Chris Audia
Benchmark has appointed Audia area director of marketing. He will oversee properties in Racine, Wisconsin; Boothbay Harbor, Maine; and Roanoke, Virginia. Audia previously served as area marketing manager for the company. He has numerous accolades for his performance, including the Gold and Bronze Adrian awards from Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, Best Marketing Effort Award from Benchmark and Best Marketing and Advertising Campaign from West Virginia Tourism Office.
Jana Yackel
Yackel has been appointed director of sales and marketing for Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She was regional director of sales and marketing at Executive Hotels & Resorts in the Luxury Division, where she helped open Exchange Hotel Vancouver, Seaside Hotel and Hotel Le Soleil, all located in Vancouver. She’s held sales and marketing leadership roles for Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, Delta Hotel and Conference Center—both in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada—and Hilton Vancouver Airport.
Gabor L. Vida
Vida is now the managing director of Rosewood Washington, D.C. He began with the brand as director of operations at Rosewood London. Vida recently served as managing director of Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in Sante Fe, New Mexico. He held the same role at Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, California; while there, the property earned several awards, including a Forbes Five Star rating.
Chris Gabaldon
Auberge Resorts Collection has named Galbadon chief operating officer. Recently, he served as the area vice president of Luxury Brands for America West at Marriott International. Gabaldon has served as chief sales and marketing officer for The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Edition and Bulgari Hotels. He also served The Ritz-Carlton as area vice president for the western region and Canada. He’ll be based in Washington, D.C.
James Wroblewski
Wroblewski has been appointed to general manager of Westdrift in Manhattan Beach, California. His career in hospitality began at The Westin Century Plaza and Spa in Los Angeles, where he started as the front office manager. Wroblewski served in other high-level positions, including director of operations at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. He was also general manager at W Los Angeles West Beverly Hills in California.
Kenneth "Trip" Barrett
Bal Harbour Village in Miami Beach has hired Barrett as chief marketing officer and director of tourism. He joins Bal Harbour after a 13-year stint with Starwood Hotels & Resorts as vice president of brand management. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, he spent three years with Amazon as director of international business development, in which he started the company’s first Spanish language product site. He also spent eight years with Walt Disney Company, where he implemented licensing, retail and marketing strategies. Prior to Disney, he was director of international business for Anheuser-Busch’s entertainment division.
Wendy Hoekwater
Hoekwater is now vice president of sales for Great Wolf Resorts. Her experience in marketing spans several hotel properties. Prior to her new position, she served as vice president of marketing at Choice Hotels. She also was chief marketing officer for SpringWood Hotels—before it was acquired by Choice Hotels—and vice president of marketing and digital for Marriott International.
