Scott Rohm has been named President at Turnberry Hospitality
Rohm will manage and operate Turnberry’s hotel portfolio, which currently includes properties in Florida and Tennessee.
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Jamie Jordan has been appointed as Director of Sales at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is pleased to announce the newest member of its management team, Jamie Jordan, as director of sales. With over 15 years of sales, account management and hospitality experience, Jordan arrives at a significant time. Following the completion of a $50 million resort-wide renovation, Jordan will be tasked with growing group production in all market segments. Jordan previously served as the director of association sales at The Orlando World Center Marriott, as well as positions within the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, Rancho Las Palmas resort & Spa and the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.
Jurgen Schafers has been appointed as General Manager at Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek
Prior to joining Wyndham, Schafers served as general manager of the 750-room, AAA Four Diamond-rated Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. Previously, he oversaw hotel operations at the 2,267-room Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin as complex hotel manager. He has also worked in management and operations roles at Westin properties in Atlanta, Ga., and Tampa Bay, Fla. From 2008 to 2010, Schafers was Vice Chairman of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association, the largest regional hospitality association in the country. He began his career in 1986 with Hilton Hotels Corporation, where he held various on-property food and beverage management positions and trained under Hilton’s Progressive Development Program. Schafers earned his Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Florida State University in Tallahassee.
James Moss has been appointed as director of sales and marketing at Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek
Moss previously served as director of sales and marketing at the luxury, 306-room Conrad Miami. He began his career at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., and has held sales and marketing roles at both independent and branded properties across the United States and the Caribbean, including St. Lucia, Texas, Florida, Arizona, Georgia and California. He attended Western Kentucky University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in hotel and restaurant management.
Albert Mertz has been appointed as General Manager at the SLS Hotel at South Beach
Albert Mertz comes to the sbe Hotel Group and SLS Hotel at South Beach following his many years in the industry with Mandarin Oriental Hotels, Andre Balazs Properties and most recently, W South Beach. In his new role, Mertz will leverage his hospitality expertise and knowledge of the South Beach community to ensure the highest quality guest experience across every consumer touch point of the SLS Hotel at South Beach.
Sheryl Rodgers has been appointed as Director of Sales at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Clearwater-Bayside
A hospitality professional with more than 20 years of sales and management experience, Ms. Rodgers joined Fairfield Inn & Suites Clearwater from the Largo Mid-Pinellas Chamber of Commerce, where she served as the director of membership. In this role, Sheryl managed events and community relations on behalf of the chamber’s 650 members. She previously held the same position for the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce for 850 members.
Gary J. Strehl has been appointed as General Manager at the Courtyard by Marriott Jacksonville Butler Boulevard
Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Inc. today announced the appointment of Gary J. Strehl as General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Jacksonville Butler Boulevard, FL. The 137 guestroom hotel is located near Jacksonville Memorial Stadium, the Prime F. Osborn Convention Center, the Mayo Clinic and just 15 miles from the Jacksonville beaches.
Mark Benson has been appointed as VP Group Sales at Kerzner International
In his new role, Benson will be responsible for leading the sales team, setting strategic direction and goals while achieving revenue targets for Atlantis, Paradise Island. He will be working closely with Gus Tejada, vp of group marketing, while reporting directly to Jamie Bruce, senior vp, sales and revenue management. Benson has more than two decades of luxury resort experience specializing in group meeting, association and incentive markets. Most recently, he led the international sales efforts for Hotelera Posadas.
Paul Adan has been appointed as Vice President of Development Latin America at Marriott International
Paul Adan has been named vice president of development, based in the regional offices in Weston, Florida, reporting to Laurent de Kousemaeker, chief development officer for Marriott in the Caribbean & Latin America region. Mr. Adan has more than 15 years of hotel development and consulting experienced in the region with Hilton International, Sol Melia and NH Hotels, as well as consulting firms CB Richard Ellis and Aguirre Newman America, focused on Latin America. In his new role, Mr. Adan will be responsible for the overall hotel development in Latin America (excluding Mexico and Brazil). Marriott International currently offers 21 open hotels and 10 hotels under development in this region, spanning six lodging brands including Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn and Courtyard.
Jake Ogley has been named Director of Sales at Courtyard by Marriott located
As Director of Sales, Ogley will be responsible for the total sales efforts at the hotel, including developing and maintaining new accounts, supervising sales related personnel, and implementing sales and marketing strategies so as to maximize profits of the hotel while maintaining guest satisfaction.
Kenneth Nason has been named Kenneth Nason at One Ocean Resort Hotel & Spa
One Ocean Resort Hotel & Spa, Northeast Florida’s newest beachfront boutique resort located in Atlantic Beach, proudly announces the addition of Kenneth Nason as vice president of sales. Nason previously served as the Director of Sales & Marketing at The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. Prior to Hilton Head, Nason held the position of Director of Sales at Sheraton Bal Harbour Beach Resort and additional professional experience includes Director of Sales at The Don Cesar Beach Resort, A Loews Hotel, where Nason oversaw the sales team through a change in ownership and hotel brand conversion. Nason also served as Director of Sales at Sheraton Boston Hotel, Sheraton Needham Hotel and Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek Ft. Lauderdale. While studying the hospitality industry, Nason graduated Magna Cum Laude from Johnson & Wales University.
Alex Garcia has been appointed as Director of Leisure Sales at Fairmont Turnberry Isle
Most recently, Garcia held the position of Global Account Director overseeing 22 leisure clients made up of the cruise lines and wholesale/tour operators segment for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. in Miami. While previously serving as Director of Leisure Sales for the Sheraton Yankee Clipper and Sheraton Yankee Trader Beach Hotels in Fort Lauderdale, the South Florida resident was presented with the company’s coveted Leisure Sales Manager of the Year award for exceeding sales by $5 million. During his eight years with Starwood, Garcia also was the International and Leisure Sales Account Director for the Sheraton Bal Harbour Beach Resort. Garcia received a degree in business administration from Miami Dade Community College and is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese. He currently lives in Miami Lakes with his wife and two children.
Bill Stock has been appointed as General Manager at the Holiday Inn Palm Beach Airport Conference Center
Chesapeake Hospitality, a Greenbelt, Md.-based hotel management company, has named Bill Stock general manager of the Holiday Inn Palm Beach Airport Conference Center located at 1301 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach.With more than 34 years in the hospitality industry, Stock most recently served as Vice President of Operations for Sunburst Hospitality where he supervised full service, select service and extended stay hotel operations in over 21 states. His depth of experience includes an impressive record of sales, F&B and revenue management successes.
Mark Beaupre has been appointed as Director of Food & Beverage at the Orlando World Center Marriott
Mark Beaupre will oversee 10 diverse restaurants and lounges and a multi-million dollar banquet operation. Formerly Director of Food & Beverage and Executive Chef at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, Beaupre brings more than 25 years of hospitality and culinary experience to the world’s largest Marriott. Beaupre is poised to further develop the outstanding reputation of the Orlando World Center Marriott by building on the team that has carefully established and nurtured the Four-Diamond property. A native of Maine, Chef Mark Beaupre graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. Prestigious awards and accolades garnered over the years include the Food & Beverage Excellence Award, J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence Nominee, Award of Culinary Excellence and Marriott’s Culinary ACE award. His kitchens have received the distinguished Gold Platter Award and the Culinary Excellence Award from the IFMA Association.
Rudy Gonnella has been appointed as National Account Manager, Southeast at Naples Grande Beach Resort
Gonnella brings more than 25 years of experience to his new role at Naples Grande, developing interactive meetings, conferences and incentive gatherings that take full advantage of the resort’s 48,000-square-feet of dedicated meeting space, Golden Door® spa, championship golf and tennis, and three miles of pristine Gulf beach adjoining a 200-acre mangrove estuary and preserve. In addition to his previous tenure at the resort, his prior experience includes serving as director of catering & conference services for Florida’s Amelia Island Plantation; as sales manager with LXR for its Sanibel Island collection of hotels; and eight years as director of banquets with Orient Express Hotels at Charleston Place, South Carolina. He began his career in hospitality in 1986 as part of the team opening the Ritz-Carlton Naples. He holds a degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America.
Patricia Cotte has been appointed as Group Sales Manager at Inn On Fifth
Located in Naples in southwest Florida, the landmark Inn on Fifth has hired Patricia Cotte as Group Sales Manager, adding to the Inn’s already impressive group sales team. Cotte will direct efforts to increase meeting and group business at the sophisticated, 87-room Inn on Fifth, which is a long-time popular choice for weddings, board meetings, fundraisers, and other celebrations and events. Cotte has extensive experience in group sales, including work at the Vinoy in St. Petersburg, Fla. and The Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Southern California. She has more than 15 years experience in group sales and sales and marketing, most recently at “Sip n’ Sail” in Naples.
Philip Goldfarb has been named President and Chief Operating Officer at Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Jeffrey Soffer, Chairman and CEO of Fontainebleau Miami Beach, is pleased to announce the appointment of Philip Goldfarb as President and Chief Operating Officer of the resort. Prior to his new role with the resort, Goldfarb spent seven years with Turnberry Associates. Goldfarb has 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to his position with Turnberry Associates, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer for All Florida Hospitality Management for six years. Goldfarb’s previous affiliations also include Doubletree Hotels Corporation, where he served for 13 years, first as General Manager, then as Regional Director of Operations, overseeing 15 hotels from Atlanta to Coconut Grove. Lastly, he held the title of Vice President of Development, responsible for managed and franchised developments. For over a decade, Goldfarb served on the Broward County Tourist Development Council, and in 2005 was presented with the Tourism Trustee Award. During his 13-year tenure, he was instrumental in the development and transformation of the marketing for the Broward County Convention and Visitors Bureau. His leadership on the Marketing Advisory Committee allowed significant contribution to community initiatives such as Super Bowls, Breeders’ Cups, the expansion of the convention center, the opening of the Office Depot Center (now Bank Atlantic Center), September 11 recovery efforts, among many other initiatives. Goldfarb is a graduate of Florida International University’s School of Hospitality Management, where he currently presides on the School’s Industry Advisory Board. He was awarded the university's prestigious "FIU Medallion" in 2007, bestowed only to outstanding alumni.
Joseph DiBenedetto has been appointed as Director of Sales at Gansevoort Miami Beach
Boasting more than two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, DiBenedetto has most recently held the position of director of sales at Wyndham Nassau Resort, where he was responsible for driving group revenue and led his team to achieve 110 percent of the group goal for 2009. Previously, DiBenedetto held the position of associate director of sales at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prior to that, DiBenedetto was national sales manager at the AAA Five Diamond Bellagio Hotel & Casino, also in Las Vegas. DiBenedetto entered the hospitality field first with Sheraton Hotels in Miami FL and Paradise Island, Bahamas. DiBenedetto’s previous experience encompasses an impressive list of luxury properties, including the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel & Casino, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Wyndham El Conquistador Resort & Country Club, Fajardo, Puerto Rico.
Adam S. Leon has been appointed as Director of Sales at B Ocean™ Fort Lauderdale
Officials of Davidson Hotel Company, one of the nation’s largest independent hotel management companies, has named Adam S. Leon as director of sales of B Ocean™ Fort Lauderdale, located on the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and A1A in Fla. The 240-room beachfront hotel is the first property in the recently launched B Hotels & Resorts chain. Leon will head the B Ocean™ sales team. Before joining B Ocean™ Fort Lauderdale, Leon served as Director of Sales for the Westin Colonnade Coral Gables and the Hilton Palm Beach, both operated by Davidson. Leon also was sales manager of the Wyndham Garden Hotel - Overland Park, Kans., where he received the “Sales Manager of the Year” award.
Joel C. Darr has been named General Manager at B Ocean™ Fort Lauderdale
Prior to joining B Ocean™ Fort Lauderdale, Darr was general manager of Fort Lauderdale Marriott North, where he oversaw a $14 million renovation and was awarded the Marriott Franchise Hotel “Renovation of the Year” award. Previously, he served as general manager of the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott, Marriott Boca Raton at Boca Center, and Holiday Inn and Suites, Boca Raton. He attended Colorado State University.