Read the latest roundup of U.S.-based hires and promotions in the hotel industry.
Executives
Ron Gulaskey
Vice president, U.S. sales and strategy
Club Med
Oct. 17, 2024
New hire
Experience: Gulaskey joins Club Med with more than 20 years of executive experience in the travel industry, most recently serving as associate vice president of global sales at Celebrity Cruises.
Eric Gavin
President of operations
Makeready
Oct. 7, 2024
New hire
Experience: Gavin most recently served as chief operating officer for Benchmark, Pyramid Global Hospitality’s independent, luxury and lifestyle division, where he played a key role in shaping the company’s vision and overseeing day-to-day operations.
General managers
Taylor Murphy
Hotel manager
Hard Rock San Diego
San Diego
Oct. 20, 2024
Returning hire
Experience: Murphy joined the Hard Rock San Diego in 2020, serving as assistant director of rooms and director of operations. Before returning to San Diego, Murphy was the general manager of Hotel Adeline, part of Marriott's Tribute Portfolio in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Dorian Phillips
General manager
The Art Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
Denver
Oct. 16, 2024
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Phillips served as general manager at The Benson Hotel in Aurora, Colorado. Before The Benson, he spent more than five years with Commonwealth Hotels.
Esther Oh Kostecky
General manager
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans
New Orleans
Oct. 10, 2024
New hire
Experience: Oh Kostecky's recent tenure as hotel manager at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills was marked by significant achievements, including substantial increases in guest experience scores, successful management of high-profile events such as major league sporting championships and high-profile concert tours, and embracing the brand’s Kids For All Seasons program to entice family-friendly urban travel.
Stephen Chavez
General manager
Lüm Hotel
Inglewood, California
Oct. 9, 2024
New hire
Experience: Chavez served as the director of sales at Level Hotels & Furnishings in Los Angeles where he successfully managed a portfolio of five high-performing hotel properties.
Nathaniel Johns
General manager
The Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Pasadena/Old Town
Pasadena, California
Oct. 8, 2024
New hire
Experience: Johns is an accomplished hospitality general manager with more than 16 years of experience leading full-service hotel teams and owners to performance and operational success within Marriott, Hilton and other major brands.
Sales and marketing
Tim Johnson
Director of group sales
Lord Baltimore Hotel
Baltimore
Oct. 21, 2024
Returning hire
Experience: Johnson previously served as the group sales manager and group sports director for the hotel from 2017 to 2020.
Anna Livingston
Director of sales
Hard Rock Hotel San Diego
San Diego
Oct. 20, 2024
New hire
Experience: Since 2019, Livingston has served as director of sales, leading teams with enthusiasm and a commitment to professional development.
Vincent de Croock
Director of sales and marketing
Park Hyatt New York
New York City
Oct. 16, 2024
New hire
Experience: Most recently, de Croock worked as the director of sales and marketing for Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort where he crafted sales strategies, spearheaded a digital marketing transformation and planned a multimillion-dollar renovation and rebranding.
Joe Mauro
Director of sales and marketing
The Ritz-Carlton, Boston
Boston
Oct. 4, 2024
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Mauro was senior account executive for Marriott International, where he served as an account leader responsible for delivering total account management across 22 corporate accounts.
Food and beverage
Eric Champagne
Executive banquet chef
Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach, Florida
Oct. 16, 2024
New hire
Experience: Most recently, as executive sous chef and banquet chef at Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater, Florida, Champagne oversaw all aspects of banquet production, including safety, sanitation, off-site catering and menu development.
Nana Darkwah
Executive chef
Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach, Florida
Oct. 16, 2024
Promotion
Experience: Darkwah has been an integral part of the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach team for more than seven years. At Ocean Hai, Wyndham Grand's signature four-diamond restaurant, his innovative approach to cuisine quickly elevated him from lead line cook to executive chef.
Eric Piacentine
Executive chef
MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa
Sonoma, California
Oct. 15, 2024
New hire
Experience: Piacentine has been at the helm and made significant contributions to renowned establishments such as The Sea Ranch Lodge, Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant and Bernardus Lodge & Spa.
Miscellaneous
Vasileios Ioannou
Regional vice president of operations
Maverick Hotels and Restaurants
Oct. 17, 2024
Promotion
Experience: Ioannou has experience in all aspects of hotel operations for large national properties. His responsibilities have included ensuring compliance with regulatory agencies, budgeting and forecasting of sales and revenue, P&L accountability, monitoring payroll, food and beverage cost controls, and more.
Brian Harrier
Managing director
Viceroy Snowmass
Snowmass, Colorado
Oct. 16, 2024
Returning hire
Experience: Harrier previously served as director of engineer and director of operations at Viceroy Snowmass from 2017 through 2021. Since then, he has been East West Hospitality’s general manager of the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa in Avon, Colorado.
Girlie Joseph
Spa director
Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead
Atlanta
Oct. 9, 2024
New hire
Experience: In her most recent role as spa director at Conrad Hotels & Resorts, she worked to craft memorable guest experiences, motivate employees, and consistently uphold brand standards while exceeding financial goals.
To be included in an upcoming Hotel News Now U.S. Hires and Promotions List, email Associate Editor Trevor Simpson here.