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People on the Move: Week of July 16, 2018

Hilton appointed Noha Abdalla vice president of social media marketing. In the newly created role, Abdalla will lead the global, enterprise-wide strategy for content, campaigns and community development.

Abdalla most recently was vice president, digital brand strategy and social media at Capital One. In 2015, Adweek named her one of its Top 50 Marketers, and from 2015 to 2017, her team won five Clio awards, which recognize excellence in advertising, design and communications. She also has held leadership positions at Discovery Communications, Corporate Executive Board, the American Red Cross and Mercer Management Consulting.

From left, clockwise: Noha Abdalla, Richard Powers, Pamela Jonah and Kathryn Day.
From left, clockwise: Noha Abdalla, Richard Powers, Pamela Jonah and Kathryn Day.

The Holiday Inn Charlotte Center city hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina, appointed Luca Annunziata executive chef. Prior to moving to Charlotte, Annunziata worked at Don Alfonso 1980 Boutique Hotel in San A’gata, Italy. 

Rick Asimus became task force general manager for Stonebridge Companies in Denver. Asimus most recently was general manager of the Residence Inn by Marriott Denver Downtown, also in Denver. 

Janneman Britz became general manager, Bon Hotel Stratton Asokoro in Abuja, Nigeria, as well as regional manager, Bon Hotel International West Africa. He started as a receptionist at a hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa, before eventually working at properties in South Africa, Nigeria, the U.S. and Mozambique. Pamela Jonah also joined Bon Hotel International West Africa as national sales manager, and became sales and marketing executive at Bon Hotel Elvis, Wuse 2, Abuja. Jonah, who has an MBA in public health and relationships, moved from a call center into a sales position at a leading hotel chain before accepting her current position.

Indianapolis Marriott Downtown welcomed Reno Castrogiovanni as front office manager of the property in Indianapolis. He had been opening front office manager of Viceroy Hotel Chicago. 

Halcyon in Denver appointed Kim Corrigan general manager of the Cherry Creek property. Prior to joining Halcyon, Corrigan transitioned the Conrad Chicago to a Starwood Luxury Collection hotel brand, re-launching the property as The Gwen.

Diane D’Amico joined Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa in Singer Island, Florida, as director of sales and marketing. D’Amico spent the past 14 years with Ocean Properties Hotels Resorts and Affiliates, most recently as regional director of sales and marketing for Ocean’s Treasure Coast cluster office.

Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, appointed Kathryn Day general manager. Day departed Chicago where she served as general manager of The Drake Chicago.

The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, appointed Katherine Gioia senior sales manager, responsible for the resort’s group segment and travel trade in Northeast, Midwest, Oceania and European territories. Gioia recently was senior sales manager, groups at The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown, in Washington, D.C.

Crescent Hotels & Resorts named Jason Gold senior vice president of business development. Gold previously held business development and acquisitions leadership positions with Two Road Hospitality, Destination Hotels & Resort, and Denihan Hospitality. 

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in South Walton, Florida, appointed Lee Guidry executive chef of Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood. Guidry hails from Chicago, where he spent two years at the Meli Café Group, designing, executing and overseeing the group’s first venture into dinner service.

Benchmark named Robin Hess controller of Marenas Beach Resort, a Gemstone Collection property in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. Hess had been controller for Sole on the Ocean Resort, also in Sunny Isles Beach.

Mike Jameson became general manager at Destiny Hotel & Convention Centre by Bon Hotels in Kempton Park, South Africa. After completing a post-graduate course in management, Jameson acquired BAs in psychology and law before entering the hospitality business.

Del Lago Resort & Casino in Waterloo, New York, named Mark Juliano general manager and Bradley Zimmer director of sales. Juliano formerly was president of the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Zimmer had been director of sales at Embassy Suites in Syracuse, New York. 

Effective August 1, Hans Juergen Kalmbach will be chairman of the executive board of the Hansgrohe Group. He has been an executive board member, responsible for international sales. Reinhard Mayer will be deputy chairman, also effective August 1. 

Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, named Tom Kermabon general manager, Patrick Sarte director of food and beverage, and Paul Guccini director of finance. Kermabon has been with Omni since 2010, formerly serving as hotel manager of Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C., and general manager of Omni Tucson National Resort, Tucson, Arizona. Sarte was promoted from his previous role as assistant director of food and beverage while Guccini has held senior leadership positions at Interstate, Starwood and Wyndham.

Dorsett Hospitality International appointed Jessie Khoo-Gan general manager of Dorsett Singapore. Before joining Dorsett Singapore, Khoo-Gan was executive assistant manager, sales and marketing, and rooms at One Farrer Hotel & Spa, also in Singapore.

Denise Korn and Javier Cortés joined Gensler’s brand strategy and digital design practice in the Gensler’s Boston office, Korn as creative director with Cortés, Korn’s business partner since 1996, leading the studio. Together they previously led Korn Design, a firm Korn founded 25 years ago.

Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in Vancouver, Canada, named Adam Laker general manager. Laker had been Accor’s area general manager for the Philippines.

RLJ Lodging Trust named Sean Mahoney executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer, effective August 1. Mahoney formerly was executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of DiamondRock Hospitality Company.

Naples Grande Beach Resort in Naples, Florida, appointed Yenier Marrero director of spa and fitness. Marrero had been fitness manager, and assistant spa and fitness director at the Fisher Island Club in Miami Beach, Florida. He is also a member of the International Spa Association, a licensed massage therapist, a certified group exercise instructor and a certified personal trainer.

W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, named Christian Metzner general manager of the W Kuala Lumpur, opening this summer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Metzner joined from The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort, Langkawi, Malaysia, where he has been general manager since 2014. 

Benchmark promoted Alesha Newman to director of sales for Forest Suites Resort at Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe, California. In her previous role, she led and supported the property’s food and beverage, sales and conferences services departments.

Marco Novella became managing director at The Lanesborough, Oetker Collection’s property in London, England. Novella had been managing director of Brown’s Hotel London.

El Conquistador Tucson, a Hilton Resort in Tucson, Arizona, named Michael Platt general manager. Platt, a tri-lingual native of Zimbabwe, most recently was general manager of the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, Michigan.

Richard Powers became chef de cuisine of Vivace, an Italian restaurant at Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, California. Powers had been sous chef at the Blue Duck Tavern, a Michelin-starred restaurant at Park Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C.

Radisson Hotel Group appointed Kristen Richter vice president of revenue optimization in the Americas. Before joining Radisson Hotel Group, Richter spent 11 years leading the global revenue management department for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

James Sheets joined The Standard, Downtown LA as director of sales of the Los Angeles property. Sheets previously consulted for Hammer Ventures, a San Diego-based real estate developer.

Four Seasons Hotel Chicago named Jan Valasek hotel manager. Valasek had been director of food and beverage at Four Seasons in Anguilla. He’s worked at seven Four Seasons’ properties in six countries.

Benchmark named Lloyd Van Horn general manager of Topnotch Resort, a Gemstone Collection property in Stowe, Vermont. This marks a return to the resort for Van Horn, who served as resort manager from 2006 to 2009. He most recently was Benchmark’s task force general manager of The Chattanoogan in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Amara Cay Resort in Islamorada, Florida, appointed Ryan Wisely executive chef. Wisely had been executive chef at the Green Turtle Inn, also in Islamorada.

The Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel named Lori Zafft assistant general manager of the Denver property. Zafft had been the resident manager for Marriott Denver City Center, also in Denver, where she managed rooms-related departments, such as the front office, housekeeping, valet, loss prevention and more.  

Laurens Zieren became general manager of The Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood, Curio Collection by Hilton, in Hollywood, Florida. Zieren, who had been with Hilton for almost 20 years, returns to the company after a regional vice president role for a hotel management company.

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