Properties in Denver and London named executive chefs while general managers stepped up in Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and California. Read about these appointments and more personnel shifts in this week’s roundup of hospitality industry people on the move.
Oxygen Hospitality Group named Yaron Ashkenazi its chief executive officer. Ashkenazi most recently was CEO for Germany’s second-largest hotel management group, GCH Hotel Group.
Brianna Austin was promoted to property accountant at Stonebridge Companies in Denver. Austin had been a real estate and property development intern at Stonebridge Companies, and guest services agent at Courtyard Denver Cherry Creek, also in Denver.
Coral Hospitality appointed two general managers. Brian Berry is now general manager at Unicoi State Park & Lodge in Helen, Georgia. He has 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry working for brands including Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and more. Libby Cook joined Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge in Dawsonville, Georgia as general manager after serving as interim task force general manager for the property and Unicoi State Park & Lodge since earlier this year. Cook has more than 30 years of experience in patient and guest service leadership roles in the healthcare, nonprofit and hospitality industries.
Brandon Biederman joined The Woods at the soon-to-open The Source Hotel in Denver as its executive chef. Biederman recently held positions at Ace Eat Serve and Steubens Food Service, both in Denver.
Rosewood London in London, England appointed Martin Cahill executive chef, overseeing the hotel’s kitchens and restaurants including the Scarfes Bar and Mirror Room. Calum Franklin remains the executive head chef at Holborn Dining Room. Cahill had been executive chef at Dukes Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Cliff House Maine in Cape Neddick, Maine named Richard Carroll director of sales and marketing, Cyril Amini director of food, beverage and entertainment, and Caitlin Yee food and beverage manager. Carroll is formerly the president of Meeting Professionals International’s New England chapter while Amini had been food and beverage director at The Betsy Hotel in Miami. Yee previously led Cliff House Maine’s beverage program.
Benchmark named Jake Davis area director of revenue. He formerly was revenue analyst for Benchmark, a position he held since 2016.
Marinette Dorkhom Giaquinta joined Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, as director of sales and marketing. Dorkhom Giaquinta most recently was director of global sales at Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.
Denihan Hospitality appointed Michael Goldrich vice president of marketing, responsible for brand strategy, positioning and digital marketing for the company’s flagships. Goldrich formerly held a senior marketing position with Wyndham Hotel Group and Dolce Hotels & Resorts.
Sven Hirschler will assume the role of senior director of corporate communications at Deutsche Hospitality in August. Hirschler has served as head of communications and chief press spokesperson for the Rhine-Main Public Transport Association in Frankfurt, Germany.
Sage Hospitality named Sonny Kerstiens regional director of sales and marketing overseeing the JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek in Denver and the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa in Napa, California. Kerstiens recently was regional director of sales and marketing at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver Downtown in Denver. He has overseen the sales team at the Napa Valley Marriott since 2013.
The Mayfair Hotel in downtown Los Angeles appointed Peter Kolla general manager ahead of its renovation, debuting in June. Kolla’s prior experience includes general manager roles at other Crescent Hotels & Resorts-managed properties, including Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa in Lake Arrowhead, California and Marriott Syracuse Downtown in Syracuse, New York.
Charlestowne Hotels named Kevin Kruse general manager of The Bristol Hotel, opening this fall in Bristol, Virginia. Kruse, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, spent 27 years at Ritz-Carlton properties in Laguna Niguel, California, Atlanta, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Chevy Chase, Maryland and Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona.
Robert Mickey joined the Main Street Hospitality team as senior director of regional operations and general manager of The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Mickey hails from Old Edwards Hospitality Group in Highlands, North Carolina and he’s also worked at other properties throughout the southeast.
Hilton New Orleans Riverside in downtown New Orleans appointed Randy Piebes director of food and beverage, and Sarah Wexler as director of events and catering. Piebes previously spent four years with Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. where he was director of food and beverage. Wexler most recently was the complex assistant director of events and catering for Hilton San Francisco Union Square and Parc 55 San Francisco, both in San Francisco.
The Dewberry Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina named a new management team, including Joseph Polito as general manager and managing director, Michael Tuohy as director of food and beverage and executive chef, Derek Burke as director of finance and Kristie Rasheed as director of Revenue and guest operations.
The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia named Richard A. Ross director, sales and marketing. Ross relocated from Dallas where he was vice president of sales for Remington Hotels.
The Informalist, the signature restaurant at The Lismore Hotel in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, named Joseph Sieg executive chef. Before joining the restaurant, Sieg was general manager of Osseo Golf Club in Osseo, Wisconsin, and re-entered the culinary industry as sous chef at Local Lounge in Eau Claire.
Gene Smallwood is now general manager at The Landing Lake Tahoe Resort & Spa in South Lake Tahoe, California. The property also announced the return of Warren Martineau as director of sales. Smallwood had been director of sales and marketing at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, California. Martineau, who originally opened The Landing as director of sales in 2013, has served on the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority & Chamber of Commerce in various committees.
Michael Stephens is now managing director of Paradise Point Resort & Spa, a Destination Hotel in San Diego that completed a USD$24 million renovation this May. Stephens previously managed several Hyatt properties and recently was managing director of Lansdowne Resort and Spa in Leesburg, Virginia.
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in Rancho Santa Fe, California appointed Coni Thornburg general manager. Thornburg had been general manager of Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley, California.
Interstate Hotels & Resorts appointed Mike Wylie head of e-commerce. After leading e-commerce efforts for Hilton and Wyndham, Wylie launched Standing Dog Interactive, a digital marketing agency that eventually landed more than 1,000 Marriott properties as accounts.