JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group named Gilda Perez-Alvarado chief executive officer of the firm’s Americas Hotels & Hospitality Group. In her new role, Perez-Alvarado will lead JLL’s Americas hospitality real estate services, including investment sales, debt and equity placement, strategic advisory and asset management. She’ll also maintain leadership of the Global Hotel Desk, an international team that facilitates cross-border transactions, and will continue serving as a member of JLL’s Global Capital Markets Advisory Group. Perez-Alvarado’s hotel industry experience includes 14 years with JLL in Europe and the U.S. Prior to this appointment, she was a managing director focused on full-service global investment sales and managed high-profile transactions.
The firm also announced that Jeffrey Davis and John Strauss, formerly senior managing directors, were promoted to co-lead Americas Hotel Capital Markets, working closely with Perez-Alvarado to carry out the group’s business strategy.
Associated Luxury Hotels promoted Liz Adams to vice president marketing of the Americas, leading a team of eight marketing associates. Prior to joining Associated Luxury Hotels, Adams was director of sales and marketing for XV Beacon Hotel in Boston.
Marline Avelar became director of sales and marketing of Rosewood CordeValle in San Martin, California. She previously served as the property’s director of group sales.
Auberge Resorts named Alex Batista area director of sales and marketing, Christy Patterson area director of leisure sales, and Michael Boulanger area sales manager. Together, they will support Malliouhana, Auberge Resorts Collection’s beach resort on Anguilla, and Hacienda AltaGracia in San José, Costa Rica. Prior to joining the company, Batista was director of sales and marketing at Hilton Miami Downtown and Surfcomber, A Kimpton Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. Patterson was global membership manager for Club Quarters Hotels, San Francisco, and Boulanger was group sales manager at Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Yotel Boston in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood named Trish Berry general manager, Jason Cool beverage director and Felicia Rahm director of sales and marketing. Berry had been general manager at Ames Boston while Cool recently served as general manager of Brick & Mortar in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Rahm managed the sales departments at Boston’s Copley Square Hotel, as well as at the Crown Plaza Downtown and The Heathman Hotel, both in Portland, Oregon.
The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas Hotel & Residences appointed Donald Bowman general manager of the newly debuted Las Vegas property, formerly Mandarin Oriental. Bowman, who served as general manager of Mandarin Oriental, carried out a nearly complete property staff conversion.
Fontainebleau Miami Beach promoted Kevin Bryant to vice president of sales for the property in Miami Beach, Florida. He returned to the resort as executive director of sales earlier this year.
Crescent Hotels & Resorts based in Fairfax, Virginia, named Michael Carr-Turnbough senior vice president of food and beverage, and Amanda Hawkins-Vogel senior vice president of operations. Prior to joining the group, Hawkins-Vogel was vice president of operations, and Carr-Turnbough was vice president of culinary operations, both for Sage Hospitality.
Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, appointed Ron DeBonis director of food and beverage. DeBonis has 34 years’ experience in the culinary and hospitality industries, and most recently worked at SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment where he was executive chef and director of culinary at Busch Gardens and Adventure Island in Tampa, Florida.
The Stella Hotel in Bryan, Texas, named Steve Dennis general manager. Prior to joining the hotel, he was general manager of Marriott Salt Lake City University Park in Salt Lake City. The Stella Hotel also announced Tonda Campbell as director of sales. Campbell most recently was the area director of sales for Aimbridge Hospitality in College Station, Texas.
Massimo Falsini became executive chef at Rosewood Miramar Beach Montecito, a beachfront property scheduled to open later this year in Montecito, California. Falsini was executive chef at Solage, an Auberge Resort in Calistoga, California.
Maureen Farley became director of special events for Park Hyatt New York, Park Hyatt’s U.S. flagship property in New York City. Farley joined the property from The Plaza Hotel, also in New York City, where she was director of hospitality sales.
Atlanta-based Hospitality Ventures Management Group appointed Cody Feaster regional vice president of operations. Feaster most recently was regional vice president at White Lodging where he oversaw 18 hotels.
Two Roads Hospitality named Peter Gamez senior vice president of global sales. He also was named chair of San Francisco Travel Association’s Board of Directors for the 2018/2019 fiscal year. Before his tenure at Two Roads Hospitality, Gamez was regional director of sales for Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts, and director of sales at the Pan Pacific Hotel San Francisco.
Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado, appointed James Gibson president and chief executive officer. Gibson comes to the property after a more than six-year tenure as vice president of operations for Sea Island Resort in Sea Island, Georgia.
Aliz Group appointed Nicole Hendrix general manager of the forthcoming Aliz Hotel Times Square in New York City. The group also appointed Michael Ormond director of revenue management for the property.
Valencia Group’s Texican Court, slated to open this fall in Irving, Texas, named Patrick Hildebrandt executive chef Brianna Sepulveda director of sales and marketing. Hildebrandt formerly worked as executive chef and sous chef at several establishments, including Sweet Basil in Vail, Colorado, and the Empty Stomach Group in San Antonio. Sepulveda recently spent almost four years as senior sales manager for NYLO Las Colinas, also in Irving.
Benchmark appointed Mark Kief director of rooms for Snow King Resort Hotel & Condos in Jackson, Wyoming. Keif had been director of housekeeping for Floridays Resort in Orlando, Florida.
The Sarasota Modern in Sarasota, Florida, named John Markunas general manager and Paul Romero director of sales and marketing. Both hail from Kimpton’s Hotel Zamora in St. Pete Beach, Florida, where Markunas was general manager and Romero was director of sales and marketing.
W San Francisco in San Francisco’s SoMa district appointed Vanessa Mina as the property’s W Insider. Mina previously was a welcome desk agent at W San Francisco and she has a background in food, beverage and customer service.
Opening in late October in Washington, D.C., Moxy DC appointed Mark Namdar captain (general manager), James Rattray director of sales and social media, and Brianna Hall director of food and beverage. Namdar has 25 years of experience and has overseen several luxury and independent properties, including the Graham Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Rattray has sales and marketing experience with Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and Hall has restaurant industry experience.
Mike Rado became executive chef of Brick Shop and Over Eden, two restaurants at the TRYP Hotel, slated to open late winter/early spring 2019 in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Rado has nearly 25 years of experience in the food industry.
The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles appointed Michael Santoro executive chef, starting in mid-October. During his career, Santoro has been executive chef at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., and at New York City’s Andaz 5th Avenue.
Motif Seattle, A Destination Hotel, named Steve Sasso general manager of the recently renovated Seattle hotel. Sasso comes to Motif Seattle from Interstate Hotels and Resorts where he was general manager at The London NYC and at Paramount Times Square, both in New York City.
Kempinski Hotels named Michael Schoonewagen general manager of the forthcoming Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski Dominica, surrounded by Cabrits National Park in Dominica. Tracey Fentem became director of sales and marketing. Schoonewagen has more than three decades of hospitality experience across Europe, the South Pacific, Indian Ocean and Caribbean. Fentem has 36 years of sales and marketing experience in the luxury hospitality industry.
The Fontaine, A Kansas City Hotel welcomed Ryan Spruhan as executive chef. Spruhan recently was the culinary lead for the Widewaters Hotels portfolio.
Generator made three appointments for its inaugural U.S. property in Miami Beach, Florida. Glenn Valencia, formerly general manager at The Freehand Miami, is general manager at Generator Miami. Gui Jaroschy is director of bar and restaurant concepts and Daniel Roy is executive chef. Jaroschy formerly was director of bars at The Freehand while Roy had been sous chef at Habitat, also in Miami Beach.
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts named Jamie Wong director of revenue management for Ohana Hotels by Outrigger, and Jacqueline Freeman director of talent acquisition. Wong’s experience includes time as director of sales and marketing at Highgate Hotels and director of revenue management at Island Air. Freeman is formerly a recruiting manager for Holland & Knight, Washington, D.C., and lateral recruitment coordinator for Dechert, New York City.