Waterford Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Michael Stocker as General Manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Little Rock, Arkansas. The 288-room DoubleTree is professionally managed by Waterford Hotel Group, Inc., a national hotel and convention center management firm.
At Magnuson Worldwide, America's fastest growing hotel brand, we are proud to announce the branding of the M Star Hotel Little Rock, Arkansas.
John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) today announced that Sanaida Goodner is the new director of sales at the company’s Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas – Hotel, Spa & Convention Center in Rogers, Arkansas. With more than 10 years of hospitality experience, including an emphasis on the Arkansas luxury hotel market, Goodner will oversee the sales and marketing team of the upscale, 400-suite hotel just a short distance to Bentonville, Springdale and Fayetteville. Springfield-based JQH is a leading private, independent owner and manager of hotels in the United States, including operating more than 1 million square feet of superb meeting space. Most recently, Goodner served as director of group sales for the 418-room/suite Little Rock Marriott. Her career also includes multiple roles with The Peabody Little Rock, including director of group sales and sales manager, prior to the hotel converting to the Marriott brand. Goodner is active in the hospitality industry and the community, including as a member of Meeting Professionals International, National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, Religious Conference Management Association, and Children’s Protection Center. She has been recognized with numerous performance awards throughout her career, including manager of the year and manager of the quarter. Goodner attended University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
DoubleTree by Hilton in Little Rock, AR recently announced the appointment of David Hicks as Director of Operations at the 288-room hotel. Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel and convention center management firm, manages the hotel.
Waterford Hotel Group recently appointed Tina Fleming as the General Manager for the 288-room DoubleTree by Hilton in Little Rock, AR. As general manager, Fleming is responsible for all of the hotel's operations, sales, and administration, as well as the almost 100 associates employed at the property. Waterford Hotel Group professionally manages the hotel.
Greg Fernholz is the new general manager at the Homewood Suites Little Rock Downtown, which will open in June 2015. Fernholz has spent over 30 years working in the hotel industry for a wide variety of brands including Residence Inn by Marriott, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Hilton. He was most recently the general manager of The Hilton Garden Inn North Little Rock. Fernholz has received the Connie Award, the top award in Hilton Hotels, three years in a row. He is also an executive board member of the Arkansas Hotel and Restaurant Association. Fernholz started at Homewood Suites on March 16.
Effective immediately, Evans will serve as executive meeting manager for The Peabody Little Rock, focusing on targeted client groups that typically confirm group bookings on short timeframes. She will be responsible for handling all aspects of clients’ needs when requiring sleeping rooms with meeting and meal functions. Evans most recently worked as guest relations specialist at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. Evans, a former sales development coordinator of The Peabody Memphis, returns to the company to continue the momentum of The Peabody Little Rock’s recent success. She has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Memphis and a Master of Arts in education from Union University in Jackson, Tenn.
Skidmore has worked for Delaware North Companies, which manages large-scale resorts and hotels throughout the United States, and he was most recently the director of sales and marketing for the Queen Mary in Long Beach, Calif. In his first year at the Queen Mary, Skidmore helped increased occupancy by 11 percent. Prior to his work there, Skidmore developed a diverse base of experience in the hospitality industry, working for the Monterey County, Calif. and Mobile Bay, Ala. convention and visitors bureaus, Marriott/Renaissance Hotels and Resorts, and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Skidmore holds a Bachelor of Science degree in hotel, restaurant and institution management from Pennsylvania State University.
Piraux received his degree in management and culinary arts from Ecole of Hotellerie in Paris, France and went on to serve as executive assistant manager of food and beverage at four properties of The Ritz-Carlton chain. Prior to joining The Peabody family, Piraux was the executive assistant director of food and beverage at the Hilton Tysons Corner in McLean, Va. His vast experience ranges from executive chef and operation of food and beverage outlets to revenue management, sales and marketing strategies, and facilities renovations.
Hansen served as director of rooms at The Peabody Memphis from 2004 to 2007, driving quality service and achieving that property's Four Star designation while increasing overall departmental profit. In 2007, Hansen accepted a position as executive director of rooms at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia where he quickly rose to the position of general manager. He has served as general manager of The Greenbrier since July 2009.