Joelle Park
Park is appointed to the role of senior vice president and chief marketing officer at BWH Hotels. In this executive role, Park will lead the company’s global marketing, brand strategy and communications. Her over two decades of marketing experience, with a specialization in hospitality, make her a strong leader to oversee strategic and innovative marketing at BWH Hotels and ensure teams across the company achieve their goals.
Shelby Luzzi
Luzzi is the first senior manager, sustainability, of Destination DC (DDC). In this role, she will develop and implement strategies for sustainable travel practices in meetings, conventions and leisure travel to Washington, D.C. Luzzi previously worked as DDC’s convention sales and services coordinator and has spearheaded DDC’s internal sustainability task force since 2022. She leads DDC’s annual Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index application, which assesses the social, economic and environmental performances of 101 participating global destinations and drives sustainable progress.
Jason Suitt and Bridget Gaffney
Suitt joins Visit Baton Rouge as director of sports development. He comes from a role as director of sports marketing and strategic partnerships at national multiunit restaurant group Walk-Ons Sports Bistreaux. With 21 years of experience in college athletics in the realms of marketing, promotions, advertising, sponsorship sales and activation, graphics, licensing and event production, Suitt provides unsurpassed expertise. He will draw on this expertise to identify, develop and execute sports tourism strategy in Baton Rouge.
Visit Baton Rouge welcomes Gaffney as client relationship manager. In this role, she will oversee every aspect of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and will serve as the point of contact for every staff member and industry partner using the CRM system. Her background in marketing, communication and customer relations, and Bachelor of Arts in Marketing, equips her well to drive positive and thoughtful client relationships at Visit Baton Rouge.
Mark Yanke
Yanke brings nearly 40 years of rich experience to his new role as general manager of Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas, where he will lead the hotel team and oversee all its operations, including F&B and the exclusive Cresent Club. In his career, he has seen numerous successful hotel openings and has held several leadership positions, most recently as general manager of The Joseph Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. He has received an honorary doctoral degree from Northwood University in Midland, Michigan.
Charles Kingston, Jr.
Kingston, Jr. joins The Grove Resort and Water Park as general manager. His over 25 years of experience include leadership roles at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate, and the Wyndham Grand Resort in Rio Mar Puerto Rico. He most recently worked as Regional Vice President Operations at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and upheld the distinctive quality of their upscale lifestyle brands.
Carolyn Horton and Karen Donatelli
Horton is appointed director of sales at Omni Amelia Island Resort. In this role, she will oversee the Midwest and select third parties. Over her 25 years of experience in hospitality, she has held roles in high end hotels and resorts and focused on catering, conventions, and group sales. Horton holds a CMP and is a recipient of the Hilton Brand “Circle of Excellence Award” and the Westin Brand “Sales Incentive Award.”
Donatelli is promoted to director, national accounts, after her six previous years at Omni Hotels & Resorts. She was the first hire at the Omni Hotel at Battery Atlanta and was on the property’s opening team in 2018. Along with her team, she won sales team of the year in 2019. She was promoted to National Sales Manager in 2021, then transferred to Omni Louisville Hotel in 2022 with the same title. In this role, Donatelli will oversee the Southeast market.
Anne Marie Doyle
Doyle is promoted to the position of hotel manager of Montage Laguna Beach from the role of director of sales and marketing, which she held for four years. Almost two decades ago, she served as general manager of The Glenview Hotel in her home country of Ireland, before transitioning into sales and marketing roles. Now, she is prepared to lead the resort in all daily operations to create an unforgettable guest experience, alongside Managing Director and Area General Manager Mary Rogers.
Sibylle Jenny
JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona appoints Jenny as director of sales and marketing. She will build on the property’s existing success and strategically direct the sales team to drive revenue, with a special focus on VIP relations, group and leisure clients and industry partners. Jenny’s goals for this position include implementing new sales and marketing strategies, programs, activations and partnerships to raise the property’s position in local and global markets.
Robert Lowe
Lowe joins Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid as general manager. He will additionally retain his current position as Area Vice President Operations and will now oversee Mandarin Oriental hotels in Barcelona and Canouan as well as the opening of the Costa Navarino location. He earlier served as general manager of the New York property. With over 30 years of experience in the industry and several hotel manager roles, Lowe is certain to bring excellent leadership to Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid.
Tim Paulus
Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, Delaware, appoints Paulus as director of sales and marketing. His three decades of experience in sales and operations at luxury brands enables him to offer outstanding market vision, provide a strategic business perspective and lead the marketing team to develop business relationships and bolster revenue. He will oversee direct sales, marketing and public relations. He comes most recently from his role at Hilton Hotels and Resorts in San Francisco.
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