Executives in the hospitality industry have taken new roles. Here’s a look:
Aimbridge taps Nigel Lucas for Canada development role
Aimbridge Hospitality has appointed Nigel Lucas as SVP, business development for Canada.
In his new role, Lucas reports directly to Greg O’Stean, Aimbridge’s chief development officer, and will be responsible for collaborating with hotel owners, capital partners, lenders, brokers and brands to identify growth opportunities across Canada.
Lucas most recently served as the EVP, franchising and development for Superior Lodging Corp, where he managed the franchise development platform for the Super 8, Travelodge and Microtel brands in Canada, leading development strategy and franchise development team to identify conversion and new-build opportunities. Prior, he served as franchise development director for Choice Hotels Canada, the senior development analyst at Delta Hotels & Resorts, project manager at Thomas Consultants Inc. and consultant for PKF Consulting Inc.
Accor names Vincente Jaramillo to Southern California post
Vicente Jaramillo has joined Accor as the new Southern California director of talent & culture. He oversees the talent & culture programs and initiatives across several properties, including Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego, Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica and Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. He will also serve as the resident director of talent & culture at the newest property in the Accor family—Fairmont Century Plaza—opening Sept. 27 in Los Angeles’ Century City.
Jaramillo comes to Accor from his most recent position as Sun Hill Properties’ VP, corporate human resources, where he oversaw all of the human resources responsibilities company-wide for California and Colorado, including the Hilton and Marriott brands. He got his start in human resources as he completed his Management Trainee Program with Marriott Salt Lake City, and soon became the hotel’s recruiter. In New York, he held a variety of roles in human resources across several Hilton properties, including Hilton New York, Millennium Hilton New York and the Waldorf Astoria New York.
Angie Gheen joins Arbor Lodging Management as VP, operations
Angie Gheen has been named VP, operations at Chicago-based hotel management group Arbor Lodging Management. In her new role, she is responsible for overseeing operations of Hilton and Marriott select-service hotels in California that are part of the Arbor Lodging Management portfolio.
Gheen began her professional career in 2011 as a member of Remington Hotels, starting at the Jacksonville Residence Inn. She was then promoted as the general manager at the Phoenix Residence Inn and then VP/general manager at the Newark Courtyard/ Residence Inn hotel in California.
JLL adds Mike Wernet as SVP, asset management
JLL Hotels & Hospitality continues to expand its global asset management practice by adding industry veteran Mike Wernet as an SVP, asset management, to the team. He is based at JLL’s Chicago headquarters and reports directly to Andrea Grigg, senior managing director/head of global hotel asset management.
Wernet oversees the portfolio of diverse full- and select-service hotels located in key gateway markets throughout the United States.
Prior to joining JLL, Wernet served as a VP, finance planning and analytics for RLJ Lodging Trust, where he initiated company-wide benchmarking to drive profitability and implemented new processes and reporting for cost containment during the pandemic. In addition, he spent 25 years at White Lodging Services Corporation, holding various leadership positions, including most recently serving as the VP, asset management and capital administration, where he managed and led firm-wide business planning and the annual budgeting process for more than 160 diverse assets.
CGI Merchant Group adds Robert Festinger to executive team
CGI Merchant Group LLC (CGI)—a global investment management firm with a focus on real estate and private equity—recently added Robert Festinger as VP, hospitality asset management.
In this new role, Festinger will leverage his three decades of industry experience across Chicago, New York and South Florida markets, to oversee the day-to-day operations and play an active role in the firm’s $650-million Hospitality Opportunity Fund (H-fund), which looks to acquire 20 hotels throughout North America and the Caribbean over the next three years.
Prior to CGI, Festinger most recently served as VP, hotel operations for Menin Hospitality, managing all day-to-day operations for the hospitality management and development company’s portfolio of hotels, including the Mondrian South Beach, Shelborne South Beach, Gale South Beach, Gale Boutique Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale, and Raffaello Chicago.
Mauri Berry joins Remington as VP, digital marketing
Hotel management company Remington Hotels has named Mauri Berry as VP, digital marketing. In this new role, she focuses on accelerating third-party growth opportunities at the company through innovative marketing and digital strategies.
Berry, who has more than 20 years of marketing and digital experience in the hotel industry, joins Remington Hotels from Peachtree Hotel Group, where she served as corporate director of eCommerce. Prior to her time at Peachtree, she held a variety of field marketing leadership roles at Marriott International.
