Benchmark, a global hospitality company, named Tobby Rau director of operations for The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando. The 878-room, all-suite hotel, which is a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property, opened its first phase on March 10, 2017, minutes from the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. Bill Lee, The Grove’s GM, made the announcement.
“It is a pleasure to have Tobby as a key part of The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando opening team,” Lee said in a statement. “He brings important experience from within the Florida market and a keen understanding of all aspects related to launching and running a major resort. His leadership will prove invaluable as we move through our various opening stages.”
Tobby Rau was previously director of food & beverage at Streamsong Resort, located southwest of Orlando in Streamsong, Fla. While there, he also served as part of the property’s opening leadership team. Prior to Streamsong, Rau was director of food & beverage for the Royal Sonesta New Orleans, as well as at a range of other resort and hotel facilities across the U.S. and in the Caribbean.
Rau has managed a variety of large-scale operations during his nearly 30 years in the hospitality industry. With a keen focus on food and beverage, he has experience overseeing operations for both individual properties and clusters. Rau has directed food-and-beverage programs with revenues exceeding $52 million, operated up to eight food-and-drink outlets on a single property, and managed food-and-beverage service to meeting spaces up to 64,000 square feet in size.
Rau has relocated to the Orlando area.