This week in executive moves in the travel industry Exodus Travels named Roy Reif its general manager, North America, effective immediately. Reif’s enthusiasm for adventure travel was developed through his time as a hiking guide in the Rockies, as well as his studies of Journalism, Environmental Sciences, and a Master of Business Administration. Exodus said that Reif is familiar with Exodus and other Travelopia brands, as he has previously worked for TourRadar in business development managing the Exodus, Zegrahm Expeditions, International Expeditions and Quark Expeditions account. Prior to that, he was an assistant grounds manager for TrekAmerica and Grand American Adventures.
In hotel news, Palladium Hotel Group named Abel Matutes Prats its new president and Jesús Sobrino its new CEO as part of its ongoing plan to focus is business on hotel operations. Carmen Matutes Prats will now hold Sobrino’s previous position of deputy general manager. Abel Matutes Juan, founder and president of the company since its inception, will maintain the presidency of the holding company Grupo Empresas Matutes, to which Palladium Hotel Group belongs.
Timbers Resorts promoted Jesse Geremia to director of operations. He has over 15 years of luxury hospitality experience, including seven years at multiple Timbers properties. Most recently he was general manager for the opening team at Timbers Kiawah, the company’s newest ground-up private residence club development.
Cote Family Destinations, which owns Tucson’s Tanque Verde Ranch and Minnesota’s Grand View Lodge, appointed Amy Lewis as senior director of sales and marketing. Lewis will spearhead the company’s corporate marketing strategy, working with the teams at both properties. She has over 20 years of experience at several hotel brands, where she began a career in sales, expanded into marketing, as well as some time in a task force position.
A number of individual properties also made new leadership appointments this week:
- Montage Hotels & Resorts appointed Allen Highfield general manager of Montage Healdsburg.
- Luminary Hotel & Co., which will open in downtown Fort Myers in late 2020, announced three new additions to its executive team: Tom Albrecht, director of sales; Rhonda Decherd, director of catering and convention services; and Lesley Miller, area director of human resources.
- Kempinski Hotels named Russel Storey general manager of Cabrits Resort & Spa Dominica.
- Four Seasons Resort Nevis named Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Regional Vice President Yvette Thomas-Henry as its general manager and Ruby Garcia as its new resort manager.
- Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa & Convention Center appointed Jon Davidson as its new general manager.
Finally, in destination news, the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) named Jadine Yarde its new CEO. American-born and with both Barbadian and Grenadian citizenship, Yarde has worked with Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. and has been involved in the development of Limitless Concierge Service, a Barbadian- and Grenadian-based concierge service.
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