Several hotel companies have announced new hires and promotions.
Flynn Properties
Flynn Properties, owner of commercial real estate, luxury resorts and select-service hotel properties in the U.S. and abroad, has hired hospitality veteran Julie Purnell to join its senior leadership team. Specifically, Purnell will serve as Flynn’s senior director of asset management and will be tasked with overseeing Flynn’s investment in its select-service hotel portfolio and assisting with future acquisitions.
Purnell joins Flynn with 35 years of hospitality industry experience, with a focus on property acquisition, business development and asset management. Prior to Flynn, she held leadership roles at several hotel companies as well as commercial real estate services and investment firms, including Marriott International, Loews Hotels, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Denihan Investments and CBRE. In addition to her acquisitions, development and asset management experience, Purnell’s background includes strategic planning, contract negotiations, operations and asset value enhancement.
Everwood Hospitality Partners
Everwood Hospitality Partners has named Tracy Kundey managing director of hospitality. In this new role, he will be responsible for developing and executing EHP’s business strategies as they relate to asset maximization.
Previously, Kundey was COO/CFO for Chandler Hotels, Inc., where he oversaw daily property and owner interactions, including communications and revenue management contributions. A 40-year career brings experience from having held numerous corporate leadership positions, such as president of Oceana Resorts, president of Encore Enterprises – Hospitality Division and partner/VP of finance at Hersha Hospitality, among others. He has provided operations oversight to projects totaling $683 million, including free-standing restaurants, new construction, brand conversions and extensive PIP projects primarily with Marriott and Hilton brands.
Hard Rock International
Hard Rock International has selected Shelley Williams for the role of director of global sales for meetings and events. She will draw upon more than 25 years of experience in global hospitality, including tenure with Caesars Entertainment, the Westmont Hospitality Group and the University of Windsor.
In her most recent role as VP of sales at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, Williams was the opening sales leader at the largest corporate operating hotel for the brand.
Aimbridge Hopsitality
Aimbridge Hopsitality has appointed Nigel Lucas as SVP of business development for Canada. Lucas most recently served as the executive vice president of franchising and development for Superior Lodging Corp where he managed the franchise development platform for the Super 8, Travelodge and Microtel brands in Canada, leading development strategy and franchise development team to identify conversion and new-build opportunities. Prior, he served as franchise development director for Choice Hotels Canada, the senior development analyst at Delta Hotels & Resorts, project manager at Thomas Consultants Inc. and consultant for PKF Consulting.
Arbor Lodging Management
Chicago-based hotel management group Arbor Lodging Management has hired Angie Gheen as vice president of operations. Gheen began her professional career in 2011 as a member of Remington Hotels, starting at the Jacksonville Residence Inn. She was then promoted as the general manager at the Phoenix Residence Inn and then vice president general manager at the Newark Courtyard/ Residence Inn hotel in California.
In her new role, Gheen will be responsible for overseeing operations of Hilton and Marriott select-service hotels in California that are part of the Arbor Lodging Management portfolio.
Remington Hotels
Remington Hotels has named Mauri Berry as VP of digital marketing. In this new role, Berry will focus on accelerating third-party growth opportunities at Remington Hotels through marketing and digital strategies.
Berry, who has more than 20 years of marketing and digital experience in the hotel industry, joins Remington Hotels from Peachtree Hotel Group where she served as corporate director of e-commerce. Prior to her time at Peachtree Hotel Group, she held a variety of field marketing leadership roles at Marriott International.
Valor Hospitality Partners
Valor Hospitality Partners has expanded its corporate leadership team with the appointment of Paige Harris as corporate director of design and development. She oversees property plans for Valor Hospitality sites that are both fully operational and under construction to strategically merge the interest of the owner, operations and brand while ensuring the project stays within budget.
Harris brings more than 25 years of design experience to the Valor Hospitality corporate leadership team. Prior to joining the team, Harris owned a full-service interior design firm, Studio Abode, that specialized in multi-family and hospitality clientele.
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment has appointed Kim Cowan as VP of talent management and Naketrice Snow as director of corporate employee and guest experience. Prior to joining MGE, Cowan served as the principal for KWConsulting and has held the position of VP of human resources for Prudential Financial for eight years.
Snow brings more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, serving various resorts and hotels across Florida. Most recently, Snow held the role of director of catering and senior event manager for Waldorf Astoria Orlando & Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.