Denver, CO / July 27 / Jennifer Atkins, formerly with the Marriott Denver West, has joined the Marriott Denver Tech Center as general manager. Denver, CO / July 27 / Jennifer Atkins, formerly with the Marriott Denver West, has joined the Marriott Denver Tech Center as general manager.
Houston, TX / July 23 / The Houston Area Chapter of MPI recently named Lisa Journagan, president and founder of connect the dots, inc. as the chapter's Meeting Planner of the Year. Pictured are Lisa and Ellen Ramsey, chapter president.
New Orleans, LA / July 9 / R. Brink Grush has been appointed DOSM for The Roosevelt New Orleans Hotel, part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection. Brink most recently served as the DOS at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, a position he held since 2004.
Scottsdale, AZ / July 9 / JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa announced the appointments of Jim Rose (pictured) as GM and Shane Allor as DOSM. Most recently, Jim was with the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa and Shane was DOS at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort.
Houston, TX / July 7 / The 262-suite Embassy Suites Houston Downtown has named Ron Gwin as GM and Lisa Jones as its DOSM. Most recently, Ron served as GM of Louisiana’s Cypress Bend Golf Resort & Conference Center and Lisa was DOS for The Embassy Suites Conference Center in Frisco, TX. The property, located within walking distance of the George R. Brown Convention center, is being developed by Houston-based American Liberty Hospitality and is expected to be completed by March 2011.
Denver, CO / July 1 / The Curtis - a Doubletree Hotel announced that it has hired JoAnn Elston to serve as the hotel’s “Leading Lady,” otherwise known as the DOSM. JoAnn comes to The Curtis from The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Florida.
Editor’s note: Someone recently sent me an email titled “Lemons to Lemonade” that included a slideshow of amazing tree carvings on Galveston Island – formerly mature Oaks that are now beautiful “memorial” sculptures. It’s worth a look. GalvestonTreeCarving
Tulsa, OK / June 24 / The Tulsa Metro Chamber’s president and CEO Mike Neal announced the selection of Dave Nolan to lead VisitTulsa, the convention and visitors program at the Tulsa Metro Chamber. Most recently, Dave served as the president and CEO for Destination Toledo.
Dallas, TX / June 21 / Jennifer Wasserman, formerly with the Garrett Creek Ranch in Paradise, TX, has joined The Joule, Dallas, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection, as DOSM.
Dallas, TX / June 3 / Fred Euler has been appointed general manager for Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion. He replaces Steve Vissotzky who was promoted to general manager of Grand Hyatt Seattle and Hyatt at Olive 8. Fred comes to Hyatt Regency Dallas from Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Conference Center & Spa in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where he served as general manager since 2006.
Baton Rouge, LA / June 2 / Mark S. Wilson, formerly DOSM at The Roosevelt
New Orleans, has joined The Cook Hotel & Conference Center at LSU as general
manager. The hotel, located on the LSU campus, offers 128 guestrooms and
12,300 sq. ft. of meeting space.
Dallas (Allen), TX / June 2 / Gateway Hospitality Group announced the
appointment of Rhonda Staples as general manager at the Hampton Inn & Suites
Dallas/Allen. Rhonda has worked as GM at the Hampton Inn & Suites in
Kilgore & Corsicana, Texas.
Houston, TX / May 31 / John Oakley has joined the InterContinental Houston
Near The Galleria as DOSM. Previously, John served as DOS for the
Westin Galleria and Westin Oaks Houston.
Tempe, AZ / April 20 / The Sheraton Phoenix Airport Hotel Tempe announced the appointment of Viktoria Riley as DOS&M. Most recently, Viktoria served as DOS&M at Frenchman’s Reef & Morningstar Marriott Beach Resort on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Houston, TX / April 19 / Hotel Alden, a 97-room luxury boutique property in downtown Houston, has been acquired by Northwood Investors and will be managed by a subsidiary of Northwood. Hans Schmitt has been named GM and managing partner.
Grapevine, TX / April 7 / Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. announced that Ken Broom has been promoted to assistant GM of Great Wolf Lodge. Ken has been with the company for three years as DOSM for the Grapevine property and was on the pre-opening team. Most recently, he worked with Marriott’s Western Division.
New Orleans, LA / March 29 / Lois McLaughlin has been named director of event services at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Lori comes to New Orleans from the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, where she served as director of event services.
The Woodlands (Houston), TX / March 25 / Benchmark Hospitality International has named Ted A. Davis VP of sales & marketing. Most recently, Ted was VP of sales and marketing for Noble House Hotels & Resorts.
Austin, TX / Congratulations to Beth Brooks and her team at the Texas Society of Association Executives for achieving a new milestone - 1,000 total members. Jill Beckham, CAE, foundation director for American Mensa (Arlington) recently became TSAE's 1,000th member.
Austin, TX / The 340-room Westin Austin at The Domain officially opened on March 11. Tom Tabler is the GM and Alison Berg is the director of sales and marketing. The hotel, which offers 13,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, is a part of the White Lodging family.
Tucson, AZ / Mar 2 / Loews Hotels announced the appointment of Mark Lindsey as director of sales and marketing for Loews Ventana Canyon. Most recently, Mark was DOSM at Westin La Paloma in Tucson. That resort was ranked the #1 Westin in North America for Meeting Planner Satisfaction during his six year tenure.
Austin, TX / Mar 5 / Chris Swindler, formerly DOSM at the Doubletree San Antonio, has returned to Austin as DOSM at the Embassy Suites Arboretum.
The Woodlands, TX / Feb 20 / Benchmark Hospitality International has appointed John Davies VP marketing. John will be the first to hold this newly created position at Benchmark. He was previously head of his own hospitality marketing firm and prior to starting his company, John served as VP marketing for Noble House Hotels & Resorts.
Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion announced the appointment of Brian J. Booth as DOSM. Brian previously served as director, central worldwide sales for Hyatt Hotels Corp in Chicago. He succeeds Nan Stone who retired in 2009.
Lindsay Greer is the new director for the Wichita Falls CVB. Lindsay, a native of Wichita Falls, comes to the bureau from the local NBC television affiliate where she served as an account executive for the last 9 ½ years and has a significant amount of community volunteer experience.
Jan 20 / Fort Worth, TX / Diane Cayce, formerly with the Fort Worth CVB, has joined HelmsBriscoe and will be a part of Patti Palacio's team. Diane reported that she is attending the HB Annual Conference at the new Avia Hotel in Las Vegas. With 1,900 attendees, it's the largest ever HB conference.
Jan 19 / Albuquerque, NM / Steven DeFelice, formerly DOSM at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio, has been appointed DOSM at the 350-room Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa which is located on 500 acres on the Pueblo of Santa Ana adjacent to the Sandia Mountains.
Jan 15 / Glenwood Springs, CO / The Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association recently appointed Glenwood Hot Springs COO and GM Kjell Mitchell to head the organization in 2010. Kjell takes over the reins from out-going chairman Dan Pirrallo, GM, Boulder Millennium Harvest House.
Jan 7 / Irving, TX / Omni Hotels & Resorts announced the appointments of top operations and sales and marketing positions for the 1000-room Omni Dallas Hotel, slated to open in early 2012. Ed Netzhammer, a regional VP of operations overseeing hotels in California and Texas – will now also serve as the GM for the hotel.
Harold “Q” Queisser was named DOSM for the Omni Dallas after serving with Marriott Hotels for more than 30 years, most recently as director of affiliate sales for the Marriott Convention & Resort Network based in San Diego.
Jan 5 / Fort Worth, TX / Dan Piotrowski, most recently with the Omni Berskire Place Hotel in NYC, has joined the Omni Fort Worth as general manager. Ed Netzhammer, the hotel's former GM and regional VP for Omni, will oversee the opening of the new Omni Hotel Dallas at the convention center.
Dec 21 / San Antonio / Benchmark Hospitality Intl announced the appointment of Wende Blumberg as general manager for Hotel Contessa on San Antonio's Riverwalk. Wende previously served the Benchmark organization as field staff support for its Naples Bay Resort in Florida.
Santa Fe, NM / Dec 15 / Santa Fe's new convention center, which opened in late summer of 2008, was just awarded a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification. While the new building was designed to a LEED silver standard, the resulting quality of construction and operation warranted the higher gold designation. www.santafe.org
Dec 15 / New Orleans, LA / The New Orleans CVB announced today that it has been awarded accreditation from the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program. www.neworleanscvb.com
Dec 9 / Dallas, TX / The Joule, a Starwood Luxury Collection Hotel in Downtown Dallas, announced the appointment of Matthew Vesely as director of sales & marketing. Matthew most recently was DOSM at The Resort at Singer Island (also a member of Starwood’s Luxury Collection).
Dec 9 / New Orleans, LA / The Astor Crowne Plaza received this year’s Renovation Award for its $11 million makeover at the InterContinental Hotels Group’s 2009 Americas Investors & Leadership Conference. The Astor Crowne Plaza was considered for the award from a portfolio of over 4,300 hotels.
Dec 8 / Dallas, TX / Leigh Hitz, president of Magnolia Hotels, announced the promotion of Juan C. Morales from director of operations to general manager for The Magnolia Dallas, a 325-room downtown boutique property.
Dec 7 / Santa Fe, NM / Encantado, an Auberge Resort, was recently honored with AAA's Five Diamond Award and becomes the first resort in New Mexico's history to ever receive the highest AAA rating.
Nov 23 / Denver, CO / Brian Fedorowicz has been named the new associate VP of convention sales for VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau, filing the spot vacated by Rachel Benedick, who was promoted to vice president convention sales and services earlier this year. Most recently, Brian was DOSM with Destination Hotels and Resorts, where he was 2009 sales leader of the year.
Nov 17 / San Antonio, TX / Amy Trench, Area DOSM at Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, announced that Sarah Linley, CMP, the hotel’s conference services manager, was recently awarded San Antonio’s Caterer of the Year by the Natl Assn of Catering Executives.
Nov 11 / Little Rock, AR / The Little Rock CVB announced the appointment of Monica Robinson as director of diversity sales. Monica hails from the St. Louis area and most recently served as director of event services at the Fabulous Fox Theatre.
Nov 9 / Denver, CO / Kari Obernesser has accepted the position of director of sales & marketing for the Loews Denver Hotel – a promotion from her most recent position as director of sales for the hotel. Kari sits on the board of the Rocky Mountain Business Travel Association and holds a council position on the Meetings Industry Council of Colorado.
Nov 2 / Houston, TX / On the 40th anniversary of Conrad N. Hilton’s initial $1.5 million gift to create the first hotel school in Texas, the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management has commenced construction on a $12.5 million renovation project to transform its teaching hotel. This will be the first major renovation to the 86-room Hilton University of Houston Hotel and Conference Center since it opened in 1975.
Oct 28 / Austin, TX / InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has appointed Sharon Kilmartin to GM of the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin and regional director of operations of the InterContinental Houston Hotel. Most recently, Sharon was the GM of the InterContinental San Juan Resort & Casino in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico.
Oct 23 / Galveston, TX / The San Luis Resort, Spa & Conference Center has named native Houstonian, Carrie Crigler Ratier as its new national sales manager. Carrie is returning to the Houston area after spending the past 5 years in Nashville, Myrtle Beach and Sea Island, Georgia.
Oct 21 / Houston, TX / Adam Rineer, CMP, formerly the regional director of operations for The Hub Meeting & Event Centers in Philadelphia, has joined The Westin Galleria & Westin Oaks Hotels as the director of catering and convention services.
Oct 20 / Corpus Christi, TX / The Corpus Christi CVB announced that Vanessa Kager has joined the CVB as director of sales for the State of Texas and will lead the newly opened satellite office in Austin. Vanessa serves on the board of the Texas Hill Country Chapter of Meeting Professionals International and, most recently, served as the senior sales manager for Marriott Austin Downtown/Convention Center.
Oct 13 / Irving, TX / Thom Connors was recently named GM of the new, $133 million Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. The announcement was made by Pennsylvania-based SMG who will be the center's operator under the Irving CVB’s direction. Thom will continue to serve as SMG’s regional VP which includes overseeing business operations in Puerto Rico where he most recently served as the GM of the Puerto Rico Convention Center. The center is scheduled to open in late 2010.
Oct 13 / Albuquerque, NM / The Albuquerque Journal reported that the Isleta Casino & Resort will become the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in the spring of 2010 after several million dollars in upgrades to bring the property to Hard Rock standards.
Oct 12 / Frisco, TX / Scott Silvia has joined Marla Roe's sales team at the Frisco CVB.
Oct 1 / Austin, TX / In honor of his outstanding contributions to the travel and tourism industry in Texas, Mark W. Thompson, executive director of the Plano CVB, was presented with the Tall in Texas Award by the Texas Travel Industry Association. Mark was honored with a presentation by colleagues Nanci Liles, director, Abilene CVB, and Linda Sweatt, director, Odessa CVB.
Sep 3 / Austin / The Texas Travel Industry Association has named David Teel to succeed Paul Serff as its president/CEO at the end of this year. Paul, who headed TTIA for the last 12 years, recently announced his plans to retire. David has served as VP of the state-wide travel and tourism organization for the past 6 years and was previously the director of tourism for the Governor's Office of Economic Development and Tourism.
Aug 24 / Houston / Stan Skadal, senior director of sales for the Hyatt Regency Houston, announced the September completion of the hotel's extensive $40 million renovation. Stan, a 34-year industry veteran, celebrated his 20th year at the Hyatt Regency last Friday.
Aug 10 / Houston / Ron Lamers has been appointed general manager of The St. Regis, Houston. Ron arrives at The St. Regis Houston after leading the successful opening of The Resort at Singer Island, a Starwood Luxury Collection Resort in Florida.
Aug 4 / Las Cruces / Global Spectrum, operators of the soon-to-open Las Cruces Convention Center, named David Hicks as the first general manager of the 55,000 sq.ft. center. The new center, located on the New Mexico State University campus, features a 14,500 sq.ft. exhibition hall, 8,900 sq.ft. ballroom, and 6 break-out rooms.
August 4 / DFW Metroplex / More than 100 North Texas hotels, American Airlines and several ground transportation providers are offering special incentives for group meetings booked and held in North Texas by Dec. 31, 2009. The new DFW Meet Now Promise co-op program was introduced by the cities and CVBs of Irving, Arlington, Dallas, and Fort Worth, and the Hotel Association of North Texas.
Tim Sullivan, President of the Hotel Association of North Texas, said, “We cannot wait for the economy to improve. The North Texas regional hospitality community has combined our time, energy, cooperative funding and ideas to help meeting planners nationwide bring their meetings to Dallas in 2009. What’s more, every major hotel brand in the four participating cities have signed up representing every tier of services – luxury, economy, full-service and extended stay. For more information, visit www.dfwpromise.com.
July 27 / Houston / Jim Mills, GM at The Houstonian Hotel, announced the promotion of Steve Fronterhouse to hotel manager, and will be responsible for overseeing the rooms and the food and beverage divisions of the hotel. Fronterhouse joined The Houstonian in July 2005 as food & beverage director.
June 26 / Grapevine, TX / Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center announced that Mike Wainwright has joined its team as vice president of sales and marketing. Most recently, Mike served as VP sales & marketing Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida. His career also included sixteen years in sales and marketing with Marriott International.
June 15 / San Antonio, TX / Benchmark Hospitality International has named Cheryl Ferguson, CMP, DOSM for Hotel Contessa. Most recently, Cheryl served as VP, sales for Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC.
May 15 / Lakeway, TX / Dolce Hotels and Resorts announced the appointment of Stephen Bello, as GM of the 168-room Lakeway Resort and Spa, which it manages on Lake Travis near Austin. For the last two years, Stephen was managing director of Hawks Cay Resort, a 40-acre complex on Duck Key, Florida.
May 14 / South Padre Island, TX / Officials with the Sheraton Beach Hotel and Condominiums announced the completion of a multi-million dollar restoration and the long-awaited reopening of South Padre Island’s only national brand full-service hotel property, and the Island’s largest hospitality employer. Officials also announced the opening of the Island’s first luxury Spa - The Sapphire Spa and Fitness Center.
May 12 / Dallas / Dallas voters handed city leaders a victory at the polls, voting down two propositions that would have made it more difficult for the city to back convention hotel projects. They rejected a measure to preclude the city from owning a convention hotel, along with a proposal to trigger public referenda on most city subsidies of $1 million or more for such projects. The new Omni hotel next to the convention center is set to proceed as soon as bonds are sold.
May / San Antonio / Mario Bass has been named director of sales & marketing at the Marriott Rivercenter & Riverwalk Hotels in San Antonio. Mario joined Marriott in 1996 as front desk agent and soon moved into a sales role at the Marriott Rivercenter. Most recently, he served as director of sales at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square.
May 1 / Galveston Island / Meg Winchester, CMP, was promoted to director of the Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau after two years as the director of sales for the organization. The promotion is a result of her strong dedication to the CVB and successfully promoting Galveston Island as a destination for meetings and leisure travel.
April 29 / Denver / Rachel Benedick has been named the new VP of sales and services for VISIT DENVER, The CVB, a position she has held on an interim basis since Sept 2008. Rachel replaces Doug Small, who became the president of the Grand Rapids CVB last year.
April 28 / New Orleans / Even before the Roosevelt New Orleans opens in June, its luxurious rooms already are attracting attention in an unlikely location: the main lobby of New Orleans' Louis Armstrong International Airport. The downtown New Orleans hotel, which is undergoing a $145-million historic restoration as a Waldorf Astoria Collection property, has recreated one of its guest rooms in a former retail location in the airport's 1950s-era main terminal. The model room is seen by thousands of travelers every day, thanks to its location at the intersection of concourses C and D. Clever idea!
April 22 / Houston / Steve Trent, managing director, announced that the Hyatt Regency Houston, a landmark in the downtown Houston skyline since 1972, has completed its comprehensive, $40-million transformation including the renovation of all 947 guestrooms, a redesigned LobbiBar, and 64,000 sq. ft. of refreshed meeting space. The project also included the opening of Texas' first Shula's Steak House.
April 17 / Houston / Houston-based Valencia Group has hired former PKF Consulting senior VP John Keeling to serve as the company’s executive vice president.
John began his hospitality career with Marriott at the Marriott Twin Bridges in Arlington, VA.
April 16 / DFW Airport / Bob Sherer, DOSM for the Marriott DFW Airport North, announced the appointment of Bob Bula, formerly GM at the Marriott Plano at Legacy Town Center, as the hotel's new general manager. Bob replaces Steve Benkowitz who recently retired after a 41-year career with Marriott.
April 2 / The Grapevine CVB has named Robert H. McPherrin to the position of assistant executive director, sales and marketing. Bob will provide direction and supervision to the sales & marketing divisions. He is a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry and has worked in sales and marketing for various elite companies including Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, MGM-Mirage, Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts, Fairmont Hotel Management Limited Partnership, Marriott Hotels and Resorts, and Hilton Hotels Corporation.
March 12 / Arthur Coulombe, formerly area GM for the San Antonio Marriott Hotels, has been named as GM of the 1,002-room JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa which is scheduled to open in January 2010. Mike Kass serves as the resort's DOSM.
March 10 / Nanci Liles, Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director, was presented the prestigious Tall in Texas award by the Texas Travel Industry Association. The Tall in Texas Award is given annually to an individual who through the sheer force of his or her commitment to and influence upon travel and tourism, has changed the face of the industry on a local, regional or state-wide level.
March 10 / Colorado Springs / Benchmark Hospitality Intl has appointed John Branciforte director of sales and marketing for the Four Diamond Cheyenne Mountain Resort of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Laura Neumann, vice president and general manager, made the announcement. "I am so pleased to welcome John to the Benchmark Hospitality Intl team at Cheyenne Mountain Resort," said Ms. Neumann. “He brings significant experience with golf resorts to his new role. We look forward to his active leadership of our sales and marketing programming.” John Branciforte comes to Cheyenne Mountain Resort with over two decades of hospitality sales and marketing experience.
March 10 / New Orleans / IHG announced that the Crowne Plaza New Orleans-Airport has undergone a $28 million renovation and conversion from a former Holiday Inn Select. “We’re pleased to bring a Crowne Plaza hotel to the New Orleans airport market," said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Management, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, the Americas. “This hotel has undergone a tremendous renovation after receiving extensive hurricane damage, and the owners have delivered a fantastic property that we’re proud now carries the Crowne Plaza name.”