CHICAGO—As part of Hyatt’s commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), it recently announced the appointment of Tyronne Stoudemire to Senior Vice President, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I). In his elevated role, Stoudemire and his team will continue to execute Hyatt’s DE&I strategy, part of the company’s World of Care ESG platform. Stoudemire will continue to report to Malaika Myers, Hyatt’s chief human resources officer. “Being part of Hyatt means always having a space to be you. Since opening our doors 65 years ago, we’ve remained committed to creating inclusive environments where every colleague feels welcome, cared for and...

NEW YORK—Hilton recently announced the appointment of Chintan Dadhich as the General Manager of Lower Manhattan’s only all-suite luxury hotel, Conrad New York Downtown. In his role, he will lead all aspects of hotel operations of the 463-room LEED Gold property, placing an emphasis on guest service and satisfaction. Dadhich joins Conrad New York Downtown from the Five Star Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, bringing superior hospitality experience and many industry accolades, including the Hilton Americas’ 2021 General Manager of the Year Award. “It’s an honor to lead the phenomenal team at Conrad New York Downtown and I look forward to...

LONDON—Dorchester Collection recently announced the appointment of Milet Lukey as Vice President, People and Culture. Milet rejoins Dorchester Collection following her most recent position as Vice President of Talent and Culture for the Americas at Rosewood Hotel Group, a role she has held since 2019. Prior to this, Lukey worked with Dorchester Collection between 2012 and 2014 as Area Director of People Organization and Development where she was responsible for all people functions at The Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air. She later joined Starwood Capital Group’s hotel brand management company SH Group as Area Director of People Operations, based...

NEWBURG, ORE.—The Willamette Valley Wine Country’s modern grand dame, The Allison Inn & Spa, announced the appointment of Percy Brandon to general manager. In his new role, Brandon will oversee all property operations for the resort including its 85 guestrooms and suites, an estimated 200 colleagues, and all food and beverage operations. Brandon comes to The Allison following 21 years of leadership as General Manager at Vintners Resort—a serene, luxury getaway located in Sonoma County, Calif. A well-respected community leader, Brandon joined the company in 2000 as General Manager of John Ash & Co. restaurant. A few months following in January 2001,...

MIAMI—SH Hotels & Resorts, a sustainable hotel brand management company that operates 1 Hotels, Treehouse Hotels & Baccarat Hotels & Resorts, announced the hiring of Toni Stoeckl as Chief Marketing Officer. In the CMO role, he will be responsible for each brand’s larger marketing strategy with a focus on the consumer brand experience and creating a 360° marketing approach as the company enters a period of robust international growth. Stoeckl will also play an important role as the organization enhances its commitment to and execution of its mission to provide a preference-driven, forward-thinking, and memorable customer journey that starts at the moment of...

PALM DESERT, CALIF.—JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa announces the newest member of its team, Chef Eric Theiss, who recently came on board as Executive Chef of the iconic resort. Set on 450 acres, Palm Desert’s largest resort recently unveiled a multi-million-dollar renovation, inspiring a new level of luxury with updated guestrooms and suites, public areas, and event spaces. Eric will oversee all culinary operations at the numerous restaurant and bar offerings onsite as well as extensive banquet operations, leading the resort’s food and beverage teams in delivering an unparalleled level of excellence in both dining and service. Theiss will...

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—UMF Corp. recently announced that Mabel Castro, guestroom attendant (GRA) at the Chicago Marriott Downtown, has earned the company’s third annual Guest Room Attendant Excellence Award. UMF established the GRA Excellence Award in 2020 to acknowledge the crucial role GRAs play in ensuring hotel guest safety, satisfaction, and loyalty in the COVID-19 era. “In the more than 15 years that Mabel has worked for Marriott, she has been recognized countless times by our guests for going above and beyond,” said Chicago Marriott Downtown Director of Services Victoria DeSantis. “She consistently exceeds our guests’ expectations, exuding positive energy, remembering our return...

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO—Palmaïa—The House of AïA, a holistic wellness retreat in Rivera Maya, Mexico, known for its transformative Progressive Wellness concept, is excited to share the appointment of Chef Carlos Carrion Garcia, a, pioneer in plant-based food. Better known as “Chef Charly,” he is known for his deep layers of flavor with textures most people would think are impossible to achieve with plants. The addition of Chef Charly to the team will push Palmaïa’s culinary team past the boundaries of healthy food beyond the conventional way of thinking. Chef Charly founded Charly’s Vegan Tacos, in Tulum and Wynwood, Miami. “Charly’s”...

KHANH HOA PROVINCE, VIETNAM—Vu Ngoc Linh, a hospitality professional with over a decade of experience in food and beverage departments, has left the career ladder of the typical restaurant professional to pursue a whole new kind of fulfillment. Earlier this spring, the 580-room Alma Resort on Vietnam’s south-central coast appointed Linh as its first Sustainability Officer. It will be Linh’s job to track the property’s energy consumption, resource conservation, recycling, pollution reduction, waste disposal, transportation, education efforts, and building design. The role also involves creating sustainability programs, budgets, and schedules, evaluating the success of sustainability initiatives, and managing three staff committees...

DALTON, GA.—The Manufacturing Institute—the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers—recently recognized Laura Smith, Director of SIOP (Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning) at Shaw, as a STEP Ahead Award Honoree at its annual awards ceremony. STEP works to foster a 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research, and leadership, as well as by motivating alumni to pay it forward by mentoring the next generation. The STEP Ahead Awards honor exceptional women in manufacturing and motivate them to mentor the next generation through an annual awards gala and...