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Concierge Laurel Gray of The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, A Four Seasons Hotel has been named Illinois Guest Services Employee of the Year at Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association

Gray, who first received the honour for the Chicagoland area in November, was named the state’s Guest Services Employee of the Year on December 16 at the IHLA Stars of the Industry Awards Luncheon in Chicago, which honours outstanding talent and performance of hospitality employees who provide extraordinary service. A 15-year member of the Ritz’s concierge team, Gray shines with her reputation of going above and beyond for the Hotel’s guests. From securing coveted Oprah tickets to setting up a top-secret hair dye appointment for a rock band member so he would not be recognised, Gray always finds ways to fulfill the most unique guest requests.

Four Seasons
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Jerry Keyes has been named Metro-Chicago Hotelier of the Year at Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association

The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) has awarded the prestigious Hotelier of the Year Award for the Chicago market to Jerry Keyes, White Lodging employee and General Manager at the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown. The award was presented at the group's 14th Annual Stars of the Industry Employee Recognition Program, which was held on November 2 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare.

White Lodging
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Jason Smith has been appointed as General Manager at Hilton Garden Inn Lake Forest

North Carolina native Jason Smith has relocated to the Lake Forest, Illinois area to assume the General Manager position at the Hilton Garden Inn. An industry veteran with more than 12 years of General Manager expertise, this is Smith's first position with White Lodging. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Smith's first General Manager job was at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Wilmington where he was employed by Summit Hospitality. Smith stayed with Summit Hospitality for the next ten years working as a General Manager at the Residence Inn by Marriott in Raleigh, North Carolina; the Residence Inn by Marriott in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and then at the Hampton Inn back in Wilmington. In this position he planned and executed a pre-opening public relations and marketing campaign, which culminated with a grand-opening event attended by more than 100 key decision makers.

White Lodging
Lake Forest, Illinois, United States
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Appointment

Tom Segesta has been named General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago

The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, A Four Seasons Hotel, welcomes Tom Segesta as its new General Manager. Segesta, who most recently spent eight years as General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Austin, replaces Patrick Ghielmetti, who was named Vice President for Human Resources for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Asia Pacific Properties. Segesta joined Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in 1987 as Director of Housekeeping at Four Seasons Seattle. His career path has taken him through Four Seasons hotels in Boston, Vancouver, Newport Beach and Las Vegas before he was named General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Austin in 2002.

Four Seasons
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Ken Jesina has been appointed as Conference Center Manager at World of Whirlpool

Ken Jesina comes to his new responsibilities with Benchmark Hospitality from the PGA Golf & Country Club in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. While there, he led food and beverage operations, as well as membership sales and services support. Jesina has extensive hotel operations experience gained over a 25-year career at both corporate and commercial conference centers and luxury resorts. These include properties within Benchmark's portfolio and other leading hospitality brands. Additionally, he has worked in front office, food and beverage, and engineering operations for Five Star independent resorts.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
River North Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Joe Pagone has been named Assistant General Manager at Kimpton’s Palomar Chicago

Already a member of the Kimpton family, Pagone joins Palomar Chicago from the Hotel Allegro, also in Chicago, where he served as director of rooms. He was a member of the opening and task force teams, and was responsible for increasing both employee and guest satisfaction scores during his two-year tenure. Prior to joining Kimpton, Pagone spent four years at the Intercontinental Chicago, starting as the assistant manager of Zest restaurant and rising through the ranks to become assistant director of food and beverage, overseeing operations of all outlets and banquet functions at the 792-room property, as well as a team of nearly 300 employees. He previously held roles at The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago and the Doral Eaglewood Conference Center, Resort & Spa in Itasca, IL.

Kimpton’s Palomar Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Martha Austin-Lobb has been appointed as Director of Sales at Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile

Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Inc. today announced the appointment of Martha Austin-Lobb as Director of Sales for the 357 guestroom Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile. The hotel is located in the heart of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, just steps to North Michigan Avenue shops and restaurants. It offers 5,727 square feet of flexible meeting space located on the first and 12th floors with spectacular views of Chicago’s skyline.

Crestline Hotels & Resorts
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Rhonda Lasee has been appointed as Director of Conference Services at Eaglewood Resort & Spa

Rhonda Lasee was most recently senior catering manager for Chicago Restaurant Partners, the exclusive catering and food service provider for McCormick Place, the nation’s largest convention center. She has previously held the positions of director of convention services and / or director of catering at hotels and resorts for major brands in St. Charles and Oak Brook, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
Itasca, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Maxime de La Grange Sury has been appointed as Director of Food & Beverage at The InterContinental Chicago

Maxime de La Grange Sury’s career with InterContinental Hotels over the last decade includes positions at hotels in Costa Rica, Houston, Atlanta, and San Francisco. As food and beverage director at the InterContinental Chicago, the seasoned industry veteran oversees operations for the restaurants and bars on property, as well as banquet services—a job he relishes. “I enjoy the fact that I have to use my brain and be innovative in this position—to create menus, new food concepts, as well as figuring out how to be profitable and control expenses,” he says, adding with a laugh, “and, of course, being French, food and wine are very important.”

The InterContinental Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Karen Gerhart has been named director of catering at the Doubletree Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile

Gerhart most recently served as director of catering for the Wyndham Hotel Chicago. Prior to relocating to Chicago, she worked in Sante Fe, New Mexico at the unique La Posada de Sante Fe as director of catering and conference services. Her career has also included roles in event planning and catering for the Beach Chalet & Brewery and the Majestic Hotel, both in San Francisco, California.

the Doubletree Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Daniel J. McMahon has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at Doubletree Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile

McMahon has had brand experience with Marriott, Hilton, Starwood and Wyndham. He most recently served as the director of sales and marketing for The Hilton Suites Chicago - Magnificent Mile. Previously, he has held key leadership roles with The Chicago Marriott Schaumburg Hotel, The Drake Hotel Chicago, The Doubletree Hotel Chicago-Oak Brook where he was awarded the manager of the year, and varied sales positions within Wyndham International in the Chicagoland area.Originally from Chicago, McMahon graduated from Western Illinois University with a Bachelors of Science in tourism, administration, parks and recreation. He currently resides in Aurora with his wife Laurel and his daughter Megan.

Doubletree Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Glenn Feder has been appointed as Vice President of Sales & New Business Development at onPeak

Feder joins onPeak with more than 20 years of management experience in trade shows/events and Fortune 500 corporate America with an extensive background in sales, business development, development, marketing and operations. Most recently, Feder was President of Client Events with National Trade Productions, a tradeshow management company based in Alexandria, Virginia. In that role, Feder held P&L responsibility for 9 to 12 tradeshows annually, including three “TradeShow Week 200” events. Feder will play a large role in bringing onPeak’s suite of housing solutions and services to several key target groups: tradeshow organizers, association planners, event management companies, convention and visitor bureaus, corporate event planners and international ASP clients. All groups have one thing in common—a desire for a strategic partner to help simplify and enhance their event housing offerings to improve the participant experience, increase retention and drive return-on-investment.

onPeak
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Ashley Sneddon has been appointed as Director of Catering at The Blackstone Hotel

A veteran of the city’s events scene who brings marketing savvy and Food & Beverage expertise to her new position, Sneddon is responsible for coordination and execution of all social events at the historic property, which has hosted the cream of society and the world’s elite – including a dozen U.S. Presidents – since opening in 1910. Sneddon joins The Blackstone from the Renaissance Chicago O’Hare Suites Hotel, where she spent the past two years as Director of Corporate & Social Events overseeing everything from large corporate functions to intimate weddings. Her range of experience as a wedding planner includes Pae Baek Ceremonies, Indian weddings and kosher weddings. She also represented the hotel at bridal and trade shows and designed and implemented various marketing ads and strategies. Previously, Sneddon was Sales & Event Manager at Mad River Bar & Grille in Chicago, Illinois from 2005-2007, and a Marketing Specialist at Live Marketing Chicago from 2002-2005.

The Blackstone Hotel
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Appointment

Robb A. Rybicki has been appointed as Director of Catering at the Eaglewood Resort & Spa

Robb Rybicki was previously director of catering and sales for Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center, located in Zion, Illinois. He has also served as director of catering for Radisson Hotel Northbrook of Northbrook, Illinois, and in the same role for The Talbott Hotel in Chicago. Mr. Rybicki has held the title of event services manager for the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. For two years, he served as general manager at the Chateau del Mar of Hickory Hills, Illinois. Earlier in his career, he held the title of assistant banquet manager for Hickory Hills Country Club, located in Hickory Hills, Illinois. Robb Rybicki is a graduate of Western Illinois University. He resides in Libertyville, Illinois, with his family. Eaglewood Resort & Spa is located at 1401 Nordic Rd., in Itasca, Ill. A Four-Diamond resort, the property features 295 spacious guestrooms and suites, a selection of fine and casual dining options; first-class recreation including an 18-hole championship golf course; as well as 38,000 square feet of IACC-certified meeting space and a complete health spa. Eaglewood is strategically located on 106 acres in northwest Chicago, just 35 miles from downtown Chicago, and 12 miles west of O'Hare International Airport.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
Itasca, Illinois, United States
Appointment

George Jordan has been appointed as the Hotel Felix Chicago and Hotel Cass, a Holiday Inn Express at Hotel Felix Chicago

Jordan’s career has spanned 18 years in positions around the world including the United States, Canada, South America, and the Caribbean. Prior to joining the Raffaello Hotel, he worked with Hilton Worldwide for 14 years, most recently as the acting general manager for Chicago’s Drake Hotel. During his tenure with Hilton Worldwide, his expertise in food and beverage marketing and management was put to the test as he reinvented and created 26 successful new food and beverage outlets and catering facilities across the globe. Originally from Washington, D.C., he earned a degree in finance from Arizona State University. He currently resides in downtown Chicago and enjoys keeping up with the new dining and nightlife scene in the vibrant city.

Hotel Felix Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States