On the hotel front, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar has appointed Fernando Santana as its new resort manager. With more than three decades of experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, Santana has held leadership positions at various Hyatt properties, including Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Hyatt Regency Dallas. He eventually became general manager of Hyatt Centric Key West and most recently of Hyatt Regency Frisco in Texas.
Santana participated in Hyatt Corporate’s Leadership Development Initiative, which provided expanded learning, training and development opportunities for senior management.
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa also introduced a new resort manager: David Cronin. He joins the resort with over 25 years of experience working with luxury lifestyle brands across the globe, most recently serving as general manager of W Nashville. As resort manager for JW Marriott San Antonio, Cronin will lead the property’s operations, and develop and implement business strategies to meet and exceed the resort and brand’s goals while creating one-of-a-kind experiences and memories for guests.
Timbers Kauaʻi at Hōkūala has welcomed local hospitality expert Chris Gampon as its new general manager. In this role, Gampon is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations for the resort, ensuring the private residence club and its luxury vacation rentals continue delivering a five-star experience to owners and guests.
Gampon's career in property management spans over 30 years. In previous roles, he has held various general manager positions at Kona Bali Kai, Banyan Harbor Resort, The Point at Poʻipu, Kiahuna Plantation Resort and Aston Hotels. In addition to his professional experience, Gampon has been actively involved in community organizations, holding past positions as chairman of the board for the Kauaʻi Chamber of Commerce, chairman for the Chamber Government Affairs Committee and president of the Poipu Beach Resort Association. He currently serves as a board member of the Royal Coconut Coast Resort Association and board director for Kauaʻi Hospice.
Among cruise lines, Holland America Line has promoted Rob Coleman to vice president, North America sales. In this role, the 24-year Holland America Line veteran will oversee strategic accounts, national accounts, charter and incentives, and field sales.
Coleman takes over the role from Michelle Sutter, who is leaving the company to pursue a career outside of the cruise industry. He will report to Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer for Holland America Line.
Most recently, Coleman was vice president, charter, incentive and series partnerships where he built and nurtured alliances with charterers, incentive groups and the company’s large portfolio of series operators and wholesalers. In his prior role as director, charter and incentive sales, he applied his knowledge in finance, operations and sales to expand the charter portfolio to be one of the largest in the industry. Coleman joined Holland America Line in 1999 as an inside sales representative and has consistently taken on new positions of increasing responsibility within the company.
Lastly, Atlas Ocean Voyages has announced that sales veteran Tim Burtch joined the brand as regional sales director for the central U.S. Based in Detroit, he is responsible for supporting the sales and trade marketing efforts for a 14-state territory that includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.
Burtch brings 30-plus years of cruise industry sales experience to his new position, most recently as regional sales director at Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises. Prior to joining Scenic, he worked for Oceania Cruises, where he was the line’s salesperson of the year three times during his 16-year tenure. Previously, he was director of franchise development at Carlson Wagonlit. He began his cruise industry career at Norwegian Cruise Line, where he advanced from district sales manager to oversight of the Midwest and Pacific Northwest sales teams.
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