Joining the hotel from Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square, Burt is dedicated to leading the sales and marketing efforts of this iconic Nob Hill hotel, which recently completed a multi-phase transformative renovation in March 2015.
Solage Hotels & Resorts, a California-based resort management company, has announced the appointment of Troy Smith as Director of Sales to the brand’s flagship property, Solage Calistoga. Smith, who brings 25 years of sales experience in the luxury hospitality industry, most recently with InterContinental San Francisco, joins the company’s leadership team.
Edward A. Mady, Regional Director of West Coast USA and General Manager has appointed Christoph Moje as hotel manager for the landmark property. In his new role, Moje will oversee the rooms and food and beverage divisions of the iconic luxury hotel.
Pacific Hospitality Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Blakeslee as General Manager of Paséa Hotel & Spa, the newest Meritage Collection property expected to open early 2016 in Huntington Beach, Calif. Blakeslee will be responsible for all the pre-opening stages of development, as well as the daily resort operations once the Hotel is launched.
Todd Orlich, General Manager of Montage Beverly Hills, has announced the appointment of Mark Aldridge as the new Director of Sales and Marketing. Aldridge, who has also been named to the hotel's Executive Committee, brings with him a performance-driven sales history and 16 years of international hotel experience. As Director of Sales and Marketing for the acclaimed hotel, Aldridge provides strategic leadership for all sales, marketing, revenue management, e-commerce and public relations activities. In addition to his work at the hotel and the executive level, Aldridge will connect with the community by taking an active role in local Beverly Hills organizations along with the brand's Hearts of Montage associate volunteer program.
Evans started her career in hospitality 15 years ago as a front desk agent and later worked her way up the ladder. In 2007, she joined the Embassy Suites by Hilton Mandalay Beach team as the front office manager and also assumed the position of housekeeping manager before joining the sales team in 2010.
Tuerck comes to Montage Laguna Beach from the Canyon Ranch SpaClub in Las Vegas, where she spearheaded the launch of the SpaClub's Comprehensive Foot Health Center and Advanced Facial Program; managed the development and training of the Canyon Ranch SpaClub management team; coordinated the staff training of 19 Canyon Ranch SpaClubs aboard cruise ships worldwide; and served on the design and development teams for many new Canyon Ranch properties. In 1999, she began her tenure with the company as an exercise physiologist and continued to achieve successive promotions to fitness lead, wellness manager and associate spa director, until her appointment as spa director in 2012.
Alliance Hospitality, a premier hotel management company, announced today that Amelia Anastacio has been hired as General Manager for its Holiday Inn property located in San Jose - Silicon Valley, California. Rolf Tweeten, Chairman of the Board for Alliance Hospitality, made the announcement.
Grand Hyatt San Francisco recently announced the appointment of Paul Devitt as area vice president and general manager. Devitt, most recently the general manager at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas, returns to the Bay Area to provide oversight operations at five Hyatt properties in the Bay Area: Grand Hyatt San Francisco, the property where he will be based and solely responsible for, Hyatt Regency San Francisco, Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, Hyatt Regency Sacramento, Hyatt Regency and Santa Clara. Before he was the general manager at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines, he was the general manager at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach. Previous to those roles, he was the general manager at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. His past experience with the Hyatt portfolio also includes his service as the general manager at Hyatt Regency Pittsburg International Airport and executive director of rooms operations at Hyatt Hotels Corporation based in Chicago. Devitt has also served in two senior executive assistant manager roles with Grand Hyatt New York and Grand Hyatt San Francisco.
Mark Becker has been appointed Area Vice President and General Manager of Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. In this role, Becker is responsible for managing all operations for the 726-room Century Plaza hotel, while also overseeing the operations of 8 additional Hyatt properties in the Southern California region. Most recently, Becker was General Manager at Hyatt Regency Minneapolis where he completed a $25 million property expansion, which included the addition of 112 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting space. A 25-year veteran with Hyatt, Becker began his career as a Housekeeping Supervisor at Hyatt Regency Greenwich. Becker acted as Executive Assistant Manager at Hyatt Regency Indian Wells and Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach. While serving as Rooms Executive, Becker oversaw a $36 million property expansion at Hyatt Regency Indian Wells, and developed the first medical and skin spa in Hyatt's North America portfolio. During his time as a Senior Rooms Executive with Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, Becker implemented a recreation department and developed the first ocean front property partnership with Disney. As General Manager of Hyatt Regency Sarasota, Becker was the leading force behind a $20 million hotel renovation and transformation, which resulted in a the hotel's first 4 diamond, AAA rating.
Jason Herthel, Montage Hotels & Resorts’ President and Chief Operating Officer, announced the appointment of Bob Frear as Director of Sales and Marketing at the first Pendry Hotels property, Pendry San Diego. In this role, Frear will be responsible for all sales and marketing efforts for the hotel, including group and leisure sales activities.Frear first joined Montage Hotels & Resorts in July 2002 as part of the pre-opening team at Montage Laguna Beach. He oversaw the sales efforts that successfully launched the award-winning resort, ultimately setting new RevPAR records in Southern California. Most recently, as Director of Brand Sales for Montage Hotels & Resorts, he was responsible for group and leisure sales, as well as revenue management for the company. Additionally, Frear has been instrumental in developing the company’s regional sales offices in the northeast, southeast and western regions.
Apurv has been promoted to Director of Revenue Management at Taj Campton Place in San Francisco - the quintessential landmark boutique hotel on Union Square. Taj Campton Place is adjacent to the financial district, premier art galleries, prominent museums, and the City’s best- known stores. For over 100 years it has been a sanctuary for discerning travelers from around the world. The Hotel exudes an ambiance of privacy and warmth, allowing guests to come home to the utmost in personal service and quiet exclusivity. Apurv has robust experience of working primarily in various hotel and regional level roles in Revenue Management and Distribution at Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces. He has been involved in various task forces to assist shape up the Revenue Department of different pre-opening Taj hotels. He brings on board ingenious ideas supported with strategy and implementation.
Benchmark Hospitality International has named Sandra Stockman director of human resources for The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. Jerome Strack, general manager for the property, which is a Personal Luxury hotel located in Rancho Santa Fe near San Diego, California, made the announcement.
The newly rebranded Cape Rey Carlsbad, a Hilton Resort, has hired Clifton Carmody as director of food and beverage operations. A 20-year industry veteran who has worked with numerous trend-setting dining venues, Carmody will refine the culinary and entertainment offerings under the new Cape Rey brand and help position the hotel's ocean view restaurant, Chandler's, as a hip, coastal-inspired gathering spot that is a destination for culinary adventures in North San Diego. Carmody's expertise is a product of a lengthy career working for forward-thinking companies like Eat.Sleep.Drink, the lifestyle company behind stylish, sought after venues in California such as Tower 23 Hotel in Pacific Beach, Padre Hotel in Bakersfield and the emerging LakeHouse Hotel and Resort in San Marcos. He also spent time working with award-winning, celebrity chef Bradley Ogden as director of operations for Ogden's hospitality group, as well as with flagship locations for Morton's Restaurant Group, CRAVE America and Brinker International.
Loews Regency San Francisco, located in the heart of the Financial District, is pleased to announce the appointment of Loris Menfi to general manager. Joining the luxury hotel from Loews New Orleans, Menfi has now taken the helm of the newest addition to the Loews portfolio. With more than 20 years of hospitality experience, Menfi manages all day-to-day operational aspects of the hotel. oews Hotels & Resorts welcomed Menfi in early 2013. As the hotel manager of Loews Philadelphia Hotel, she was instrumental in the completion of a $25 million renovation and helped lead the team to winning the Loews Hotels & Resorts Hotel of the Year Award in 2013. Her talents then led her to Loews New Orleans Hotel, serving as general manager, and completing a $4.5 million renovation. Prior to joining Loews Hotels & Resorts, Menfi’s 18-year tenure with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company included seven new hotel openings and spanned properties in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona and Ohio. From front desk and concierge positions, she quickly advanced into leadership roles including Front Office Manager, Director of Housekeeping, Director of Rooms and Executive Assistant Manager. As a native of Cleveland, Ohio, Loris attended Kent State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and marketing. In addition to her work at the hotel, Menfi is a member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. In her free time, Menfi enjoys traveling, running and spending time with her family.
Previously the general manager of Dream Downtown, Akinsete will bring powerful leadership, invaluable hotel operations know-how and the Dream culture to the company’s new property in Los Angeles. As the general manager overseeing the debut of the brand’s first West Coast property set to open early next year, he will be paramount in supporting the day-to-day management of hotel operations.
Dallessandro joins Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel from Loews Madison Hotel in Washington, D.C., where he served as Executive Chef/Director of Food and Beverage for almost three years. In his dual role, he assisted in the opening of the Argentinian steakhouse, Rural Society, partnering with Iron Chef Jose Garces. Previously, Dallessandro was Executive Sous Chef at Loews Miami Beach Hotel where he was instrumental in redeveloping the hotel’s amenity program, the Loews Loves Kids program.
Sergio Bocci has three decades of hospitality experience with Hilton Worldwide hotels in Southern California and Mexico in the areas of rooms management, housekeeping, and guest services. He most recently served as hotel manager at the 1600-room Hilton Anaheim, where he led the $13 million renovation of the Mix Lounge, Starbucks, guestroom corridors and the new chef’s table of this flagship hotel. Included his tenure are noted Hilton Worldwide properties including The Beverly Hilton, La Quinta Resort and Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort and Hilton Los Cabos. During his time as the executive assistant manager at Hilton Los Cabos the hotel was awarded the Connie Award for two consecutive years.
Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc. has announced the appointment of Dominie Lenz as General Manager of Furnace Creek Resort, located in Death Valley National Park. In this role, Lenz will oversee all operations of both the AAA four-diamond, 66-room Inn at Furnace Creek and the 224-room, family-friendly Ranch at Furnace Creek. Lenz has spent more than seven years with Xanterra Parks & Resorts throughout her illustrious career, most recently as Executive Director of Operations for Xanterra South Rim LLC. Prior to her recent post, Lenz's strong passion for maintaining, restoring and preserving historic buildings brought her to Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, Calif. While there, she served as the General Manager of this historic LEED Gold Certified 142-room eco-lodge, spa, healing arts center, cooking school and Michelin-rated restaurant.
Fairmont’s newest property, Fairmont Grand Del Mar, is pleased to announce the appointment of general manager and regional vice president, Christof Luedi. Based in San Diego, Luedi will also carry out management responsibilities for the brand’s Hawaii region. Luedi brings over 25 years of hospitality experience to this position, beginning his career in Arizona. Most recently he was regional vice president, Hawaii and general manager, Fairmont Orchid.