Tour operators and hotel companies made some major executive appointments this week.
This week Qantas Vacations named Stephen Marshall its new president, following the departure of Mark Pushon from parent company Helloworld Travel’s USA Wholesale division after 10 years with the brand. Marshall most recently served as director of sales and marketing, North America, for Diethelm Travel Group, and he has also held multiple positions with Tourism New Zealand.
In hotel news, this week AIC Hotel Group promoted six business development managers to regional directors of business development for the United States and Canada. In the expanded role, each executive will be responsible for mentoring current business development managers and evolving AIC’s events, territory planning and increasing revenue within the market. The new regional directors are:
- Ellyn Gerstel – NY
- Ashley Gibbs – DE, PA
- Yoly Bott – AK, Northern CA, OR, WA, WED
- Anne Mikesic – IL, IN, MO, WI
- Sarah Smith – ON, MB, SK (Canada)
- Carissa Holman – IA, KS, MN, ND, SD
AIC Hotel Group spearheads sales and marketing efforts for hotel brands in Mexico and the Caribbean such as Nobu and Hard Rock. All business development managers and regional directors of business development will continue to report to the company’s vice president of field sales, Ash Tembe.
A number of individual properties also made key leadership appointments this week:
- The Alpina Gstaad named Tim Weiland its new general manager.
- The Hilton Charlotte University Place named Lena Sanok its new director of business travel.
- Marriott Syracuse Downtown appointed Melissa Oliver as its new director of sales and marketing.
- Harbor View Hotel named Chris Bird its new general manager.
- The Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi named Iain McCorkmack its new general manager.
- Rosewood Miramar Beach, which opens in early 2019 in southern California, appointed Seán Carney as its new managing director.
Finally, this week Caribbean ferry company Balearia Caribbean hired Michele Parker as its new business development executive. Parker has over 20 years of hospitality experience, including her most recent position as vice president of sales and marketing at Discovery Cruise Line and stints with Tropicana Cruises and Sea Escape Cruises.
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