Hotels across the country (and beyond) have named new general managers since February began. Here are a few names to know.
The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa
The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa in Vermont appointed Maurizio Bonivento general manager. Bonivento started his career in Italy and worked at hotels across the country and Europe, including The Westin Excelsior in Florence, Italy;, The Hotel des Bains in Venice, Italy; and The Hotel Cala di Volpe in Sardinia, Italy.
In his most recent role as area managing director at the ROW NYC in New York City, Bonivento expanded the property’s F&B offerings. He also worked at The Michelangelo, Le Parker Meridien and The Westin New York Grand Central, overseeing renovations, union negotiations and the development of F&B concepts. The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa is managed by Pyramid Global Hospitality.
Grand Hyatt Atlanta Buckhead
Kristi Cotten-Morris is the new GM at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta Buckhead. In this role, she will oversee all hotel operations and staff training while the property undergoes a multi-phase renovation. The property’s renovation will upgrade guestrooms, meeting spaces and public areas. The lobby bar, arrival and reception areas are being re-imagined.
Cotten-Morris has spent 27 of her 30 years in the industry working in Hyatt hotels, starting as a front desk agent at Hyatt Regency Hilton Head Island in 1997. Since then, she has guided Hyatt properties through rebrands, renovations and openings. Noteworthy milestones in her career include orchestrating a renovation at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport. She served on Hyatt’s opening task force for several years, playing a pivotal role in launching properties like the Hyatt Regency Boston, Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Los Angeles and Hyatt Regency Jacksonville, Fla. Most recently, she was the opening GM at the Hyatt Centric Buckhead Atlanta.
Kimpton Palladian Hotel Seattle
Dale Johnson is the new GM at the boutique Kimpton Palladian Hotel Seattle. Johnson spent several years as general at the Hotel Vintage Portland (Ore.), a Kimpton Hotel. He began his career with Hilton, working at the Embassy Suites in Memphis, Tenn.; DoubleTrees in Boston and Campbell, Calif.; and the Inn at Penn in Philadelphia.
Johnson joined Kimpton in 2021 as general manager at the Kimpton Hotel Vintage in Portland, Ore., where he relaunched the property’s food and beverage program.
Kimpton Santo
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle portfolio, is set to open the Kimpton Santo, its first hotel in San Antonio, in late 2024. White Lodging, the hotel’s owner and operator, appointed Lynn Snyder as the property’s general manager.
Snyder is a 15-year veteran of White Lodging and has been a member of the opening leadership team for seven of the company’s hotels across the country. Most recently, Snyder was the general manager at the Aloft & Element Austin (Texas) Downtown. She also co-founded a hospitality junior business council in Austin that fosters community service, mentorship, training and networking opportunities for hospitality workers.
The Logan Philadelphia
The Logan Philadelphia, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, promoted Jessica Bauer to general manager. Bauer has been with the property since 2007, most recently as director of sales and marketing since 2016.
Bauer was born and raised in Philadelphia and attended Temple University. During her final year at Temple, Bauer joined The Ritz-Carlton team at their Philadelphia property as a market research analyst & group sales coordinator, and joined the former Four Seasons in 2007, now The Logan. Bauer has spent almost 17 years at the property, holding several roles prior to and following its transition from Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia to The Logan Hotel in 2015. Beginning as a group sales manager, Bauer moved up the ranks as group and corporate sales manager, director of sales, and her immediate previous position as director of sales and marketing.
The Pennywell St. Louis Downtown, a Hilton Hotel
Zachary Sporbert is the new general manager at The Pennywell St. Louis Downtown, a Hilton Hotel. Sporbert started his hospitality journey in 2003 as a bellman for Fairmont Scottsdale (Ariz.) Princess. He then worked at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix in 2008, initially as the bell lead and later as the housekeeping supervisor. Relocating to Seattle from 2011 to 2016, Sporbert was housekeeping manager and front desk manager at W Seattle.
In 2017, he returned to Arizona to join The Camby, Autograph Collection as the director of front office, later advancing to the director of rooms in 2019. From 2019 to 2021, Sporbert was director of rooms at The St. Regis Deer Valley in Park City, Utah. Most recently he rejoined The Camby as the assistant general manager.
Rancho Santana
Rancho Santana in Nicaragua's Emerald Coast appointed Melvyn McIntyre as resort general manager. Most recently, McIntyre served as corporate food and beverage manager at Pontes Hotéis & Resorts, where he developed F&B strategies for three full-service hotel operations. McIntyre played a role in managing an operation generating over $18 million in revenue, leading a team of 300+ associates.
Before his role at Pontes Hotéis & Resorts, McIntyre held key positions as food and beverage manager at establishments including Hotel Emiliano in São Paulo; Bourbon Hotels & Resorts in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil; and Marriott Hotels in Curaçao. He has managed the food and beverage operations of five-star resorts, convention destinations and beachfront properties.
Sage Lodge
Sage Lodge, an outdoors-focused resort 30 miles north of Yellowstone National Park in Pray, Mont., appointed Jon Martin the new general manager. Martin has worked at resorts and properties across the United States. He began his career as a guest services manager at the Four Seasons Aviara in Carlsbad, Calif., where he was promoted seven times during his tenure. He then joined the team at The Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego, opening the property in 2007. Martin then relocated to Montana to become GM at the Resort at Paws Up and The Ranch at Rock Creek before becoming CEO of AMB West, a collection of four ranches in Paradise Valley.
St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort
In Puerto Rico, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort appointed Anja Frankenbach as the new GM. Frankenbach began her career with Marriott International in 2002 at the Hotel Arts Barcelona.and held positions at international locations in Europe, Latin America and Asia. Most recently, Frankenbach was GM at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Before that, she was the GM of The Ritz-Carlton Santiago, Chile. Other roles have included food & beverage director at Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Krabi, Thailand; food & beverage manager at Abama Golf & Spa Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, Tenerife, Spain; and assistant food & beverage manager at Hotel Arts, The Ritz-Carlton, Barcelona, Spain.