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People on the move: Aimbridge, Capella, Montage

Aimbridge Hospitality promoted Simon Mendy and Ben Perelmuter to executive vice presidents of operations. They are vertical experts in two of the company’s fastest-growing segments: Mendy focuses on the extended-stay sector, while Perelmuter has deep knowledge of the select-service product category.

Mendy joined Aimbridge Hospitality in 2018 as senior vice president of operations. Prior to Aimbridge, he was executive vice president of operations at Extended Stay America. During his time with Extended Stay America, he also served as senior vice president, vice president of training, standards and guest relations, and held regional positions in operations and revenue management. He also served as an adjunct professor at the Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Perelmuter began his tenure at Aimbridge in 2007 as general manager of the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Westshore in Tampa, Florida, then progressed to corporate regional director of operations, vice president of operations, and ultimately, senior vice president of operations leading select-service hotels. Previously, he held various food and beverage management positions at hotels in New York City, New Orleans and Clearwater Beach, Florida.

From left, clockwise: Simon Mendy (Aimbridge Hospitality), Loris Menfi (San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter and Riverwalk), Edouard Grosmangin (Rosewood São Paulo) and Vishal Daga (Capella Hotel Group)
From left, clockwise: Simon Mendy (Aimbridge Hospitality), Loris Menfi (San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter and Riverwalk), Edouard Grosmangin (Rosewood São Paulo) and Vishal Daga (Capella Hotel Group)

Cambria Hotel Sonoma Wine Country in Sonoma, California, named Max Childs general manager and Stacey Washburn director of sales and marketing. Prior to opening Cambria Hotel Sonoma, Childs held general manager roles at Hotel La Rose in Santa Rosa, California, and Hampton Inn Petaluma in Petaluma, California. He first served as director of sales and then general manager at Courtyard by Marriott Santa Rosa. Before her role in Cambria Hotel Sonoma Wine Country’s opening, Washburn spent 10 years in sales and marketing roles with organizations such as Marriott International, including sales manager, Western Mountain Pacific; sales executive, Marin County and Emeryville, California; and assistant manager of room operations. She was also sales manager at Oxford Inns, Suites & Hotels.

Capella Hotel Group appointed Vishal Daga vice president of business development. Daga joined the company from Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, where he recently served as senior director of development for APAC, in charge of sourcing and acquisition of new projects within the region. Prior to this, he spent almost a decade with Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, joining as a development and corporate finance manager before being promoted to corporate director of development, primarily responsible for negotiating agreements with owners, investors and developers to expand the company’s portfolio.

Ahead of its late-fall opening, Montage Healdsburg in Healdsburg, California, named Jaron Dubinsky executive chef, Jason Pringle chef de cuisine of Hazel Hill restaurant, Alexander Cornu general manager of Hazel Hill and Petra Polakovicova the resort’s beverage manager. Dubinsky began his career in Boston before venturing to the Northern California market, then to Dallas. He joined Montage International as executive sous chef at Montage Los Cabos in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, supporting the resort’s 2018 opening. Pringle, who has more than two decades of experience in San Francisco, New York City, Miami and Northern California, most recently was chef de cuisine at Selby’s in Redwood City, California. Prior to that, he was chef de cuisine of Navio at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, California. Cornu most recently oversaw operations at the Michelin-starred Luce at InterContinental Hotel San Francisco, where he was director of outlets prior to joining Montage Healdsburg. Polakovicova is a sommelier and beverage director with 20 years of experience in hotel restaurants and wineries in California. Previous roles include restaurant manager at W San Francisco, wine and beverage director of Epic Steak, a San Francisco restaurant she helped launch and for which she curated a wine list of 550 selections, and roles at Darioush Winery in Napa, California, and at Ritz-Carlton properties in San Francisco and Half Moon Bay.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group appointed Harun Dursun and Ersev Demiro¨z general managers at Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey, and Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum, Turkey, respectively. Dursun previously served as general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum. Throughout his career, he has played a role in many hotel openings and renovations in Turkey, Jordan, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Russia. He is one of the founding members of the Turkish Sommeliers Association. Demiro¨z was promoted from his previous position as hotel manager at Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum. He has more than 20 years’ experience at hotels around the world, including Four Seasons St. Petersburg, Russia; Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta, Indonesia; and Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski, Istanbul, Turkey. He joined Mandarin Oriental in 2017.

High Hampton in Cashiers, North Carolina, announced its executive food and beverage team: Scott Franqueza is executive p.m. chef; April Franqueza is pastry chef; Zach Chancey is executive a.m. chef; and Mark Roberts is food and beverage director. Scott Franqueza joined the team from Blackberry Mountain in Walland, Tennessee, where he was sous chef at Three Sisters restaurant. He has worked at Per Se and Café Boulud in New York City, and Benu, Saison and Coi in San Francisco. Franqueza worked at bakeshops in New York City, including Magnolia Bakery, before joining the pastry teams at Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain. Chancey most recently was executive chef at Rye in Louisville, Kentucky, and has staged at restaurants including Estella and The Breslin in New York City. Roberts’ experience includes front- and back-of-house positions from line cook to restaurant owner.

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts appointed Edouard Grosmangin managing director of Rosewood São Paulo, opening in 2021 in São Paulo, Brazil. Grosmangin recently was general manager of Raffles Seychelles in Praslin, Seychelles. Prior to that role, he was general manager of Six Senses Zil Pasyon in Felicite, Seychelles, where he prepared for and managed the resort’s opening. Grosmangin’s past roles also include general manager at Six Senses Con Dao, Vietnam, as well as positions at properties throughout Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Herman Kemp is general manager of Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Kemp will oversee the property’s pre-opening ahead of its 2021 debut. Prior to this, he was general manager of Park Hyatt Siem Reap in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Earlier in his career, Kemp rose through food and beverage and management roles at Le Méridien, Sofitel and Carlton hotels. In 2012, he became general manager of Aryaduta Medan in North Sumatra, Indonesia, before accepting the same role at The Edge Bali in Bali, Indonesia, in 2014.

The San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter and San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk in San Antonio appointed Loris Menfi general manager. Menfi brings more than 25 years of experience in operational leadership positions to the properties. In addition to 17 years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., where she held various roles across seven locations, Menfi also worked with Loews Hotels and Resorts as general manager in San Francisco and New Orleans, and as a hotel manager in Philadelphia. Most recently, she was general manager of the JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria in Houston.

Plantation on Crystal River in Crystal River, Florida, named Laurie Pike director of sales and Rosemary White marketing manager. Prior to this role, Pike spent six years as director of sales and marketing for the Florida division of MPH & Nivea Hotels, where she jumpstarted sales and marketing efforts for five new-build Choice and IHG hotels. Prior to that, she was director of sales and marketing for the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel in Sarasota, Florida. White previously worked in product marketing for companies including HP Inc., Raymond James and, most recently, Tech Data. White is also active in the outdoors industry, working as a brand ambassador for companies including Yo-Zuri, Tsunami, Cuda Brand and Take Me Fishing.

The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida, hired Tabish Siddiquie as general manager. Siddiquie most recently was general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Denver. Prior to his time in Denver, he worked at hotels and resorts including The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty, Kazakhstan; The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. From 2008 to 2011, he oversaw food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, Florida, including the hotel’s members club and golf course.

Charlestowne Hotels in Charleston, South Carolina, promoted Maxwell Spangler to the newly created role of corporate technology and systems manager. Spangler has spent the majority of his career working in front-of-house and corporate positions within the Charlestowne portfolio, most recently as corporate operations manager. He founded and developed Groupify, a hospitality software application that manages and increases Charlestowne’s group business when filling rooms and booking function spaces, resulting in banquet revenue growth and increased profitability.

Enchantment Group appointed Jason Trollip managing director of the Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia. Trollip was formerly managing director of The Cove, Eleuthera in Gregory Town, Bahamas, part of the Enchantment Group. Prior to his work with Enchantment, Trollip managed Nihi Hotels & Resorts Nihiwatu, Nihi Sumba Island, Indonesia. From 2009 to 2016, he oversaw two South African Singita properties.

Loge appointed Lindsay Wolff-Logsdon and Ian McClendon chief culture officer and director of operations, respectively. McClendon, who previously served as regional manager, will oversee and develop skills with the general managers at each Loge location. He sits on the Loge leadership team and plays a key role in the company’s growth strategy, product development and experience design process. He also oversees revenue management, product marketing and IT infrastructure. As chief culture officer, Wolff-Logsdon will lead the company’s people, brand and communications functions. She previously served as vice president of people. Wolff-Logsdon, who joined the company in January 2019, will also serve on the Loge leadership team, helping to create the company’s overall growth strategy and product development efforts.

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