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.
Hard Rock Hotel San Diego has named hospitality veteran Dan Kaplan, former area managing director with HEI Hotels and Resorts and general manager of the San Diego Marriott La Jolla, as the hotel’s new general manager. Kaplan brings over two decades of successful management experience at several of the country’s leading hotel brands to the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego. He will oversee day-to-day operations, lead group and transient business growth and ensure a flawless guest experience based upon Hard Rock Hotel San Diego’s signature rock star brand of service. His new charge includes overseeing the hotel’s 420 guestrooms and suites, 40,000 square-feet of event and meeting space, as well as the hotel’s signature Maryjane’s restaurant, Rock Spa, Float rooftop lounge and 207 nightclub.
With more than a decade of hotel industry experience, Austin Phillips leads all sales and marketing efforts as Director of Sales & Marketing at Loews Regency San Francisco. He arrived at the hotel from Stanford Court San Francisco, part of the Highgate Hotels portfolio, where he had been Director of Sales & Marketing since June 2013.
As Executive Chef, Amol Agarwal oversees all aspects of food and beverage, including kitchen operations, menu creation and designing the beverage program at Loews Regency San Francisco, including Brasserie S&P and The Bar at Brasserie S&P. He will also lead the in-room dining division and the banquet programming. Whatever the venue, Chef takes inspiration from the freshest locally-grown ingredients to create artful culinary offerings that are as gorgeous to view as they are delectable to eat.
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows welcomes Michael Bridges as director, sales & marketing. Bridges began his hospitality career in 2002 at The Ritz Carlton New York, Battery Park. Bridges later joined The Ritz Carlton Dallas as business travel, leisure and entertainment sales manager until 2008 when he joined the Thompson Hotel Group as the associate director of sales for Gild Hall Hotel in New York City. He joined Smyth Tribeca Hotel, New York in 2009 as Director of Sales & Marketing. In 2013, Bridges joined the Viceroy New York in his most recent position as director of sales & marketing and interim general manager.
Appointed by Davidson Hotels & Resorts, General Manager Carmen Cruz is overseeing the multi-million dollar renovation of Hotel Zephyr Fisherman’s Wharf, currently the site of the Radisson Fisherman’s Wharf, located at 250 Beach Street. This unique hotel will feature re-imagined upscale accommodations, engaging community spaces and ultimately provide a new dimension to this longtime must-see tourist destination.
Cima will be based in Westlake Village, and will continue to oversee hotels and resorts in Los Angeles, Whistler, Vancouver, Lanai, Buenos Aires, and Bogota.Cima began his career with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts shortly after graduating with a degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University. His first position was in food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, A Four Seasons Hotel. Cima’s passion for people and service has driven him to take numerous leadership roles at various properties throughout the world. His international experience ranging from city-centre hotels to remote resorts poised him for his current senior leadership role as one of only a handful of Regional Vice Presidents in the company.
Marina Bay Sands has appointed Ms. Patricia Beaudoux as its new Director of International Sales – Asia. In her new role as the USA Sales Representative for Las Vegas Sands’ properties in Singapore (Marina Bay Sands) and Macao (Sands Resorts Cotai Strip Macao).
Michael Newcombe, new GM, brings with him a wealth of international experience from working for Four Seasons in London, Dublin, Sydney and the United States. His role with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts also currently includes overseeing the 38 Four Seasons Spas in the Americas.
Prior to assuming leadership of the JW Marriott San Francisco, Toner was general manager of the AAA four-diamond JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina in Oahu, Hawaii. During his tenure, the resort was lauded for its exceptional service, accommodations and cuisine.
Jennifer Newmark comes to Sofitel from the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA where she managed catering and events for over a decade. She will oversee the hotel’s revenues by prospecting for new accounts and be charged with further development of existing accounts. Newmark will develop and implement catering sales strategies, budgets, action plans, goals and objectives for the Catering department and report directly to the Director of Sales and Marketing.
Josh Kougl joins the talented food and beverage team at Culina, Modern Italian as General Manager. He has more than a decade of management experience, and will provide exceptional guest service and an unwavering attention to detail in his new position.
Mr. Rutigliano most recently served as resort manager for Rosewood CordeValle, a position he had held since 2012. Prior to this, he was executive chef and oversaw the resort’s food and beverage programming and three signature dining venues. During his tenure with Rosewood, Mr. Rutigliano also worked at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York. His previous experience includes positions at five-star properties in Europe, the Middle East and the Caribbean, most notably at Canouan Resort at Carenage Bay in the West Indies.
Hilton San Diego Bayfront’s General Manager has been promoted as Area General Manager for San Diego by Hilton Worldwide. J Peter Lynn began his career in hospitality more than 30 years ago. Lynn has a proven record of driving business at numerous properties and successfully managing multi-million dollar projects. In 2008, Hilton San Diego Bayfront opened under Lynn’s management, and since then the hotel has achieved numerous recognitions and awards. Most recently Hilton San Diego Bayfront was named the ‘#6 Top Meeting Hotel in the US’ by Cvent and one of the ‘Best Places to Work in San Diego’ by the San Diego Business Journal. Prior to his tenure at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Lynn served as General Manager of The Palmer House – A Hilton Hotel, where he spearheaded the property’s $170 million-dollar restoration. In addition to continuing to be the day-to-day general manager for Hilton San Diego Bayfront, where he was named Sunstone Hotel Investors’ 2012 General Manager of the Year, Lynn will also oversee Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Diego Mission Valley and Embassy Suites La Jolla. J Peter Lynn and his wife Lisa, have been married for twenty-two years and have two teenage boys. The whole family enjoys the outdoors and living the active San Diego lifestyle.
Prior to joining Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel, Sydenham worked abroad at the Four Seasons Hotel in Moscow where he served as Director of Rooms. In addition to his position in Moscow, his extensive career also took him to Four Seasons properties in Toronto, the Canary Wharf district of London, Seychelles, and Beverly Hills. Additionally, Sydenham was influential in opening Coworth Park, a Dorchester Collection Hotel in the United Kingdom.
The Axiom Hotel (28 Cyril Magnin St.), opening in fall 2015, is pleased to appoint Jarnetta Manna as Director of Operations. Manna brings over a decade of experience in hospitality to her new role at the Axiom Hotel, which is owned by Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. and managed by Kokua Hospitality, LLC. Manna’s career began at the Kingsmill Resort and Spa in Williamsburg, Virginia where she honed her hospitality expertise working various management positions on property. She later went on to become front office manager at the Embassy Suites Williamsburg and later became front office supervisor at the Loews Hotel in Annapolis, Maryland. Manna spent time at Maryland’s Inn at Perry Cabin before joining Kokua Hospitality to oversee the conversion of the Tremont Plaza Hotel into the Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor in 2013. A year later, she made the cross-country move to San Francisco to oversee the Powell Hotel’s transition to the new Axiom Hotel.