Alberto Rojas and Jaqueline Mitchell
Savannah Convention Center (SCC) announces two distinguished leaders to new positions.
Rojas joins as assistant general manager. He brings over 25 years of experience across finance, events and facility management. He most recently served as general manager with Jackson Convention Complex and the Oklahoma City Convention Center. At SCC, he will oversee the finance, administration, human resources and information technology department, while specially focusing on municipal policy, process optimization and project management.
Mitchell joins SCC as assistant director of event services. She brings an extensive background in hospitality and the events industry, having served as director of events at Palm Beach County Convention Center among other respected organizations. She will work to optimize the events department’s efficiently and effectiveness at SCC.
Edouard Grosmangin
Grosmangin is appointed to the role of regional vice president for Mexico and South America at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. He most recently served as managing director of Rosewood São Paulo, where he demonstrated his skill and expertise since its opening in 2022. He brings a dedication to sustainability and social impact with purpose-led initiatives, and has been recognized as one of Rosewood’s Impact Trailblazers.
Markus Krebs
Krebs takes on the role of general manager at La Bahia Hotel & Spa, in Santa Cruz, California. La Bahia will open in spring 2025, and Krebs will be establishing the pre-opening offices and working alongside the project managers throughout the remainder of the construction. He will then go on to oversee the 155-room luxury beachfront property. Krebs most recently served as general manager of Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort in Hawai’i.
Brian Corbett
Timbers Company brings in Corbett as its new chief operating officer. He will spearhead operational excellence and drive strategic initiatives to elevate Timber’s portfolio, overseeing all aspects of operational management, estate sales, marketing, partnerships and human resources. He brings over two decades of experience in luxury hospitality and real estate, most recently having served as commercial and sustainability officer at Atlantic Aviation,
Christopher Holbrook
The Westin San Francisco Airport and Aloft San Francisco Airport welcome Holbrook as complex general manager. He brings over 25 years of experience to lead the dynamic strategic direction of business initiatives and align efforts with business partners for the two hotels, and is a dedicated member of the Millbrae community, sitting on the SF Peninsula (CVB) Board of Directors and The San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Maureen Huffman and Keele Smith
Sky Rock Sedona, a Tribute Portfolio Collection Hotel by Marriott, brings in two leaders with a combination of over 40 years of experience.
Huffman will serve as general manager. She brings over 26 years of hospitality leadership experience, several of which she has spent in outdoor adventure and leadership companies. With a dedication to fostering a culture of teamwork and servant leadership, she will work with a deliberate approach to build on Sky Rock Sedona’s home-away-from-home environment and dedication to creating unforgettable moments for guests.
Smith brings over 15 years of experience to her new role as director of sales and marketing. She has a proven track record of driving revenue growth and orchestrating sales strategies to attract meetings and events. Throughout roles at Remington Hotels, Turnkey Vacation Rentals and Embassy Suites Flagstaff, she has consistently exceeded goals and driven productivity.
Carmine Iommazzo
Iommazzo is appointed as director of hospitality operations at MacNaughton Hospitality. Three Waikiki hotels will fall under his leadership: Hotel Renew, Lotus Honolulu at Diamond Head Hotel and Waikiki Malia. Carmine’s career has taken him across three continents, and he spent 20 years in Hawaii. He most recently served as the general manager of the Kimpton Alma in San Diego.
TJ Helms
Helms takes on the role of director of group sales at Thompson Denver. Helms has been with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts for the entirety of his 13-year career, most recently serving as sales manager and director of group sales at the Hyatt Regency Denver/Grand Hyatt Denver. In 2023, he was nominated as a Hyatt Commercial Services Director of Group Sales of the Year, and will now bring his expertise to oversee group and event sales efforts, planning, marketing, PR and hotel activations.
Steve Bailen
Global events agency MGME appoints Bailen as client development director. With over 25 years spent honing his expertise in brand experience, client service and event management, Bailen brings a deep understanding of event strategies and experiential programs, and a proven ability to deliver innovative solutions tailored to each client’s individual needs. He will spearhead projects across numerous industries, including sports, entertainment, consumer products, fintech, pharmaceuticals and technology,
Derek Kokinda
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman appoints Kokinda as director of marketing communications. He brings a proven track record of strategic leadership and extensive experience in travel marketing and luxury hospitality to this new role, in which he will oversee marketing and communications initiatives for the hotel. Most recently, he served as the director of marketing for two luxury mountain resorts: The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, in Colorado, and The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, in California.
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