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Who’s Where in Travel: New at Travel Leaders, Flight Centre

By Adam Leposa May 25, 2018 10:13am

This week a number of major travel companies made new executive appointments. Here’s a look at the moves to keep on your radar.

Travel Leaders Group named Jackie Friedman president of the Family Bonds Foundation, a charitable program operated by the company. The Family Bonds Foundation was founded in 2015 by John Lovell, president of Travel Leaders Network and Leisure Group, to serve the charitable needs of those who work within travel industry as well as the broader community. Grants are awarded based on a variety of charitable needs ranging from natural disasters to illness to other types of financial hardship. Friedman is also president of Nexion, a host agency owned by Travel Leaders Group.

Also this week Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) promoted John Morhous to chief experience officer (CXO), a newly created role for the company. In the new position he will be responsible for the company’s digital mobile platforms, the development of new tools and technology and though leadership across all of FCTG’s corporate brands worldwide. Morhous has been with the company for 11 years, most recently as chief strategy officer for corporate brands in the Americas, including FCM Travel Solutions, Stage and Screen, cievents and Corporate Traveler.

In cruise news, this week AmaWaterways appointed Kevin Duffin as its group chief financial officer (CFO). Effective immediately, Duffin will oversee all aspects of the company’s financial strategy from its headquarters in Calabasas, CA. Duffin has more than two decades of hospitality and cruise finance and strategy experience, including a 16-year stint at Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., where he worked in revenue management, product marketing, operations finance, and corporate planning and strategy. Duffin last served as vice president of finance and strategy for Celebrity Cruises, overseeing the brand’s financial planning, analysis and strategy.

In hotel news, luxury hotel company Salamander Hotels & Resorts named John Speers its new vice president of operations this week. Prior to joining Salamander, Speers was senior vice president at Capital Properties, where he oversaw a collection of luxury properties including the Chatham Bars Inn in Chatham, MA, and the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michael’s, MD. He has also served as general manager of Faena Hotels in Miami Beach and as managing director of The Little Nell Hotel, Residences at Little Nell and The Aspen Mountain Club.

This week Denihan Hospitality named Michael Goldrich is new vice president of marketing. In the new position Goldrich, who was previously with Wyndham Hotel Group and Dolce Hotels & Resorts, will be responsible for the development of brand strategy, positioning and digital marketing for all of the company’s flagships, including The James, The Surrey, Affinia Hotels and Suites and The Benjamin.

Also this week Interstate Hotels & Resorts appointed Mike Wylie as its new head of eCommerce. Wylie has over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, including leadership roles in e-commerce at Hilton and Wyndham. He has also been named one of the 25 Most Extraordinary Sales and Marketing Minds in Hospitality and Travel by HSMAI.

This week Robert Mickey became Main Street Hospitality’s senior director of regional operations and general manager of The Red Lion Inn. Mickey, who has worked with the Old Edwards Hospitality Group and The Greenbrier, will focus on leading operations at The Red Lion Inn and providing oversight and support to Main Street Hospitality’s Berkshires region properties, including Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA, Hotel on North in Pittsfield, MA, and Briarcliff in Great Barrington, MA.

Finally, this week Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico, announced the appointment of Marinette Dorkhom Giaquinta as director of sales and marketing. Most recently, Giaquinta spent eight years as director of global sales at the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.

Who’s Where in Travel: New at Travel Leaders, Flight Centre

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