The board of directors of Best Western Hotels & Resorts elected Ishwar Naran board chairman for 2021. Naran, who previously served as vice chairman of the board, brings more than three decades of hospitality experience and 17 years of Best Western ownership to the table.
“Our industry is facing its greatest crisis to date and I believe [Naran’s] innovative and strategic thinking will deliver tremendous value as we navigate the year ahead,” said David Kong, president and chief executive officer, Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “I look forward to working alongside [Naran] and his colleagues on the board of directors as we continue to grow the Best Western brand, deliver industry-leading customer care to our guests and drive superior revenue to our hoteliers.”
Naran owns three Best Western-branded properties: Best Western Wesley Chapel in Wesley Chapel, Florida; Best Western Plus Daytona Inn Seabreeze Oceanfront in Daytona Beach, Florida; and Best Western Plus Columbia North East in Columbia, South Carolina. In 2016, he was elected to the board of directors to represent the interests of hotel owners in District IV, which includes Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Puerto Rico.
Robert Booth is director of sales and marketing for The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, a Gemstone Collection property in Manchester Village, Vermont. Booth previously served as director of sales and events for Paloma Resort Properties of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. He also worked as director of group and corporate sales for PGA Tour Experiences of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Earlier in his career, Booth held sales leadership positions for The Inn at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina, and for The Greenbrier Classic PGA Tour event.
WorldHotels named Melissa Brown regional director of hotel development in North America. Brown recently spearheaded hotel development for Luxe Hotels in North America where she led luxury and lifestyle sales, marketing, brand development and distribution for the brand. She also has held positions with Starwood Hotels and Resorts’ brands W Hotels and St. Regis Hotels.
Auberge Resorts Collection named Christina Deeny vice president of global sales and marketing, leading the brand’s global sales and marketing strategy and guiding the team as it seeks to grow its European presence. Deeny, who has more than 25 years of international hospitality experience, has held sales and marketing leadership roles with brands including Aman, Belmond and Mandarin Oriental. Most recently, she worked at The Octave Institute, a center headquartered in China for research, mindful learning and holistic wellness, where Deeny led the restructuring of the global sales, marketing, communications and revenue management capabilities.
Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, named Stuart de San Nicolas general manager. De San Nicolas has held general manager roles for more than two decades in hotels around the world, including Altapura in Val Thorens, France; Dinarobin Beachcomber Golf Hotel & Spa in Mauritius; Pik Palace and Park Chalet, both part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection in Azerbaijan; Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort in Paracas, Peru; The St. Regis Mauritius in Le Morne, Mauritius; and most recently, at Le Méridien Bora Bora.
The soon-to-open Hilton Aventura Miami in Aventura, Florida, named Kai Fischer general manager and Reynaldo Ramirez director of sales and marketing. For the past seven years, Fischer has been general manager of Hilton Westchester in Westchester, New York. In the past, he held various roles at Marriott’s headquarters as well as operational, sales and general manager positions at properties in Dallas. He was the multi-property director of sales and marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where he played a key role in the renovation of Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in New York City. Ramirez brings 24 years of South Florida sales knowledge to the property, having held management positions at a variety of hotel brands, including Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham, InterContinental Hotel Group and more. Most recently, Ramirez was complex director of sales and marketing at AC Marriott Aventura and Aloft Miami Aventura.
Fairmont Dallas named Jean-Francois Fortin executive chef. Fortin has deep culinary management experience from more than 22 years in the industry, most of which was spent at Fairmont hotels across North America. Prior to this appointment, Fortin was executive chef of Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Lake Louise, Canada.
Grand Residences Riviera Cancun in Cancun, Mexico, appointed Hector Renteria Guzman executive chef. Guzman has worked in the hospitality industry across Mexico and internationally for more than a decade. In his new role, he will oversee the resort’s three onsite restaurants and help elevate the culinary experiences available at the property.
Hotel Chicago West Loop named Andrew Hilliker general manager. Hilliker’s past positions include operations manager at Whitehall Chicago, front office manager at Westin Chicago and operations manager at Hotel Chicago West Loop. He began his career in hospitality at 14 years of age in Traverse City, Michigan, doing odd jobs at the hotel where his father was general manager.
Nicholas Kabetso is director of restaurants, bars and events at Kimpton The Rowan Palm Springs in Palm Springs, California. Kabetso has more than 16 years of hospitality experience, including several food and beverage leadership positions at resorts in Hawaii, Las Vegas and Connecticut. He most recently was director of food and beverage at Hilton Anaheim in Anaheim, California.
The Langham, Boston, named Kyung Lee director of food and beverage in advance of the property’s re-opening this coming spring. Prior to joining The Langham, Lee managed food and beverage at the InterContinental Boston and worked with Jody Adams at Rialto at The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He then spent three years at the Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Andreas Magnus is general manager of Kempinski Palace Engelberg and Frutt Mountain Resort, opening this spring in Melchsee-Frutt, Switzerland. Magnus spent the past three years as hotel manager at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand. Other previous appointments include the front office at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans; food and beverage manager at Belmond Grand Hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia; food and beverage manager at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; executive assistant manager at Djibouti Palace Kempinski in Djibouti; and hotel manager at Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center in Beijing, China.
Chesapeake Hospitality named Dwayne Marshall vice president of development and acquisitions. Marshall has worked with hotel brands, consulting and asset management firms and universities in a variety of areas. Before joining Chesapeake, he was senior director, full-service hotel development at Marriott International. He also worked at IHG in numerous roles, including leading the feasibility team for IHG’s Americas Region with responsibility for projects in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Diana Matute joined Raffles Maldives Meradhoo on Meradhoo Island as executive chef. Matute spent the past15 years working in Lima, Peru. She plans to incorporate Peruvian elements into her menus while highlighting Maldivian fish. Matute grew up in hospitality and spent time in her father’s restaurants as a child.
Opening in March 2021, JW Marriott Tampa Water Street in Tampa, Florida, named its leadership team. Ron McAnaugh is area general manager at JW Marriott Tampa Water Street and Tampa Marriott Water Street. A Marriott veteran of more than 30 years, McAnaugh previously served as hotel manager for Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida — Marriott’s largest hotel. Christopher Adkins is director of sales and marketing. Adkins has spent more than 20 years with Marriott International, including in leadership positions at Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance and Marriott brand hotels. Brittany Matthews, who has a 19-year Marriott sales career across seven Marriott brands, is director of sales. Ryan Burns is director of restaurants. Prior to this role, he helped re-conceptualize Tampa Marriott Water Street’s newest restaurants, Garrison Tavern, and Anchor and Brine. Joseph Pankrath, who has 25 years of hotel and gastronomic experience, is executive chef. Richard Trinidad is director of spa. Originally from Puerto Rico, Trinidad previously held multiple positions at other Marriott properties, including the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida. Finally, Bodgan Moisa is director of hotel rooms operation. Moisa has worked at JW Marriott Marquis Miami, Philadelphia Marriott West Marriot, and most recently, Tampa Marriott Water Street.
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, a Relais & Châteaux property in Rancho Santa Fe, California, named Laura McIver general manager. Before her new appointment, McIver was general manager at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, California. Key roles she has held in the past include vice president and general manager at Miraval Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona; opening general manager at Belmond El Encanto in Santa Barbara, California; general manager at Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara; and resident manager at Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica.
The Ritz-Carlton, Denver, appointed Brad Mills general manager. Before coming to Denver, Mills was first hotel manager and then interim general manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, in Dana Point, California. Mills has spent 18 years with Marriott International, beginning at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia, where he held numerous senior leadership roles. Before joining Marriott, he worked at both The Waldorf Astoria and The Waldorf Astoria Towers in New York City.
Michelle Reynolds is Athenaeum Spa director at the Corinthia Palace Attard in San Anton, Malta. Reynolds has deep international experience in the Middle East, Maldives and the United Kingdom through leading spas including those at the Berkeley Hotel in London and The Westin Doha as well as Kempinski Marsa Malaz, both in Qatar.
Radisson Blu Anaheim in Anaheim, California, named Daniel Rivera director of food and beverage, Derek Downing general manager of restaurants and bars and Edgar Beas executive chef. In prior roles, Rivera served as operations manager for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and established and led O&A Hospitality Group for Chef Josiah Citrin as director of operations. He was director of operations for 10K Hospitality Group and managing partner for K2 Restaurant Group. Downing is a certified cicerone with a strong background in the Orange County, California, market. Prior to joining Radisson Blu Anaheim, Downing was restaurant general manager at South Coast Winery in Temecula, California, where he created a new beverage program highlighting local craft beers. Earlier in his career, Beas worked in restaurants in Los Angeles and San Francisco before leaving the U.S. for Spain to work at Martin Berasategui in the Basque Country. He then returned to California as chef de cuisine at Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park before moving on to become executive chef at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Beas most recently was executive chef of Dune at Auberge Beach Residences and Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Manuel Rodriguez is director of food and beverage at Springhill Suites Panama City Beach in Panama City Beach, Florida. Originally from Washington, D.C., Rodriguez brings nearly 20 years of industry experience to his new appointment. While in D.C., he cooked for several high-profile politicians, athletes, celebrities and the Queen of Sweden.
Grand Hyatt Vail in Vail, Colorado, appointed Pierson Shields executive chef. Formerly, Shields was executive sous chef at Hyatt Regency Denver Convention Center following culinary appointments at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, Incline Village, Nevada; Warwick Hotel and Tom’s Urban 24, both in Denver; Hyatt Recency Phoenix; and as private chef to Kenny Chesney.
HRI Lodging appointed Patrick Sorge general manager and Arsen Khodosov director of sales and marketing for dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House in Tampa, Florida, opening early next year. Sorge joined from Hyatt Hotels Corp., where he was regional vice president of sales and marketing and regional director of field marketing, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic. Previously, he was director of sales and marketing at several Hyatt-branded properties. Khodosov previously served as regional director of sales and marketing with Chesapeake Hospitality, director of sales and marketing with Westmont Hospitality Group, and held leadership roles with McKibbon Hotel Management.