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Appointment

Mark Stavitski has been appointed as Director of Sales at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa

The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa is proud to announce the appointments of industry veterans Mark Stavitski as director of sales, Nancy Miller as Midwest account director, Diana Kamper as southwest account director, and McKinlay Kelly as group sales specialist. With more than 90 years of combined experience in hospitality sales, all four experts continue to elevate the service groups have come to expect from the iconic resort. Mark Stavitski joins the team as director of sales with more than 25 years of hospitality experience. He most recently served as director of group sales at The Westin Charlotte in North Carolina where, among other duties, he managed a six person sales team for five years. Prior to this, Stavitski held numerous sales roles including Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort as Director of National Accounts to The Westin New York at Times Square as Account Director, and Sheraton Stamford as Director of Group Sales. In his new position, Stavitski will continue to manage and oversee all group sales strategy for the 487 room resort.

Starwood
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Ken McKenzie has been appointed as General Manager at Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center

McKenzie brings almost 45 years of hospitality experience to the general manager role, with more than three decades of executive-level project management experience on large resort construction and renovation projects. He spent the past 23 years at Tempe Mission Palms in nearby Tempe, Ariz., where he led the management teams through two different multi-million dollar renovations. McKenzie has extensive state- and national-level hospitality industry board experience, including serving on the Tempe Tourism Office board since 1992. He also has been active in the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association (AzLTA), currently serving as chairman. In 2003, AzLTA named him Manager of the Year and inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2007.

Destination Hotels
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Patrick Connors has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at The Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center

As director of sales and marketing, Connors leads the property's sales and marketing teams and manages the marketing budget along with the leisure, group, and catering sales teams. He also oversees the external advertising and public relations teams as they market the hotel to key audiences. Connors joins Scottsdale Resort after spending the past 27 years in sales, marketing and strategic planning positions in the hospitality industry, mostly recently serving as vice president of sales and marketing at The Wigwam in Phoenix. Previously, he worked in senior marketing and sales roles at Riviera Palm Springs, Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina and Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Phoenix.

Destination Hotels
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Gene Conklin has been appointed as Regional VP of Development at Vantage Hospitality

Most recently, Conklin served as Regional Director of North American Development for Best Western International, Inc., where he earned Salesman of the Year and other awards that reflect his ability to help hotel owners identify and meet their branding needs. He also served 25 years as a Regional GM with Marriott, during which he gained a diverse background in operations, sales and marketing, finance, renovations and new construction.

Vantage
Chandler, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Laura McIver has been appointed as Vice President & General Manager at Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa

Originally from Denver, McIver has honed her skills at some of the most prestigious properties in California. Prior to her new role at Miraval, Laura served as the general manager of Belmond El Encanto Hotel in Santa Barbara where she worked closely with project managers and construction teams to oversee the renovation, executive staffing and reopening processes of the property in 2013. Her dedication to maintaining high standards and goals for the property helped El Encanto achieve the Forbes Five-Star accolade in an unprecedented ten-month period. Previously, McIver served in directorial and managerial roles as general manager of Canary Hotel, resident manager of Hotel Casa Del Mar and corporate director of food and beverage at Shutters on the Beach. During her time with the Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, McIver served as area director of catering for Argonaut Hotel, director of catering for Hotel Monaco, and oversaw banquet operations at Serrano Hotel. Her exemplary leadership and guidance in her roles lead to multiple accolades from the Kimpton Group, including the 2002 "Mentor Award" and the 2004 "Cross Seller of the Year Award". McIver began her hospitality career as an executive receptionist at The Claremont Hotel Club & Spa and continued to grow with the hotel, eventually securing the title of Assistant Director of Banquets.

KSL Resorts
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Dan Carraher has been appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing at JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa

Daniel Carraher is a 30-year veteran of Marriott properties nationwide, having worked at nearly a dozen Marriott properties, including sales director positions in Phoenix; Baltimore; Portland, Ore.; and Washington DC. Carraher comes to Tucson from Oakland, Calif., where he was the area director for sales and marketing for the Oakland Marriott City Center, the Oakland Convention Center and Courtyard Oakland Downtown. He has worked for Marriott since 1982, and Marriott named him Sales Leader of the Year in 2006.

Marriott
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Russ Bond has been appointed as General Manager at JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa

Russ Bond comes to Tucson from Florida where he managed one of the great resort hotels in the country, the Renaissance Vinoy in St. Petersburg, for 14 years. Under Bond’s guidance, the Vinoy was named the Renaissance brand Hotel of the Year in 2005 and 2012 and voted best Florida resort in Conde Nast’s Travel and Leisure’s reader polls. Bond has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years, including management or general manager stints at some of the finest hotels and resorts in the country, including Scottsdale, Ariz.; San Francisco; Baltimore; Washington DC; and White Plains, N.Y.

Marriott
Tucson, Arizona, United States
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Mews
Appointment

Sheila Foley has been appointed as General Manager at Arizona Biltmore-a Waldorf Astoria Resort

Hilton Worldwide today announced the appointment of Sheila Foley to the position of general manager of the 740-guestroom, iconic, Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort. Dubbed "The Jewel of the Desert," this luxury property opened in 1929 and was inspired by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. To this day, the Arizona Biltmore remains a favorite destination among U.S. presidents, titans and celebrities. The resort is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation of guest rooms and suites, meeting spaces, ballrooms and pre-function areas. Foley will oversee the day-to-day operations of this historic resort and will report directly to Hilton Worldwide Area Vice President, Ben Fusco.Foley joins the Hilton Worldwide family from Marriott hotels and resorts where she served as the general manager of JW Marriott Houston for the past six years. During her time there, she has been instrumental in developing a new service culture propelling the property and its team members to one of the highest performing assets in the system. Additionally, under Foley's leadership, she improved guest experience scores and led the development of new property-level recognition programs for Marriott's silver, gold and platinum-level loyalty program guests.

Hilton
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Ann Cvelich has been appointed as General Manager at Courtyard Scottsdale Salt River

Cvelich began her career with the company in 1981 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa. She was named dual general manager of the Springhill Suites Tempe at Arizona Mills Mall and TownePlace Suites Tempe at Arizona Mills Mall in 2001. She became the general manager at the Courtyard Scottsdale Old Town beginning in 2002, and awards soon followed. In her time as the leader of that hotel, she was honored in 2003 as Western Region Courtyard General Manager of the Year and received numerous awards for owner relations (2009, 2011 and 2012) and sales excellence (2009, 2010 and 2011).

Marriott
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Derek H. McCann has been appointed as General Manager at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

Prior to his arrival in Tucson, McCann was Hotel Manager of Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, located in Nashville, Tennessee. That was the last of three positions he held over 10 years at two Gaylord resorts, another including Director of Rooms at Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. During his time in Nashville, McCann was actively involved on the boards of University of Tennessee's School of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management, as well as with Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee.

Loews
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Mark Lindsey has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at Royal Palms Resort and Spa

Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix's premiere luxury resort, is excited to introduce Mark Lindsey as the property's new Director of Sales and Marketing. Lindsey brings more than 36 years of hospitality experience and leadership to his newest role of Director of Sales and Marketing at Royal Palms. Prior to joining the Phoenix resort's team, Lindsey was the Director of Sales and Marketing for Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona, where he orchestrated several large-scale marketing campaigns, led a team of seven sales managers and managed all of the property's revenue goals and leisure sales initiatives. During his time at Loews, Lindsey established himself as a preeminent leader in the luxury hospitality industry. Additionally, Lindsey spent seven years with The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa in Tucson as its Director of Sales and Marketing, where he increased room revenue by $3 million in less than three years. He has also held senior and sales management positions with Hilton, Hyatt, and The San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Destination Hotels
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Matt Brody has been appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa

Prior to joining The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa team, Brody held sales and marketing leadership roles with several industry greats. Most recently he was with Marriott International as the director of sales and marketing at the 575 room J.W. Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, the 1100 room Renaissance Grand, and spent almost a decade with the famed Walt Disney Company in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. to name a few. During his career, Brody has served in a number of key volunteer leadership roles with multiple Industry and community organizations. He was appointed to the (MPI) Meeting Professionals International Board of Directors for a three year term from 2010 to 2013 and has chaired several key MPI committees. Brody is a member of Visit Tucson’s Marketing Co-Op board as well as a member of the Tucson international Airport Authority lift task force.

Starwood
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Bruce Grosbety has been appointed as Managing Director at Enchantment Resort

Grosbety joined Enchantment Resort from MetWest Terra Hospitality, a boutique company based in Wilson, Wyoming. As Vice President of Operations for the past seven years, he led all operations and revenue management strategies for eight luxury properties including Hotel Terra, Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa, and The Inn at Jackson Hole in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Hotel AbRi, Toll House Hotel, Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa, and The Lodge at Tiburon in the San Francisco Bay area; and Topnotch Resort & Spa in Stowe, Vermont. Under Grosbety's watch, total portfolio revenues and profits grew to their best year ever.

Tanzerra Resorts
Sedona, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Jerry Jensen has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center

Benchmark Hospitality International®, a leading US-based hospitality management company, has named Jerry Jensen director of sales and marketing for Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center. Brenda Weskamp, general manager for the property, a Benchmark Resort® located in Scottsdale, Arizona, made the announcement.Jerry Jensen is a veteran of more than 30 years in hospitality sales and marketing. Previously Mr. Jensen was director of sales and marketing for the Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona, where he managed the property's successful transition from an independent to a branded resort. He has served in the same role for a variety of properties throughout the western United States, from large downtown convention hotels to boutique resorts, upscale independent properties and major brands. In addition, he has held area and regional director of sales and marketing positions.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Glenn Sampert has been appointed as General Manager at The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa

Mr. Sampert previously served as the general manager of the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort and Casino, a 694-room property in Nassau, Bahamas. Mr. Sampert is a Vancouver, British Colombia native who has been a part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide team since 1998. A former Six Sigma Black Belt, he previously contributed his talents to The Westin Los Angeles Airport, The Westin Maui Resort and Spa, and the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel after beginning his career at the Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver. Mr. Sampert is a Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) and earned a degree, graduating Magna Cum Laude, from the British Columbian Institute of Technology in hospitality and tourism administration.

Starwood
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Michael R. McMahon has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort

The Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort (www.arizonabiltmore.com) has named veteran hospitality executive Michael R. McMahon the director of sales and marketing of the historic property, announced General Manager David Kirken. McMahon comes to the Arizona Biltmore with nearly 30 years of hospitality experience in senior management, sales and marketing positions, with almost half of his career with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Most recently, he was with Revelation Consultancy, a global business-consulting firm based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where he was senior advisor - resorts and clubs. Previous positions include general manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, Marana, Arizona; general manager, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, and director of sales and marketing, The Ritz-Carlton Resorts of Naples, Naples Florida; and area director of sales and marketing, Boca Resorts, Naples, Florida.

Hilton
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Jacqueline McAbee has been appointed as Marketing Manager at Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa

Ms. McAbee is an experienced marketing executive with expertise in graphic design, sales, and marketing communications. Before joining the award-winning team at this AAA Four Diamond resort and spa, Ms. McAbee was vice president and co-owner of Media Solution Group, Inc. where she created, designed, published, distributed and sold advertising for four magazine titles. Prior to starting Media Solution Group, Inc., she enjoyed success as the director of marketing for Long Realty where she developed corporate marketing campaigns for 28 branch offices and 1,100 independent sales associates in Arizona markets. Ms. McAbee is a third-generation Tucson native with extensive media, tourism, and golf industry relationships. She is also the recipient of the 2012 Southwest Section PGA Distinguished Service Award. In her role as marketing manager at The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, Ms. McAbee will manage media purchasing and inventory, branding, and marketing campaigns, and guest communications.

Starwood
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Steven Boswell has been named General Manager at The Nautical Beachfront Resort

Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, a full-service hotel management company that specializes in owning and operating luxury and upscale urban hotels and resorts, today announced the company has assumed management of Nautical Beachfront Resort in Lake Havasu City, Az., and that Steven Boswell was appointed general manager. This 139-room resort, Arizona’s only beachfront hotel, is owned by Phoenix-based RW Partners, LLC. “Nautical Beachfront Resort was instrumental in the development of Lake Havasu and it continues to be the resort of choice for visitors to the area,” said Jeff McIntyre, Gemstone principal. “Recent room renovations and the addition of the state’s largest infinity pool have greatly enhanced its position in the market and Steven’s outstanding track record with resorts such as the Port Royal Resort in Corpus Christi, Ocean Key Resort and Spa in Key West and the Willows Lodge & Spa in Wash. make him the perfect candidate to lead this resort.”

Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, LLC
Lake Havasu City, Arizona, United States
Appointment

Robert Baker has been appointed as Director of Sales at Residence Inn by Marriott

CSM Lodging, a division of CSM Corporation, has named Robert Baker director of sales for the Residence Inn by Marriott, located in Mesa, Arizona. Joel Carver, vice president of Sales and Marketing, made the announcement. Robert Baker comes to his new role as director of sales with a diverse professional background. He previously managed restaurants for Red Robin Gourmet Burgers – one of the nation’s most successful and fastest growing casual dining establishments, and also served in management for Chili’s in the Persian Gulf.

CSM Corporation
Mesa, Arizona, United States