MGM Resorts International named Jonathan Halkyard chief financial officer. Halkyard spent 13 years in leadership roles at Caesars Entertainment and was more recently the president and chief executive officer of Extended Stay America and ESH Hospitality, its paired-share REIT. Halkyard will report to Bill Hornbuckle, president and CEO of Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts International, and succeeds Corey Sanders who recently became chief operating officer.
“[Halkyard] brings the right mix of financial discipline, investor acumen, operating experience and seasoned corporate leadership to MGM Resorts at a vital time in our evolutions,” said Hornbuckle. “His passion for hospitality, considerable experience in gaming, previous stewardship of strong balance sheets and investor credibility make him an excellent choice to complement our strong and committed leadership team.”
Over the course of his career, Halkyard has served in CFO, COO and CEO capacities in the gaming, hospitality and energy sectors. He joined Caesars Entertainment in a finance role at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada. At Caesars, Halkyard held numerous property general manager and corporate roles before becoming CFO in 2006, subsequently leading the mergers and acquisitions efforts for Horseshoe Gaming, WSOP, Caesars Entertainment and London Clubs International. In 2013, he joined Extended Stay America as COO and the next year was named interim CFO. In 2015, he became the company’s CFO.
Wild Dunes Resort, a Destination Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, named John D’Angelo director of resort operations. D’Angelo previously served as the opening general manager for Grand Hyatt Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee. Before that, he was opening resort manager at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas, and helped open both the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, and the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.
First Hospitality appointed Jordan Bernstein vice president of business development, a new position for the company. Before joining First Hospitality, Bernstein held a director role with InterContinental Hotels Group overseeing transactions, asset management and upscale development. In this dual role, Bernstein was responsible for the development and franchise growth of IHG’s upscale brands, as well as strategic projects, workouts and retention of priority hotels. Prior to IHG, Bernstein worked with Starwood Hotels & Resorts for more than 12 years, holding roles in its global and North American development organizations.
Concord Hospitality Enterprises Co. appointed Stephanie Bisogne executive chef and Ivan Puente director of food and beverage, at Sal Y Mar Rooftop Bar in Tampa, Florida. The rooftop lounge will sit atop the dual-branded Aloft and Element Hotel opening in Tampa later this month. Bisogne has been an executive chef for Concord Hospitality for four years, most recently at Embassy Suites Charlotte Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina. Prior to that, she was a sous chef for Marriott International. Puente most recently was senior food and beverage manager for Terrace Restaurant and The Rooftop at Exchange Place in Jersey City, New Jersey. Puente hospitality experience also includes time at Sambuca Restaurant, and Lawless Spirits and Kitchen in Houston, under Expert Restaurant Management Group.
Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa in Chennai, India, appointed Shiv Bose general manager. Before joining the property, Bose was general manager at Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Hebbal in Bengaluru, India. Prior to that, he was general manager at Le Méridien Nagpur in Nagpur, India, and also spent time at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and East India Hotels.
The Lindos Hotels group appointed Georgios Chatziemmanouil general manager for both Lindos Grand Resort & Spa and Lindos Village Resort & Spa in Rhodes, Greece, both opening in May. Across his career, Chatziemmanouil has worked with brands including Marriott International, Carlson Rezidor, Rotana, Danat & Grecotel and more. He most recently was general manager of Grecotel Creta Palace in Crete, Greece.
Pendry Hotels & Resorts appointed Danielle Choi director of sales and marketing for Pendry Manhattan West, slated to open this summer in New York City. Choi previously was director of sales and marketing at Gramercy Park Hotel, also in New York City. Prior to that, she served as director of global sales for Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts where she led the corporate negotiated segment globally, managing 60 strategic accounts for 23 hotels and resorts.
Caesars Bluewaters Dubai in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, appointed Anthony Costa regional president. Costa has more than 25 years of experience driving financial performance, brand experience and talent engagement for companies including the Jumeirah Group, Wynn, Mandarin Oriental and Four Seasons. He combines subject-matter expertise in hotel operations and a depth of understanding in luxury brand-building with commercial literacy and the ability to drive growth and transformation across global, matrix organizations.
Opening this March in Memphis, Tennessee, Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis named Troy Dixon director of operations and Keith Potter executive chef. Dixon has more than a decade of director-level management experience at hotel brands such as Hilton and Kimpton, as well as restaurants, including Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Portland, Oregon, where he was general manager for four years. He most recently was director of food and beverage for Hilton and Duniway Hotels in Portland. Potter head leadership positions at Chicago hotels, including executive sous chef at Park Hyatt Chicago’s NoMi Kitchen, sous chef at Hotel Lincoln’s Perennial Virant and chef de cuisine at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. In 2019, he became executive chef at Ventana Big Sur, in Big Sur, California, overseeing food and beverage operations for the hotel’s four kitchens and five dining outlets.
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp. promoted John Geller Jr. to president. He will continue to hold his current role as chief financial officer of Marriott Vacations Worldwide. Geller joined Marriott International in 2005, serving as senior vice president and chief internal audit and information security officer. In 2008, he was CFO for the Western region of North America lodging operations, after which he transitioned to the role of CFO at Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp. In December 2017, he also assumed responsibility for the information technology and human resources departments.
The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos, opening this summer in Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos, named John Hazard general manager. Hazard most recently was general manager of the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort in Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands. He has served as general manager across various brands in Marriott International’s portfolio, including Courtyard by Marriott, Renaissance Hotels and Marriott Hotels & Resorts. His career with Marriott International in the United Kingdom included being recognized as Renaissance Hotels international general manager of the year in 2006, overseeing a full hotel renovation, partnering with a Michelin-star restaurant and navigating the London Olympics as a sponsor hotel.
The Alma resort in Cam Ranh, Vietnam, appointed Mai Ly Huong and Francesco Conzattu executive sous chefs. Huong worked at Sheraton Seoul D Cube Hotel in Seoul, South Korea; Aloft Al Ain in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; JW Marriott Phu Quoc in An Thoi, Vietnam; and Sun Aqua Iru Veli at the Maldives before joining Alma as a sous chef in September 2019. Conzattu worked for both Starwood’s Hotel Cervo in Porto Cervo and Leading Hotel of the World Hotel La Perla in Corvara, both in his native Italy, as well as the Cavalli Club, Restaurant and Lounge in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He was chef de cuisine at Armani Deli at Armani Hotel, housed in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa before being appointed chef de cuisine at Alma in September 2019.
Stonebridge Cos. named Aly-khan Merali president and managing partner and also announced that founder Navin Dimond will remain chief executive officer and assume chairman duties for the company. Merali joined the company after most recently serving as president and chief financial officer of Turnberry Associates, overseeing the company’s finance, asset management, accounting, legal, human resources and information services departments. He first joined Turnberry Associates in 2013 as executive vice president, chief investment officer. Prior to this, he was executive vice president and head of acquisitions for a U.S.-based investment firm with a portfolio of assets spanning North America, Europe and the Caribbean. Merali has held leadership and ownership positions in real estate companies in the United Kingdom, Canada and East Africa with assets in hospitality, industrial, manufacturing, office and senior living.
Island Hospitality Management appointed Tonya Moore senior vice president of human resources. Moore most recently was vice president, associate general counsel – compensation, benefits and mandated leaves at Darden Restaurants, where she served as lead attorney for the employee benefits and compensation practice group, counseling business partners and providing business-oriented solutions to legal issues while maintaining legal and fiduciary compliance, among other responsibilities. Prior to Darden Restaurants, Moore worked for AON Hewitt and Orbitz Worldwide, where she managed and advised on all aspects of human resources law and policies relating to employment and benefits. Her career also includes several years at McDermott Will & Emery as a senior associate, advising clients of new changing laws, regulations, policies and benefit plans.
Remington Hotels appointed Raul Moronta chief commercial officer, a new position for the company. In this role, Moronta will align three commercial strategy functions for Remington, with direct oversight of sales, revenue management and digital marketing for the portfolio of 77 properties. He will also collaborate with the company’s chief executive officer and president over the accounting, development, human resources, legal and operations departments. Moronta worked most recently with Crescent Hotels & Resorts as senior vice president of revenue management. He’s also held senior positions with companies including Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Hersha Hospitality Management.
Quirk Hotel Charlottesville in Charlottesville, Virginia, appointed Hector Pabon executive chef. Pabon, a native to Puerto Rico, has worked nearly 20 years in the foodservice industry and extensively for Hyatt in Tampa Bay and Clearwater Beach, Florida, in Atlanta and most recently, Santa Clara, California.
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley, in Avon, Colorado, appointed Tina Petersen director of human resources and promoted Chris Schmidt to director of front office. With more than 20 years’ experience, Petersen most recently was senior human resource manager at Vacasa. Other experience includes leadership positions at Wyndham Vacation Rentals, Howard Head Sports Medicine, The Home Depot and Target. Schmidt has been a Westin Riverfront team member for the past four years, starting at the front desk and moving up to serve as a guest service manager. He previously worked at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Flagstaff, Arizona, and The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in Edwards, Colorado.
Aimbridge Hospitality promoted Ron Phifer to vice president of business development. Phifer joined Aimbridge Hospitality in 2004, and he has served as sales manager, regional director of sales, and most recently, regional vice president of sales and marketing. Under his leadership, Phifer’s hotels have been recognized as hotel of the year four times, and his team has twice been recognized as sales team of the year.
First Hospitality appointed Natalie Stone vice president of business development. Stone previously was vice president of development at Red Lion Hotels Corporation, where she was responsible for the growth of the company’s upscale and lifestyle brands. She also owned a private consulting firm, Grand Hospitality Consultants, where she focused on creating value for hotel assets.
Jacqueline Volkart is dual general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, in Miami Beach, Florida, and The Ritz-Carlton, Bal Harbour, Florida. Volkart most recently was general manager at The St. Regis San Francisco. She is a veteran of Marriott International, having joined the company in 1990 as the director of catering and conference services during the opening of Casa Magna Resort in Cancun, Mexico. She joined the opening team at The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun as director of meetings and special events, and from there continued to hold leadership positions within The Ritz-Carlton brand, including hotel and general manager roles at several properties.