Kolter Hospitality, a division of The Kolter Group, has hired Douglas Hope as its VP of hotel operations, and opening GM of its new full-service Westin Sarasota Hotel scheduled to open in February 2017. Hope will be responsible for the oversight and daily operation of the new-build 255-room Westin located a short distance from St. Armand’s Circle in downtown Sarasota, FL.
W South Beach, the iconic luxury lifestyle hotel located in the heart of South Beach, today announced the appointment of George Adel as Director of Revenue Management. Adel will lead all top-line generating efforts for W South Beach, including channel distribution, pricing and strategy development for all segments.
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Stanfield to managing director. Stanfield possesses an extensive hospitality background and unparalleled knowledge of the industry. His promotion comes at a momentous time in the resort’s 12-year history as it undergoes significant enhancements. As managing director of Omni Orlando Resort, Stanfield will be responsible for the strategic direction of the luxury resort, managing the resort’s day-to-day success, overseeing all operational aspects of the 720-room property, and ushering in an exciting new era in the resort’s history.
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, the award-winning luxury resort located on nine stunning acres of oceanfront property on Miami Beach, is pleased to announce the appointment of Julien Bardet as hotel manager. Joining the team from The St. Regis New York, Bardet will manage resort employees, services and accommodation facilities at the Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond resort.
Hilton Worldwide has announced the appointment of Peter J. Carmichael to general manager of both the historic Casa Marina Resort and refined The Reach, in Key West, Florida. Carmichael will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the iconic resorts, ensuring they continue to be an industry leader for both groups and leisure guests. The sister properties are nestled along the southern edge of the island off the Atlantic Ocean and are part of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts. . A results-oriented leader with proven capabilities in delivering positive outcomes through innovation and process improvements, Carmichael joins Hilton from the InterContinental Hotels Group, where he held several global positions including director of operations in Indonesia, Indochina, and the Philippines; vice president of operations in Southeast Asia and Maldives and regional and senior vice president positions in Singapore, Seoul, Korea, and Bangkok. Prior, he was with Shangri-La Hotels as general manager in Beijing, Jakarta, and Surabaya. Early in his career, Carmichael held general manager positons in Canada, enhancing customer experience while achieving record setting profits through a strong emphasis on team work and innovation. An active member of the community, he is a member of SKAL, Chaine des Rotisseures, The Indonesia Hotel Association, and Harley Davidson HOG Chapter.
Loews Hotels & Resorts has named Johnny So managing director of Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. So brings over 20 years of experience in managing 5-star hotel properties for some of the largest and most widely renowned luxury brands in the world, including previous leadership stints at Loews Hotels.
YVE Hotel Miami, A Destination Hotel is pleased to announce the expansion of its culinary team with the recent acquisition of Executive Chef Joseph Roberti and Cesar Zumaeta as the hotel’s Food and Beverage Manager.
YVE Hotel Miami, A Destination Hotel is pleased to announce the expansion of its culinary team with the recent acquisition of Executive Chef Joseph Roberti and Cesar Zumaeta as the hotel’s Food and Beverage Manager.
The Reach, A Waldorf Astoria Resort is proud to announce the appointment of Jose Gomez as the new executive chef. A seasoned chef with over 15 years of culinary experience, Gomez will oversee the resort’s Spencer’s by the Sea fine dining restaurant and banquet operations, including a staff of 25 – 30 sous chefs, cooks, and stewards.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nobu Hotel Miami Beach is pleased to announce the appointment of Judy Whidden as the Director of Leisure Sales. Whidden is currently supervising the department for the Morris Lapidus-designed resort Eden Roc Miami Beach until the opening of Nobu Hotel Miami Beach this October when she will oversee leisure sales for both properties. The appointment is part of Eden Roc Miami Beach’s transformation into a Nobu-inspired experience which will house Nobu Hotels’ flagship property and Nobu Miami, the beloved Miami outpost of Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's new Japanese cuisine empire.
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, the largest full-service beachfront resort hotel on Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, has announced the appointment of Royce Hanson as the resort’s new director of security. In this position, Hanson will oversee all aspects of security at the 602-room resort. “Royce’s background in law enforcement and long-standing relationship with the resort make him a natural choice for our director of security,” said Gary Brielmayer, general manager. “As a trusted member of the resort family, I’m confident he will continue to further our standards for safety and security.” Hanson first joined Hilton Sandestin in March 2009 as an overnight security officer and, in 2012, was promoted to security supervisor, before accepting his new position as director of security. Hanson graduated from Northwest Florida State College in 1993 where he participated in the law enforcement program, after which he began a 14-year career with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, the largest full-service beachfront resort on Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, has announced the appointment of Angelina Covington as hotel operations manager and Max Messmer as director of food and beverage.
The group’s Miami hotel, which is COMO’s first US property, will be managed by Henry Giovanni Scott. Henry, who has worked previously for Aman in Sri Lanka and Montenegro, is joining COMO from Nobu Hotel Eden Roc Miami Beach, where he oversaw a multi-million-dollar renovation project for the company.
Spire Hospitality is very excited to announce the appointment of Jim Gross as general manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld. Gross will oversee the operations of the 1,004-room, 28-acre hotel while overseeing a multi-million dollar renovation and convention center addition.
Orlando World Center Marriott has appointed Ralph Scatena as General Manager to its executive team. In this role, Scatena will be responsible for managing the resort’s day-to-day success, overseeing all operational aspects of the 2,009-room property, including everything from sales and marketing, to food and beverage, while maximizing revenue and maintaining focus on the strategic goals of the Four-Diamond Orlando World Center Marriott.
Born in Brittany, France, Anthony Le Pape began his culinary journey at a management school, graduating with his Bachelor Degree in Culinary Arts. Chef Le Pape then continued his culinary tour traveling and working in kitchens through Europe.