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REGIONAL NEWS
HOTEL & RESORT NEWS»
Asbury Ocean Club Hotel Opens
Asbury Ocean Club Hotel, located on the Jersey Shore, is slated to open this summer. The 54-room boutique property is set on the fourth floor of Asbury Ocean Club, also opening in summer.
Asbury Ocean Club is years in the making and the crown jewel of real-estate leader iStar. “Asbury Ocean Club is not just a building; it’s the resurrection of Asbury Park,” says, Jay Sugarman, CEO, iStar. “It is a symbol of the return of this town to its rightful glory and an opportunity for us to create the ultimate beach lifestyle for those who want the very best.”
The Drawing Room, a multifunctional “glass house,” is the heart of the property; it is visible from anywhere inside the hotel—sunlit by day, illuminated by night. Each guest room at the hotel is designed to feel like a private beach loft, with 11-foot ceilings in wood that match the wood-paneled floors. Each room boasts a daybed or banquette and features an ocean or dune view. asburyoceanclub.com
GURNEY’S STAR ISLAND RESORT & MARINA OPENS
Gurney’s Resorts continues its expansion with the opening of Gurney’s Star Island Resort & Marina, its second resort in Montauk, New York. Formerly The Montauk Yacht Club, the resort underwent a $13 million, full-property renovation to its 107 guest rooms, restaurants, lobby, ballroom, meeting spaces and 232-slip marina, the largest in the Hamptons.
The luxury resort features a selection of casual and fine-dining restaurants, three pools and a private beach. Guests will have easy access between all three Gurney’s Resorts, including complimentary shuttle service to and from Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa as well as yacht and seaplane service to Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina in Rhode Island. The design of the property, led by designer Stella Abdoulin, is in line with the brand’s coastal aesthetic.
“Montauk is a market that is important to us personally and professionally, and we are thrilled to add another location to the destination as we grow our footprint as a brand,” says George Filopoulos, owner of Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa and who led the property’s transition, along with Lloyd Goldman of BLDG Management. “Having extensive knowledge of Montauk from the last several years operating the original Gurney’s, we know what guests look for and how to differentiate ourselves in the Hamptons. We are so pleased to launch a second location that will extend the Gurney’s experience out to Star Island, while introducing a new type of stay in the marina setting.”
HOTEL & RESORT NEWS» SEAVIEW, A DOLCE HOTEL REOPENS
Seaview, A Dolce Hotel, located on 670 scenic acres along Reed’s Bay in Galloway, New Jersey, reopened this summer after a multimillion-dollar renovation to the 298 guest rooms, public spaces, and dining and meeting areas.
“Seaview is a beloved destination on the Jersey Shore with a rich local history shared by many guests who have vacationed here for decades and team members who have spent their entire careers—some across several generations of families—working at the resort,” says Director of Sales and Marketing Mike Tidwell. “We are excited to welcome a new era for the hotel in time for the summer season.”
The historic resort was founded in 1914, and the design was inspired by the hotel’s Jersey Shore history and includes art deco elements. The hotel features 21 meeting rooms, two championship golf courses, and local food and beverage.
CVB NEWS»
Big Year for Philadelphia CVB
The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) is currently pacing 60,000 hotel room nights ahead of 2018 (a 12 percent increase year over year) through meetings, conventions and events in 2019. With 19 citywide conventions and events (the same number as in 2018), Philadelphia is expected to see a greater return from the meeting and convention segment than it has in more than a decade.
“Meeting planners who select Philadelphia to host their meeting or convention are getting intrinsic value from our destination, including record breaking attendance due to our prime East Coast location as well as our standing as a top knowledge capital,” says Julie Coker Graham, president and CEO, PHLCVB. “Our high customer satisfaction rating has had an impact on prospective groups who are hearing about Philadelphia’s attention to detail and superb execution— made possible by the hard-working team at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and our hotel partners.”
The Pennsylvania Convention Center continues to invest in enhancements, which have included installations from local artists and new LED video displays. Since 2016, $18 million has been allocated to these improvements and another $10 million will be used for other innovations in the next year.
“High-caliber tourism and hospitality jobs—one of the largest employment sectors in the city—are boosting Philadelphia’s economy, and we anticipate continued growth in the years to come,” says John McNichol, president and CEO, Pennsylvania Convention Center. “We protect the future of our assets by investing in them today, maintaining our edge in an industry that is becoming more competitive every year.”
PEOPLE NEWS» Kalahari Resorts & Conventions has named
Arthur Keith as general manager for the company’s Pocono Mountains resort. Keith will oversee all day-today operations, as well as provide leadership and guidance to the Poconos on-site management team, while serving as liaison to the regional Poconos community.
“Arthur Keith is a hospitality industry titan with great skill in leading teams to growth and success while never compromising on guest experience. Our company is strengthened by the addition of Arthur to the Kalahari family,” says Todd Nelson, owner, Kalahari Resorts & Conventions.
Keith has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry and has been general manager at several of the largest hotels in the world, including Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville and Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower and The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. In 2006, Keith was named General Manager of the Year for all U.S. hotels by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Event tech company Aventri recently announced Miranda DeSantis as its first-ever chief people officer (CPO). The CPO, in line with Aventri’s tagline of “Connect Better,” brings people together through discipline, mindfulness and communication to ensure goals are achieved and employees are excited and engaged. DeSantis will oversee and build our best practices in Aventri global HR functions, including talent management, training and development, and global compliance.
“This brand-new position comes at a very opportune time in Aventri’s growth as a recognized leader in our space and in global SaaS,” says Oni Chukwu, CEO of Aventri. “Miranda brings strong bona fides to this role as a senior human resources leader. Throughout her work history, she has played an integral role in fostering collaboration and developing progressive people programs to grow high-performing teams and achieve company-wide transformational goals.” Ashfield Meetings & Events has appointed Dana Kee as account director, joining an account management team that supports a large number of global health care clients across many service areas and countries.
Kee has nearly 20 years of experience managing a variety of meeting types and clients, as well as implementing, owning and managing large strategic meetings management programs. She is also on the U.S. Senior Leadership Team, in which she is responsible for supporting strategic growth and decisionmaking for the business.
“We’re already seeing the results of her leadership style, which aligns well with our organizational values,” says Laura Brown, SVP of operations. “Dana’s expertise and energy is infectious and we are eager to see her continue to develop our high-performing teams.”
Simon Antoine returns to Accor—where he started his career in 1985 and held various positions in the United States, Great Britain, France and the Ivory Coast over 14 years—as general manager of Sofitel New York. He brings more than 30 years of leadership experience to the luxury Midtown Manhattan hotel, as well as a wealth of knowledge in the food and beverage arena. Most recently he was the opening general manager at the InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf.
“We are delighted to welcome Simon back to Accor,” says George Terpilowski, Accor’s Regional VP, North East U.S. Region. “I am confident that his leadership and expertise will flourish at Sofitel New York, lifting one of our flagship hotels to new heights.”
New Look and Director of Sales at LaKota Oaks
Christine Imbrogno is the new director of sales and marketing at LaKota Oaks, located in Norwalk, Connecticut. The 123-room historic resort recently completed a multimillion-dollar interior design and technological renovation.
“We are thrilled to have Christine heading up the promotion of our spectacular, completely renovated conference and social event center,” says Sam L. Haigh, general manager. “She has tremendous marketing skills, great client and community relationships, and most important, an outstanding customer-focused attitude toward taking care of our clients.”
Imbrogno brings 23 years of hospitality sales and marketing experience, having started her hospitality career in 1996 as a sales coordinator at this same facility when it was the GTE Management Development Center. She moved up to director of sales when the facility became the Prudential Learning Center, continued in that capacity when it became Dolce Norwalk, and later served as global sales director for the Dolce organization. LaKota Hotels & Resorts assumed management of the former Dolce Norwalk in June 2018 and rebranded it LaKota Oaks.
While serving as a key member of the LaKota Oaks executive leadership team, Imbrogno’s mission is focused on accommodating conferences and celebratory social events from the surrounding Fairfield and Westchester County areas as well as from Manhattan.
Promotions & New Hire at NYC & Company
Jerry Cito, who has served as the senior vice president, convention development since 2001, has been promoted to executive vice president, convention development, overseeing NYC & Company’s network of global sales representatives, including the NYC-based staff, regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, and dedicated global MICE representatives in the U.K. and China. Cito serves as a trustee on PCMA’s Foundation Board and is a founding member and current executive committee member of the U.S. Travel Association’s Meetings Mean Business Coalition. He also sits on both Destination International’s Sales & Marketing Committee and the MPI U.S. Council.
Laura Petrower has been hired as sales manager, convention development at NYC & Company. Petrower will be responsible for generating bookings from Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions as well as New York City, for groups that require 10-150 room nights on peak. Most recently, she served as a conference sales manager at Destination DC .
Christiam Flor was promoted from coordinator to sales manager, convention development and will handle incoming requests while spearheading proactive outreach to West Coast, Southwest, Northeast and Southeast groups requiring 10-150 room nights on peak. Existing Convention Development Sales Manager Lance Miller will now take ownership over the Southeast region for groups requiring 151 or more rooms, peak.
New VPs to Drive Tourism to Pennsylvania’s Lehigh and Northampton Counties
Discover Lehigh Valley recently announced the promotion of Alicia Quinn to vice president of marketing and strategic alliances and the addition of Bree Nidds as vice president of sales. They will be responsible for elevating the group’s promotional programs, strengthening partner relationships, and increasing sales with the overarching goal of driving more visitors to the region.
Quinn joined Discover Lehigh Valley in 2016 as strategic brand manager and successfully directed the organization’s rebranding effort and developed new marketing campaigns. “Alicia’s passion for telling our region’s rich stories through strategic marketing communications coupled with her tourism industry experience is impressive. In fact, her leadership and dedication to driving tourism to our region was a crucial factor in her promotion to this important, expanded role,” says Alex Michaels, president and CEO, Discover Lehigh Valley. “I have the utmost confidence in Alicia’s ability to drive greater awareness of the Lehigh Valley brand and to work with our partners to promote the region as a must-see destination.”
Nidds joins Discover Lehigh Valley from Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge where she was the director of sports development and helped to launch VBR Sports in 2018 to capture more sports-driven tourism to the area. Prior to that she served as sales manager at Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau in North Carolina. “As vice president of sales, Bree’s enthusiasm and knowledge of convention sales and sports marketing will be an invaluable asset to our region,” says Michaels. “Bree will serve as a leader and mentor to our talented sales team while marketing Lehigh Valley as a top meetings and events destination.”
Change in Leadership
President/COO Jerry Lepping of Visit Bucks County announced his retirement this past March. Lepping will continue as president/COO through June 30, with current Vice President Paul Bencivengo assuming the role on July 1. Lepping will then serve as an advisor to the organization through November 2019.
“Jerry has been a Bucks County resident for more than 40 years and served the tourism and hospitality industry for more than two decades,” says Bill Haas, chairperson, Visit Bucks County Board Chairperson. “His commitment and dedication to Bucks County and the tourism office are unmatched. The board of directors is grateful for his years of service to the entire Bucks County hospitality industry.”
From 1998-2007, Lepping served two terms as board president, playing a major role in the building of the Bucks County Visitor Center in Bensalem. In 2007, he assumed the role of VBC president/COO. One of Jerry’s first major initiatives, in conjunction with the County of Bucks, was the implementation of the Visit Bucks County Grant Program. Since inception, VBC has granted more than $4.1 million to more than 100 organizations. The Bucks County Sports Commission was also created during Jerry’s tenure.
“This role has allowed me to engage with some of the most impressive business leaders in the region, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to support them,” says Lepping. “I’ve witnessed tremendous growth in Bucks County over these past 12 years and I’m confident that under the leadership of Paul Bencivengo, this organization is positioned for continued success in the future.”
New Hires at The Kartrite
Dan Paradiso, CMP has been appointed as director of sales and marketing for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark. The Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property, located in Monticello, New York, within the Catskill Mountains, opened in March on 1,600 wooded acres. With almost 20 years of hotel sales and marketing executive, Paradiso has held titles such as global director, memberships east for Club Quarters Hotels and director of sales and marketing for Millennium Hotels & Resorts at ONE UN New York. He also served president of the MPI Greater New York Chapter. He is a past board member of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Greater New York Chapter, and a former adjunct hospitality instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Joseph Cavet is the resort’s new director of food and Beverage for The Kartrite. Cavet, more than 15 years of leadership experience, most recently served as multiunit general manager for OTG Management, where he led multiple food and beverage restaurant teams at Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. In this role, he launched Taste of New York and partnered
with New York producers to bring specialty food and beverage products to airports. Cavet also held leadership positions with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts at the Landmark Plaza Hotel in New York City, W Hotels in New York and the Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group.
VENDOR NEWS»
United Airlines recently launched its new United Meetings, available on United Jetstream (the airline’s business portal). The new portal makes it easy for planners to make a request and receive flexible discounts for participants within one business day, and quickly turn travel funds into rewards such as beverage coupons, travel certificates, United Club passes and memberships, and more. The site also provides planners with a personalized dashboard to track the number of tickets booked, flights flown, amenities funds earned and the number of tickets needed for the next amenity award.
“At United, our mission is to connect people and unite the world. This new Meetings portal on Jetstream allows us to do just that by making it easier and more rewarding to bring people together for meetings, events, conferences and more,” says Jake Cefolia, senior vice president of worldwide sales at United. “We’re listening to our customers and making changes that they ask for as we continue to make traveling and working with United better every day.”
United Meetings is available to organizations around the world who are interested in hosting a meeting of 10 or more participants. Discounts are extended to travel on United’s Star Alliance and joint venture partners, making traveling and connecting on partner airlines seamless.
United has U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/ Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
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