Name: Ryan Butler Title: Corporate Director, Sustainability + Energy Years in Current Position: One year and 9 months. Primary Responsibilities: “Looking at our brand and local compliance standards. Understanding what brand needs are, as well as investor needs. Handling utility procurement. Explaining the renewable energy credits market. Educating around sustainability.” Company’s most significant accomplishment in sustainability: “One to highlight is releasing six sustainability reports. It shows continued transparency. When comparing our first report with our 2024 report, it is like night and day.” Company’s most significant challenge moving forward in sustainability: “Education for ownership groups and translating sustainability initiatives for the groups. Making sure...

ATLANTA—The Hyatt Regency Atlanta celebrated the legacy of financial literacy advocate John Hope Bryant at its annual “Heritage Celebration”. The special event, held at the historic hotel renowned for its pivotal role in civil rights history, honored Bryant’s contributions to economic empowerment and financial inclusion. Since its inception as one of the first fully integrated hotels in Atlanta in 1967, the Hyatt Regency has been a beacon of progress and equality. Revered as the “Hotel of Hope” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Hyatt continues to commemorate Black leaders through its annual Heritage Celebrations. Past honorees include esteemed figures such as Dr. Bernice King, Ambassador Andrew Young,...

BORA BORA, FRENCH POLYNESIA—The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa, situated at the base of Mount Otemanu in the heart of French Polynesia, announces the appointments of César Marques as General Manager and Thais Magri as Market Director of Sales and Marketing for French Polynesia, overseeing both The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa and The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa is slated to debut this summer 2024 as the island’s newest luxury destination. Travelers looking to experience the best of Bora Bora will discover overwater bungalow and villa accommodations, delectable culinary options,...

MIAMI—SH Hotels & Resorts, the sustainable hotel brand management company that operates 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse Hotels, announced Frank Sorgiovanni’s appointment as Vice President of Development (Asia Pacific). With notable expertise in brand positioning and extensive experience across key markets in the region, Sorgiovanni is poised to spearhead new business opportunities in the Asia Pacific region across each of the company’s hotel brands. He will pursue new development opportunities, offering expert guidance as SH Hotels & Resorts actively expands its presence throughout the region. In joining the SH Hotels & Resorts global development team, led by Senior Vice President...

RAJASTHAN, INDIA—Six Senses Fort Barwara announced the appointment of Aaron McGrath as Regional General Manager. A holder of both a Diploma in Hotel Management from Hotel Institute Montreux, Switzerland and an MBA from Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland, and a career spanning over three decades in the international hospitality industry, McGrath brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and a dynamic leadership approach to lead the Six Senses Fort Barwara team into an exciting new era. McGrath has consistently excelled in the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of international hospitality, hotels, and integrated resorts. His pragmatic leadership style, marked by a calm and...

THAME, ENGLAND—Travelodge, one of the U.K.’s leading budget hotel brands, announces the appointment of Demi Turner as Director of Sustainability—a newly created role at Travelodge which further strengthens the company’s commitment to its ESG Strategy. Turner will take on a key role as the Group, which operates almost 600 hotels across the U.K., Ireland and Spain, accelerates its commitment to its Better Future Plan. Turner brings a wealth of expertise to Travelodge, having worked across a range of companies including Whitbread, KFC, ASOS and WPP, with experience spanning over almost two decades in sustainability, innovation and social impact. She will lead and...

TROY, N.Y.—Audubon International—the environmentally focused nonprofit organization offering members numerous certifications and conservation initiatives to protect the areas where we all live, work, and play—announced that longtime hospitality industry executive Greg Poirier has joined the leadership team as Director of Green Lodging/Green Hospitality Certifications. “Greg is the perfect person to lead our Green Lodging and Green Hospitality sectors into a new era of expansion,” said Audubon International CEO Christine Kane. “The time is now to leverage the hospitality industry’s strong interest in stewardship practices into partnerships that will further cement these vetted, respected, third-party certification programs as industry standards. Greg’s...

BARBADOS—Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, will keynote the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Sustainable Tourism Conference, which will take place in St. George’s, Grenada, from April 22 to 24, 2024. The pivotal conference, produced in partnership with the Grenada Tourism Authority, will explore the 5 Ps—People, Planet, Prosperity, Purpose, and Partnership—with the aim of catalyzing transformative action towards a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for Caribbean tourism. An industry pioneer and staunch advocate for sustainable tourism, Adam Stewart brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in sustainable development, community-focused tourism, and responsible tourism practices to the conference. As...

DALLAS—Fairmont Dallas welcomes “Bondi” as Chief Happiness Officer of the iconic Dallas Arts District hotel. Bondi, a six-month-old puppy, adopted from DFW-based Operation Kindness, will serve as the hotel’s canine ambassador promoting positivity and happiness among colleagues and guests. As a pet-friendly hotel with experience hosting dogs and cats of all shapes and sizes, Fairmont Dallas is eager to add a pup of its own to the esteemed staff. Due to her diligent work welcoming guests in the hotel’s lobby, making fast friends with Dallasites walking through the 118-acre Dallas Arts District, and providing stress relief and smiles to meeting attendees, Bondi...

Name: Emily McGarvey Title: Director of Sustainability Years Room & Board: Two Primary Responsibility: “To lead company in social and environmental strategy. Setting goals. Having a positive impact on people and planet. There’s no typical day. I get to work on a lot of different projects.” Company’s most significant accomplishment in social purpose and sustainability: “We have done a lot. Prioritizing American crafts people and having 90 percent of our products made in the U.S. Having that local and American supply chain.” Company’s most significant challenge moving forward in social purpose and sustainability: “One of the biggest challenges is figuring out what to...