Jon Gersonde
Turtle Bay Resort welcomes Gersonde as vice president and managing director. He brings over 30 years of experience in hospitality, having most recently served as general manager at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay on Kauai. He will oversee all daily operations on the 1,300-acre oceanfront resort and work to ensure an outstanding guest experience.
Franco Vella
Vella joins InterContinental David Tel Aviv as general manager. He will draw on his over 30 years of hospitality experience to oversee all hotel services and operations. He has spent 11 of these years at InterContinental properties, and most recently served as general manager of Marriott International – Sheraton Tel Aviv, which saw him named Marriott General Manager of the Year in 2018 for successfully guiding the properties through numerous renovations and a rebrand.
Peter McMahon
Joining Grand Hyatt Baha Mar as managing director is McMahon. He brings over 30 years of experience throughout which he has been recognized for innovative leadership. He is focused on developing his colleagues and delivering excellent guest service. McMahon has served in executive roles with numerous Hyatt hotels, and most recently served as managing director of Carmel Valley Ranch.
Enver Arslan and Shifaz Hassan
JOALI Maldives announces the promotion of Arslan to Area General Manager. He will oversee all JOALI Maldives, JOALI BEING and BIJAL Turkey. Since pre-opening, Arlsan has made the JOALI brand a success as a pioneering leader. He brings his passion for travel, astute understanding of luxury and extensive experience to this new role.
Hassan has been promoted to the role of general manager at JOALI Maldives, formerly serving as its resort manager, a role which he held since March 2022. He originally joined the resort in 2018 as a front office manager. He is dedicated to providing exceptional service and working with guests of all cultures and nationalities.
Rick Corcoran
Corcoran joins Baccarat Hotel New York as general manager. He began his hospitality career as a line cook, and over the next 30 years became a driving force in elevating the industry through visionary leadership and growth-minded strategies. He most recently served as general manager of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge.
Adrion Rivera and Michael Roesel
As Sheraton Denver Downtown rolls out their “Gatherings by Sheraton” brand concept, they have introduced two community managers to serve as the property’s faces of gatherings. The first will be Rivera, a former procurement agent in higher education. In this role, he will facilitate connections between guests and the local community.
Joining Rivera in this work is Roesel, who recently worked as the holiday retail manager at Gaylord Rockies, where he learned in-depth about bringing large-scale experiences to life. Together, these new community managers will promote inclusion, attention to detail and care for each guest to create outstanding Gatherings by Sheraton.
Karen Hudson and Bryan Waltz
KSL Resorts adds two new global sales directors. Hudson previously served as an account executive for the Creative Group, a leading event and incentive agency. She has also held high-level sales positions at numerous hotels, including Woodside Hotel Group in California and Mirabel Hotel and Restaurant Group, and has worked as an independent sales representative for Relais & Chateaux.
Waltz most recently served as area director, group sales for Fairmont Hotels, Hawaii, Big Island and Maui. He earlier served as vice president of global accounts with Conference Direct. He is a member of MPI, PCMA, SITE and IRF. As global sales directors, Waltz and Hudson will report directly to KSL Resorts Senior Vice President, Global Sales Strategy, Chris Riccardi, as they lead the way on the company’s strategic growth.
Shawn Nayyar
Hotel Crescent Court in uptown Dallas appoints Nayyar as general manager. Bringing over 30 years of experience, he will lead the hotel in all daily operations as he oversees its 226 guest rooms and its exclusive members- and guests-only Crescent Club. He is a Certified Food and Beverage Executive and a member of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs and SKÅL- International Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals.
Ana Flores
Flores is appointed as Spa Director at Rosewood São Paulo at an exciting time, as the resort prepares to debut their Asaya Spa in January 2024. In this role, she will guide the spa team to help provide visitors with a transformative wellness journey at the first Brazil location of Rosewood’s integrative wellness concept. She most recently served as spa manager of Palácio Tangará and consulted on the opening of MSA Spa in Rio de Janeiro.
Georges Safi
Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley appoints Safi as hotel manger. He will oversee all daily operations, including hotel engineering and maintenance, event facilities, the Spa and the fitness center. He began his career in the hospitality industry in France and has worked in numerous international locations, including Four Seasons Hotel Montreal, Hotel President Wilson in Geneva, Switzerland and InterContinental Abu Dhabi, in the UAE.
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