Major host agencies, cruise lines and more made new executive appointments this week in the travel industry. Here’s a look at who’s where.
Smart Travel Group, parent company of OASIS Travel network, made several executive changes. Effective immediately, Amber Blecker was promoted from manager of sales and product strategies for SmartCruiser.com, the company’s Internet cruise division, to manager of sales and product strategies for all of Smart Travel Group. Kameish Stanley was promoted from senior director of marketing for SmartCruiser.com to VP marketing for all of smart travel group, while Lisa Baron was promoted to VP of supplier relations for OASIS.
At Nexion, Robbi Jumaa Hamida was promoted from VP operations to SVP, agency operations. In his new role, Hamida will take on expanded responsibilities for overseeing agency planning and operations, as well as work closely with parent organization, Travel Leaders Group, on company-wide strategic initiatives.
In cruise news, this week Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., parent company of Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises, appointed Adam Goldstein to serve as its vice chairman. Goldstein, a 30-year veteran of the company, will assume the new post in May, having served as president and chief operating officer since 2014. In his new role, Goldstein will continue to oversee the company’s global government relations and destination development efforts, and will represent the company in industry associations.
Also this week Scenic appointed Kara Weller as Head Discovery Team Leader for its new expedition yacht, the Scenic Eclipse. A qualified biologist, Weller holds Bachelor and Masters’ degrees in Wildlife Biology and has spent the past 20 years educating cruise guests on the many highlights of Antarctica and the Arctic. She has extensive experience working as an expedition leader and naturalist lecturer, having worked on more than 150 cruises. She joins the Scenic Eclipse team from Silversea Expeditions.
In hotel news, this week Omni Hotels and Resorts promoted company veteran Peter Strebel to president, effective immediately. Formerly Omni’s chief marketing officer and SVP of sales, Strebel has provided senior leadership to Omni for 20 years.
Also this week, the JW Marriott Nashville appointed seven directors to its executive team ahead of its opening this summer. They are:
- Silvia San Martin, director of sales and marketing
- Michael Klein, director of food and beverage
- Susie McDaniel, director of people + culture
- Lindsay Staniszewski, director of marketing
- Ross Bruce, director of revenue management
- Michael Edwards, director of finance
- Steve Vaughn, director of engineering
Two more hotels also announced new general manager appointments this week. The Al Bait Sharjah, which is set to open in the third quarter in the United Arab Emirates, appointed Patrick Moukarzel as GM, while Brian Coughlin was named GM of the new flagship Live! Hotel, which is set to open this spring in Maryland.
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