People on the Move: Davidson Names Pivot EVP and More

NATIONAL REPORT—Hospitality companies and associations are bolstering their leadership rosters. Here’s a look at recent personnel news.

Toscano Named EVP of Davidson’s Pivot Division
Davidson Hotels & Resorts has appointed Jeff Toscano as its new EVP of Pivot Hotels & Resorts. In this role, Toscano is responsible for maximizing profitability, driving team performance, improving asset value, building brand equity and enhancing the guest experience through experiential, differentiated programming at all lifestyle and luxury hotels, resorts and restaurants in the Pivot portfolio.

Toscano joins the company from Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where he served as SVP of operations for the East region of Hyatt’s newly formed lifestyle division. During his tenure, he played an integral role in leading and supporting the integration of legacy Two Roads Hospitality lifestyle and resort brands following Hyatt’s acquisition of the organization in 2018. Previously, he served as EVP of operations at Two Roads, following a stint as SVP of lifestyle hotels at Highgate. He has also held senior level corporate roles at Amsterdam Hospitality, Denihan Hospitality Group and Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

HVS Executive Search Promotes Levitt
HVS Executive Search has promoted Rachel Levitt to SVP in North America. Levitt works with a diverse hospitality client base which includes hotel management, private equity, restaurant brands and hotel real estate companies. Prior to joining HVS, her experience included finance, business development, and project management roles with companies ranging from Fortune 500 to entrepreneurial ventures.

Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association Names New President, CEO
The Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association (WH&LA) has named William “Bill” Elliott its new president/CEO.

Elliott returns to the WH&LA after more than eight years as VP of operations for Association Acumen, an association management company, where he served as the executive director of two national association clients. Before that, he was VP of revenue development and operations at WH&LA for close to five years.

Elliott will be succeeding past longtime president/CEO Trisha Pugal, who had returned to serve as the interim CEO over the past four months as WH&LA’s Search Task Force went through a successful search and selection process in retaining Elliott to lead the organization into the future.