Properties in six states recently announced the hiring of new general managers.
California
Janis Clapoff is the new GM at Belmond El Encanto in Santa Barbara, Calif. Clapoff brings more than 30 years of luxury hotel experience, having held leadership positions at the several California properties, the Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara, San Ysidro Ranch, Simpson House Inn and the Ojai Valley Inn. Clapoff launched her hospitality career in 1977 when she helped open Montreal’s Hyatt International.
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe in North Lake Tahoe, Calif., appointed Colin Perry GM. Perry joins the resort with more than 20 years of hospitality management experience. Before joining The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, Perry served as general manager of Hotel Saskatchewan, Autograph Collection. His hospitality career began in operations as rooms division manager at Delta London Armouries in Ontario, Canada, followed by a promotion to director of operations at Delta Lodge at Kananaskis in Alberta, Canada. He also served as GM at Delta Whistler Village Suites and to Delta Edmonton South Hotel & Conference Centre.
Younes Atallah was appointed GM of Loews Santa Monica (Calif.) Beach Hotel. Atallah has more than 20 years of hospitality leadership experience with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. He began his hospitality career in the rooms division as an assistant manager at the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Most recently, he served as hotel manager for the Fairmont Scottsdale (Ariz.) Princess Resort.
Azul Hospitality Group named Max Childs GM of the recently opened Cambria Hotel Sonoma (Calif.) Wine Country, Sonoma County’s first Cambria Hotel by Choice Hotels. With more than 30 years of hospitality experience, Childs previously held GM roles at Hotel La Rose in Santa Rosa, Calif.; Hampton Inn Petaluma (Calif.); and the Courtyard by Marriott Santa Rosa.
Reggie Dominique was named managing director at Loews Hollywood Hotel. Dominique began his 25-year hospitality career in sales and marketing, starting as a group sales manager for The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey. He then served as the director of sales and marketing for The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach and The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco before moving into operational leadership roles. Most recently, Dominique was hotel manager, JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live.
Tennessee
Hospitality industry and W Hotels veteran David Cronin has been named GM of the W Nashville in the Gulch, which is scheduled to open in early 2021. Cronin joins W Nashville from W Scottsdale, where he served as GM. He also has served as GM for numerous luxury lifestyle hotels, including the W Minneapolis − The Foshay, Le Méridien Chambers Minneapolis and Marriott Stanton South Beach.
Peachtree Hotel Group appointed TeDra George as GM of Cumberland House Knoxville, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, a new lifestyle boutique hotel in Tennessee. George joins the Cumberland House Knoxville with nearly two decades of hospitality experience spanning hotel management, sales, marketing and lifestyle branding. Originally from Alabama, George first got her start in the hospitality industry working at the front desk of a hotel while still a student at Jacksonville University. Since then, she has held roles from sales director to assistant general manager and general manager at various properties for major hotel companies.
New York
Pendry Hotels & Resorts named Ash Bhasin general manager of Pendry Manhattan West, the brand’s first New York City property. Bhasin brings more than two decades of hospitality experience to his role with Pendry Hotels & Resorts. Most recently, he served as GM of Hotel Indigo Lower East Side. He also held the GM role at Cachet Boutique Hotel and Sixty SoHo, as well as hotel manager at Trump SoHo Hotel & Condominium. Before that, he held the role as director of rooms at Four Seasons New York, director of rooms and tower operations at Trump International Hotel & Tower Condominium and several other positions in the New York, Los Angeles and Miami markets. He also served as assistant manager, food and beverage, at Taj Mahal Intercontinental Hotel and Tower in Mumbai, India.
Joe Giannino was appointed general manager of Whiteface Lodge in Lake Placid, N.Y. He brings 30 years of experience at both branded and boutique hotels and resorts, as well as upscale restaurant operations. He joins Whiteface Lodge from IMH Columbia in Columbia, Md., where he served as the operations/asset manager of a new hotel development and oversaw all construction, design, procurement and property management. Before that, he was the area GM with Modus Hotels in Washington, D.C., and the GM for The Latham Hotel in the capital’s Georgetown district.
Florida
The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg (Fla.) Resort & Golf Club hired Tabish Siddiquie as GM. Siddiquie has a 20-year track record running properties across the globe. Most recently, he served as the GM of The Ritz-Carlton Denver. Before his time in Denver, Siddiquie honed his hospitality skills around the world at luxury hotels and resorts such as The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, The Ritz-Carlton Almaty in Kazakhstan, The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman and The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco. He also oversaw food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota from 2008 to 2011.
Texas
The San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter and San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk announced that Loris Menfi is the new GM. In addition to 17 years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., where she served in various roles across seven locations, Menfi also has worked with Loews Hotels & Resorts as GM in San Francisco and New Orleans, and as hotel manager in Philadelphia. Most recently, she acted as GM of the JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria. She also participates on the board of directors of the Hotel Lodging Association of Greater Houston.
Louisiana
Patrick Barrett was named GM of the Loews New Orleans Hotel. He is a 25-year hospitality veteran and a native New Orleanian, whose career spans across Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Choice Hotels International and independent hotel companies. Most recently, Barrett held the position of area managing director for Fillmore Hospitality.