NEW YORK—Business Travel News, the leading trade publication covering the $1.4 trillion global managed travel and procurement industry, named HRS CEO Tobias Ragge among the 25 Most Influential Executives of 2021. This marks the fourth time in the past seven years that Ragge is included in this prestigious collection of prominent industry leaders. Citing HRS’ accomplishments via the introduction of its groundbreaking Green Stay Initiative, Business Travel News editors commended Ragge and the HRS team in its December 13 issue. “Several hotel companies have said that the number of requests from buyers about sustainability practices has skyrocketed in the past year. One problem: there is no single...

BALI, INDONESIA—Sustainable wellness brand, REVĪVŌ Wellness Resorts, has appointed Kimberly Rose Kneier as its new Wellness Director, with responsibility for leading the Wellness Department across the portfolio as REVĪVŌ enters an exciting period of growth. With impeccable academic credentials, a wealth of international experience and an established track record for creating powerful, personalized health programs, Kimberly will use her passion for holistic wellness to design and deliver bespoke transformational wellness retreats focusing on resetting the immune system, stress relief, anti-aging and more. Kimberly brings over 20 years of dedicated experience as a wellness practitioner in the hospitality industry. Originally from Canada, Kimberly...

EAGLE BEACH, ARUBA—Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort is helping guests take vacations today that protect the vacations of tomorrow. As the Caribbean’s first and only certified carbon-neutral hotel, the resort stay is already net-zero and guilt-free. Now with the addition of the world’s first Carbon Offset Concierge—Jareth Vermeulen—guests can elevate their experience by making their entire vacation guilt free by offsetting their travel emissions. How it Works Every major airline servicing Aruba offers carbon emissions offset purchases on its website. Guests can certainly select that on their own or have their travel professional do so at the time of booking their...

BANGKOK—Neil Palmer takes on the role of Chief Operating Officer of Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas to look after the brand’s growing portfolio of hotels, resorts, and spas in 20 countries, with a further 34 properties signed into the development pipeline. He will also focus on translating the Six Senses vision of reconnection into emblematic resort locations, downtown addresses, and new residential offerings. Palmer has 37 years of international hospitality experience, most of which he spent with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. In his role as Senior Vice President Operations Asia Pacific, he developed the company’s hotel portfolio and oversaw the...

FISH CAMP, CALIF.—Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite has named Brett Archer as general manager of the 352-room resort located at Yosemite National Park’s south gate and set on 75 forested acres featuring the main lodge, cottages and its two-bedroom Explorer Cabins, which opened in summer 2019. Archer joins Tenaya Lodge from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, where he served in the same capacity. The appointment is a homecoming for Archer who has spent most of his nearly 30-year career in Yosemite and over 25 years with Delaware North Companies. Prior to Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Archer was assistant general manager at Tenaya...

GULF BREEZE, FLA.—Innisfree Hotels announces the appointment of Brittney Barnett as Director of Sustainability. Barnett comes to Innisfree with more than seven years’ experience in development economics, urban and regional planning, and sustainability. As Director of Sustainability, Barnett will focus on building out the “Planet” portion of Innisfree’s Triple Bottom Line, which prioritizes People, Planet, and Profit as key components of the company’s culture and operations. Focusing on implementing environmental initiatives, Barnett hopes to foster company-wide regenerative practices and mitigate the overall environmental impact of Innisfree’s portfolio. “I am most looking forward to engaging with our guests, the communities in which we operate, and forging...

LOS ANGELES—Green Globe Certification, a leading sustainability certification for the travel and tourism industry, announces the appointment of Birte Pelayo to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Pelayo joined Green Globe Certification in 2009 as a new graduate and has worked across the company with a focus on membership services and certification. Recently Pelayo held the position of Chief Operating Officer, overseeing partnerships and certification verification as well as management of administration services. “Since joining Green Globe my ambition has been to consistently deliver a highly reliable sustainability certification for hospitality, travel and tourism businesses worldwide,” said Pelayo. “My goal as...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Board of Directors announced that Mahesh Ramanujam will be stepping down as president and CEO of USGBC, Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI) and Arc Skoru, effective Nov. 1, 2021. This announcement comes as a part of the organization’s review of its structure, go-to-market strategy and leadership to optimize the organizations’ support of the green building community, expand the green building marketplace, increase access to sustainable, healthy and resilient places, and ensure organizational excellence. “Mahesh Ramanujam has a deep dedication to the green building movement and has worked tirelessly to advance the goals of...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts, Inc. announced that Kirsten Lynch, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, will be appointed CEO and elected to the company’s board of directors, effective November 1, 2021. At that time, Rob Katz, the company’s current CEO, will be appointed Executive Chairperson of the board and remain fully active and engaged in Vail Resorts’ key strategic decisions and priorities. Additionally, at that time, Ryan Bennett, currently Vice President of Marketing, Lift Revenue, will be named Chief Marketing Officer of Vail Resorts. Lynch joined Vail Resorts in 2011 as Chief Marketing Officer and previously held senior leadership positions at PepsiCo and Kraft Foods. Lynch...

NEW YORK—Raul Leal will take over as CEO of SH Hotels and Resorts on August 19, parent company Starwood Capital Group said. Leal succeeds Arash Azarbarzin, who is leaving SH Hotels and Resorts to pursue a new opportunity. Azarbarzin had been appointed to the CEO role just six months ago. Leal was previously CEO of Virgin Hotels for a decade until he stepped down in March. He will now oversee several brands underneath the SH umbrella, including 1 Hotels, Treehouse Hotels and Baccarat Hotels and Resorts. All three brands are less than 10 years old. 1 Hotels launched in 2015 as a luxury...