms at the property in 2003 and successfully increased room profitability. In August 2005 Christophe’s expertise enabled him to support the community in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. In his role as Director of Rooms at the Windsor Court Hotel, an Orient Express property, he managed a team of 200 employees, coordinating safety efforts for hotel guests and associates. In November 2005, Christophe joined the Ian Schrager Hotel Group as Hotel Manager, helping to open the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City. He played an integral part in developing the culture of the group’s first luxury property. Christophe was promoted in January 2007 to General Manager of the Shoreham Hotel in New York City. Christophe joined Starwood in September 2008 at the W Union Square. Christophe holds his degree from the Hotel Management School of Strasbourg in France, and he speaks French and Spanish.
Prior to joining RobertDouglas, O'Connor was a Senior Director of Cushman & Wakefield's Equity Debt & Structured Finance Global Hospitality Group, based in Los Angeles. With Cushman & Wakefield and its predecessor company, Sonnenblick-Goldman, O'Connor completed more than $3 billion in real estate transactions, located throughout North America and the Caribbean, representing a variety of structures that include dispositions, debt financings and equity recapitalizations in both single asset and portfolio transactions. Earlier, he worked at HVS International in San Francisco where he appraised more than $1 billion of lodging assets and land. He received a Master of Management in Hospitality degree from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College.
Ropko was most recently a Portfolio Manager at PIMCO where he focused on sourcing, structuring, negotiating and executing public and private commercial real estate transactions across the capital structure, primarily through the BRAVO family of fund vehicles. While at PIMCO, Ropko evaluated more than $15 billion of investment opportunities involving CMBS, performing, sub- and non-performing loan portfolios, mezzanine loans, preferred equity and direct equity investments secured by all major property types, including hospitality assets. Prior to joining PIMCO, Ropko was an Associate at Goldman Sachs in the Real Estate Principal Investment Area focused on acquisitions and asset management. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Administration with a concentration in Real Estate and Finance from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. He is registered with FINRA as a Series 7 General Securities Representative.
The Ritz Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE are pleased to announce the appointment of Anthony Olheiser as Director of Food and Beverage for the L.A. LIVE adjacent properties. With a vast knowledge of the hospitality industry and experience within the Las Vegas hotel and restaurant sectors, Olheiser is excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of the downtown L.A. and L.A. LIVE areas as food and beverage destinations. Olheiser brings with him an extensive background in hospitality, in which he has experience directing and managing major food and beverage programs at several noteworthy hotels and resorts in Las Vegas. Olheiser’s career began in 2003 at Fusia Restaurant at the Luxor Hotel and Casino, where he served as General Manager. He then had the opportunity to work as the Ultra Lounge Operations Manager of Food and Beverage at Mix at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. In 2005, Olheiser was named Assistant General Manager at Tao at the Venetian Resort and Casino. Since 2006, Olheiser served as the Director of Entertainment and Development at the MGM Grand Resort and Casino.
Scatena has over thirty years of diversified experience within the hospitality industry in a variety of disciplines, starting his career in senior management as the Regional Director, Revenue Management for the Midwest Region of Marriott Hotels & Resorts. Most recently, Scatena was the Regional Vice President of Sales & Marketing on Marriott Hotels & Resorts’ Western Regional Team where he was responsible for overseeing the largest region in Marriott’s sales organization. Scatena has extensive hospitality managerial experience and has served as general manager and hotel manager at a variety of properties in the Marriott Hotels & Resorts family including JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, where he was awarded Marriott’s JW Marriott General Manager of the Year, JW Desert Ridge Resort, and Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Scatena earned a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management at the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, CA. He enjoys playing golf and tennis, when time permits. Scatena currently resides in Palm Desert, CA, with his wife, Nancy, and their daughter, Lauren, and looks forward to being an active member of the business community.