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People & Places Presented by Association News (August 2015)
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CVBs/DMOs
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Liz Fitzsimmons has been named executive director of the Maryland Office of Tourism Development. She previously served as the office’s assistant director of advertising and communications.

Gina Gemberling has been named executive director of the Springfield (Illinois) Convention & Visitors Bureau after serving as acting executive director. She has been with the bureau since 1993.

Experience Kissimmee (Florida) has appointed Misty Johantgen as chief operating officer, a newly created position for the organization. She most recently served as senior vice-president of member relations and support services for Visit Orlando (Florida).

Laura Chmielewski has been appointed vice-president of marketing and communications at Team San Jose (California). Chmielewski most recently served as director of marketing and communications at The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in Florida.

The Louisville (Kentucky) Convention & Visitors Bureau has promoted Keri Willard to sales manager of its convention development department. Prior to her new role, Willard worked as a convention sales assistant.

Jennie Denison has been named national sales director of Visit Mesa (Arizona). She most recently was an account executive for Marriott International, where she represented the Southwest.

Visit Anaheim is the new official name of the Anaheim/Orange County (California) Visitor & Convention Bureau. Prior to deciding on its new name and brand, the organization conducted multiple focus groups and key stakeholder interviews to better understand how travelers perceived the destination, which includes Anaheim, Garden Grove and the greater Orange County area.

Hospitality & Suppliers

Jill Estorino has been promoted to executive vice-president of global marketing and sales for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. A 24-year Disney veteran, Estorino previously served as senior vice-president of marketing and sales.

Kevin Kelly has been named general manager of the Ritz-Carlton/Half Moon Bay in California. Kelly most recently served as dual general manager of two properties in the greater Miami area: the Ritz-Carlton/South Beach and the Ritz-Carlton/Bal Harbour.

Patrick Staib has been named general manager of the new Bethany Beach Ocean Suites, which opened in July in Bethany Beach, Delaware. He previously was regional director of operations for the Real Hospitality Group in Maryland.

Philipp Posch has been named general manager of the Trump International Hotel & Tower/Vancouver (British Columbia), scheduled to open in 2016 with 147 guest rooms and 15,000 square feet of event space. Posch will transition from his current position at the Trump International Hotel & Tower/Chicago.

John Luke has been named general manager of Florida’s Hilton/Orlando. He most recently served as general manager of the Hilton/Minneapolis.

Dominie Lenz has been named general manager of the Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley, California. Lenz was previously general manager of the Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, California, and regional general manager of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc.

Lester Scott has been appointed managing director of the Carillon Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach, Florida. Scott most recently served as general manager and director of hotel operations in China for the Capella Hotel Group.

Parvaneh Miller has been hired as director of sales and marketing at the Andaz/Wall Street in New York City. Miller most recently served as director of sales and marketing at the Andaz/Savannah in Georgia.

Corinne Whittington has been appointed director of national accounts at the Hawks Cay Resort in Duck Key, Florida, where she will lead sales initiatives related to meetings, events and conferences. Whittington previously served as account director at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa in South Carolina.

Kristen Olsson has been named director of regional sales for the Best Western Dry Creek Inn in Healdsburg, California, and the Best Western Sonoma Valley Inn in Sonoma, California. Most recently, Olsson headed sales and marketing at the Grand Hotel in Sunnyvale and the Cupertino Inn in Cupertino.

Carrie Stremsterfer has been named associate director of sales at the Hyatt Regency/St. Louis at the Arch. She most recently served as director of sales and marketing at the Hilton Garden Inn/ Washington, D.C.–Georgetown Area.

Christine Legris has been appointed group sales manager at the Sonesta/Fort Lauderdale Beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she will oversee Florida’s association and corporate markets. Most recently, she served as sales manager for the Hilton Cabana Miami Beach Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.

Marianna Ogando has been named director of meetings and events at the Andaz/Fifth Avenue in New York City. She most recently served as director of catering sales and conference services for Warwick International Hotels & Resorts.

Construction & Expansion

The Kalahari Resort has opened in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains with 457 guest rooms, an outdoor water park and a convention center with 65,000 square feet of meeting space. A second phase of construction is underway and scheduled to complete in 2017 when the resort will offer nearly 1,000 guest rooms and an expanded outdoor water park.

The Victoria College Conference & Education Center recently opened in Victoria, Texas. The 116,000-square-foot center has 15 meeting spaces and can accommodate up to 500 attendees.

The AC/Chicago Downtown has opened in the city’s River North neighborhood. Features include 226 guest rooms, an indoor pool and 3,000 square feet of meeting space for up to 105.

The DoubleTree by Hilton/Washington, D.C.–Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, has completed the final phase of a $25 million renovation, which included updates to its 631 guest rooms, entry, lobby and bar. The property offers 31,000 square feet of meeting space.

The Omni/Chicago is showing off the effects of its new, $11 million renovation. The multiyear makeover transformed all 347 guest suites and public spaces, and updated the 676 Restaurant & Bar and its 8,000 square feet of event space. Its newest meeting room, the 1,624-square-foot Van Gogh, has floor-to-ceiling windows and can host up to 160 people.

The Venetian in Las Vegas has completed a year-long renovation project that updated all of its standard guest suites. The resort offers 4,028 guest rooms and more than 2.25 million square feet of meeting and convention space.

The Hilton/San Francisco–Union Square has unveiled its redesigned Tower 1 guest rooms, the third phase of a multimillion-dollar renovation project. The hotel now offers 1,919 guest rooms and 134,000 square feet of event space.

In Newport Beach, California, the Island Hotel Newport Beach has completed an 18-month renovation. It has a new look, updated technology and customized amenities, and welcomes groups with 292 guest rooms and more than 23,000 square feet of meeting space.

Hotel Maya in Long Beach, California, has completed a $4 million renovation project that enhanced guest rooms and added two event spaces: the Lagunita Pavilion, which can host up to 600 for receptions, and the 10,000-square-foot Vista del Mar. The 199-room hotel has 30,000 square feet of meeting space.

The Bethesda Marriott in Maryland has completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of its guest rooms, event space, lobby, restaurant and fitness center. The hotel offers 407 guest rooms and 18,500 square feet of meeting space.

And Finally...

There’s been quite a buzz on the green roof of the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee—the four-acre space is now home to more than 100,000 bees. The bees are estimated to produce 360 pounds of honey, to be used by the Music City Center’s culinary team and jarred for promotional use. The first harvest is expected by the spring of 2016.
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