A Roundup of US Hires, Promotions

Hotel News Now twice a month features a roundup of new hires and promotions for the U.S. hotel industry. To be included in the next roundup, email HNN’s Dan Kubacki.

In the Spotlight
-	Z.B. Moham, area GM of Days Inn Jamaica – JFK Airport and the Best Western JFK Airport Hotel; New York City 6 February 2017 New hire Moham’s most recent position was area general manager for the Best Western Plus Seaport Inn Downtown and The Gem Hotel SoHo in New York City.

Executives
-	Nicole Young, corporate director of revenue management, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts 6 February 2017 New hire Young has held past sales leadership positions at SBE Hotel Group and Lowes Hotels and Resorts.
-	Raul Moronta, SVP of revenue management, Crescent Hotels & Resorts 3 February 2017 New hire Moronta’s most recent position was director of revenue management at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Hersha Hospitality Management.
-	Maricarmen Cardenas, SVP of revenue strategy of lifestyle hotel and resorts, Crescent Hotels & Resorts 3 February 2017 Promotion Cardenas was promoted from SVP of revenue strategy at Crescent. She will now lead the “Latitudes, Lifestyle by Crescent” division at the company.
-	Todd Gray, VP of finance, InnSight Hotel Management Group 27 January 2017 New hire Gray joins InnSight from Menashe Properties, where he led finance and accounting operations for the real estate development and investment company.
-	Jeff Smith, chief financial officer, Viceroy Hotel Group 25 January 2017 Promotion Smith was promoted from SVP of finance at Viceroy, a position he’s held since May 2014.

GMs
-	Robert Purdy, GM of the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino; Incline Village, Nevada 31 January 2017 New hire Purdy’s previous position was GM at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
-	Leo Glazer, GM of Pod 39; New York City 31 January 2017 New hire Glazer joins Pod 39 from The Marlton in New York City, where he held the position of hotel manager.
-	Matthew Humphreys, GM of Hyatt Regency San Francisco; San Francisco 30 January 2017 New hire Humphreys previously worked as GM of the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara. He started his career at Hyatt as a bellman in 1993 at the Hyatt in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
-	Bill Hendrix, GM of The Hotel Hershey; Hershey, Pennsylvania 26 January 2017 Promotion Hendrix is the current assistant GM of The Hotel Hershey and will start his new position on 1 May.
-	Richard Byrd, GM of The Shores Resort & Spa; Daytona Beach Shores, Florida 26 January 2017 New hire Byrd’s most recent position was GM of the Crowne Plaza Melbourne-Oceanfront.
-	Paul Cardona, GM of Le Meridien Chicago – Oakbrook Center; Chicago 24 January 2017 New hire Cardona has held past property leadership positions at Four Seasons, Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, SLS Hotel in Miami and Park Hyatt Chicago.

Sales and Marketing
-	Brittany Gripp, group sales manager, Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver; Denver 7 February 2017 New hire Gripp previously held the position of group sales manager at The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas.
-	Kristina Bourgeois, director of sales and marketing, DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans; New Orleans 6 February 2017 New hire Bourgeois has worked for Hilton for more than 15 years. Her most recent stops were at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside and Embassy Suites by Hilton New Orleans.
-	Haylee Bross, membership sales representative, Camelback Inn Resort & Spa; Scottsdale, Arizona 2 February 2017 New hire Bross previously held a front-office position at Fairmont Resort.
-	Ty Brassie, director of sales and marketing, Carneros Resort and Spa; Napa Valley, California New hire 30 January 2017 Brassie’s most recent position was director of sales and marketing at the Warner Center Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles.
-	Gloria Szafraniec, group sales manager, The Inn on Fifth & Club Level Suites; Naples, Florida 25 January 2017 New hire Szafraniec previously worked as a taskforce specialist for PHM Hospitality and Carver Hotel Group.

F&B
-	Victoria Noe, director of catering, Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver; Denver 7 February 2017 New hire Noe’s most recent position was senior event manager with Epicurean Catering and Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
-	Paul Harris, restaurant chef, Westin Atlanta Perimeter North; Atlanta 25 January 2017 New hire Harris has past hotel culinary experience as executive sous chef at Hyatt Regency Perimeter and banquet chef at Ritz-Carlton Buckhead.
-	Richard Blankenship, executive chef, Omni Frisco Hotel; Frisco, Texas 17 January 2017 New hire Blankenship previously worked as executive chef for CBD Provisions at the Joule Hotel in Dallas.
-	Michael Salerno, GM of Neighborhood Services restaurant at the Omni Frisco Hotel; Frisco, Texas 17 January 2017 New hire Salerno has prior restaurant management experience at several restaurants in Texas.

Human Resources
-	Kari Schlagheck , director of human resources, Dream Hollywood; Los Angeles 7 February 2017 New hire Schlagheck spent five years at RIM Hospitality as director of human resources and senior manager of associate relations.
Asset Management
-	Joel Wineman, SVP of asset management, Rockbridge 31 January 2017 New hire Wineman has held prior asset management and real estate investment positions in hospitality, including DiamondRock Hospitality Company and Chesapeake Lodging Trust.
Miscellaneous
-	Mary Joy Ong-Newberry, director of finance, Dream Hollywood; Los Angeles 7 February 2017 New hire Ong-Newberry spent the past 12 years as hotel controller for Hotel Bel Air.
-	Angie Law, director of revenue management, Dream Hollywood; Los Angeles 7 February 2017 New hire Law’s most recent position was sales and marketing consultant with Kaptivating Hospitality.
-	Karan Narang, senior director of acquisitions and development analysis, Dream Hotel Group 30 January 2017 New hire Narang previously worked as director of acquisitions and financial analysis at Hospitality Ventures Management Group.
-	Kara Thomas, director of health and wellness, CopperWynd Resort & Club; Fountain Hills, Arizona 26 January 2017 New hire Thomas’ most recent position was fitness and wellness director at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
-	Samantha Ahuja, partner of hospitality, commercial real estate development and finance, Morris, Manning & Martin; Washington, D.C. 26 January 2017 New hire In her new position, Ahuja will advise domestic and international clients on hotel and resort acquisitions and dispositions, operations, franchising and more.