COURY HOSPITALITY PROMOTES COO TO PRESIDENT
Coury Hospitality has promoted Chief Operating Officer Andrew Casperson to president. In his new role, Casperson will shape the future of the Dallas-based hospitality management company, drive its strategic growth and reinforce its reputation in the industry.
Casperson joined Coury in spring 2023 and has led operations strategies for the company’s portfolio of hotels, bars and restaurant concepts. Under his leadership, Coury’s portfolio has seen growth and operational efficiencies, with improvements in guest satisfaction and financial performance. This success extends to the launch of a separate company, Concert Hospitality, which will also fall under Casperson’s leadership.
“Andrew’s leadership has elevated our operations and redefined the guest experience, setting a higher benchmark for excellence,” said Paul Coury, CEO and founder of Coury Hospitality. “As we expand into new markets, his visionary approach and innovative strategies will be the driving force behind our continued success, ensuring Coury Hospitality remains a pioneer in the industry.”
EXTREME HOSPITALITY NAMES NEW CCO
Extreme Hospitality has named Ryan M. Alpert as chief commercial officer. Alpert will lead overall revenue generation strategies for the company’s portfolio of hotels and hospitality assets, driving top-line growth and optimizing commercial success of the properties under Extreme’s management.
Alpert has 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, with a career spanning multiple senior roles, including executive vice president of commercial strategy, senior vice president of sales and revenue strategy and vice president of sales and marketing. He has also held positions as regional director of sales, director of sales and marketing, senior sales manager and general manager.
“Ryan’s strategic vision, innovative approach and ability to cultivate high-performing teams are unparalleled. He has a demonstrated track record of building meaningful partnerships, fostering team excellence and delivering measurable results,” said Eric Rubino, principal at Extreme Hospitality.
KSL RESORTS REBRANDS
KSL Resorts has rebranded as Peregrine Hospitality. Led CEO Greg Kennealey, the Peregrine Hospitality executive team consists of Chief Financial Officer Tom Barber; Chief Human Resources Officer Ed Eynon; Chief Legal Officer Catherine Hance; COO Pete Sams; and Managing Director and Head of Acquisitions Mike Wilbert.
Peregrine Hospitality will continue to manage KSL’s portfolio of properties while pursuing opportunities for growth across all asset classes within the hospitality sector.
“This is an exciting time for the organization and reflects the owner/operator model and philosophy that differentiates us within the industry. We are operators at heart, performance-oriented and passionate about hospitality,” said Kennealey. “Our team has extensive experience in the acquisition, development and management of hotel properties, including some of the most exclusive resort destinations. Our talented team of leaders will allow us to grow a portfolio of exceptionally high-quality assets while continuing to elevate the guest experience.
EXECUTIVE PROMOTIONS AT WESTGATE RESORTS
Westgate Resorts has announced a series of leadership appointments and executive promotions as part of a broader plan to position the company for future growth. The new team members include:
- Mitch Less – chief operating officer. He will oversee resort operations, F&B, IT, risk management and several other critical areas, working directly with company leadership to execute Westgate’s strategic business plan.
- John Willman – chief financial officer. A 30-year veteran of Westgate, Willman has played a crucial role in transforming Westgate’s finance operations, including overseeing its financial reporting and loan portfolio. In his new role, he will continue to lead mortgage operations, accounts services and financial planning & analysis.
- Jared Saft – chief business & strategy officer. An 18-year veteran of Westgate, Saft has been promoted to his new role and will continue to lead marketing, hotel sales, product development and owner services, while also overseeing the company’s long-term growth strategy. In addition, he will also oversee Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino and Human Resources.
- Dana Wadsworth – chief of staff & senior vice president of VOA. A 29-year veteran of Westgate, Wadsworth is being promoted to chief of staff, while also retaining her role as senior vice president of VOA.
- Garrett Stump – senior vice president of owner services & inventory management. A 24-year veteran of Westgate, Stump will focus on enhancing customer service and expanding Westgate’s timeshare offerings and building on the success of the World of Westgate Loyalty Program.
- Chad Severance – senior vice president of development & design. Severance will now oversee the development & design team to ensure the company continues to deliver best-in-class resorts and experiences.
- Alex Velazquez – senior vice president of digital marketing & creative services. His new role will focus on further integrating Westgate’s marketing and consumer engagement strategies.
- Heather Tritchel & Sam King – senior vice presidents of specialty marketing.
- David Alexander Siegel & Daniel Siegel – co-vice presidents of real estate.
MORE MOVES
Josh Rubinger has joined Peachtree Group as senior vice president of national accounts for its broker-dealer affiliate, Peachtree PC Investors. Rubinger will focus on business development, overseeing relationships with broker-dealers and registered investment advisors and supporting the distribution of the firm’s investment offerings.
Rubinger brings over two decades of experience in financial services and a track record of developing strong client relationships. Prior to his new role, he served as senior vice president of national accounts for Lightstone Capital Markets, the capital markets division of The Lightstone Group. He also served as vice president and east coast national accounts manager at Thompson National Properties LLC.
L7 Chicago by Lotte has welcomed Liana Waechter as director of sales and marketing. With over 20 years of experience, Waechter specializes in building transformational strategies. As the corporate director of sales and marketing for Rebel Hospitality, LLC, she drove sales and marketing initiatives across the company’s entire portfolio of properties.
Prior to joining L7 Chicago, she served as the DOSM for The Emily Hotel in Chicago’s West Loop.
Christina Zimmer has joined Newbond Holdings as SVP of design and development. Zimmer has served on many design juries within the hospitality industry and is currently a judge for Radical Innovation.
Before joining Newbond, she was a key member of Highgate’s design and construction team. Prior to this role, Zimmer was senior vice president of design & construction at Ian Schrager Co.
Kohler, Wisconsin, the luxury resort, has appointed James Beard Award winner Chef RJ Cooper as its new culinary director. He will lead all aspects of food and beverage experiences at Kohler, Wisconsin.
Chef Cooper will oversee all food & beverage outlets throughout the destination including Immigrant Restaurant, The Wisconsin Room, The Horse & Plow, Tavern on Woodlake, Blackwolf Run Restaurant, Whistling Straits Restaurant and River Wildlife Restaurant. He will create new menus and dishes while managing a vibrant team to help execute flawless cuisine and five-star service.
AC Hotel Pasadena, the new-build hotel in Pasadena, Calif., has appointed Ben Spaulding as general manager and Kristin Shelton as director of sales and marketing.
Spaulding brings over a decade of experience, having held key leadership roles at properties such as Fairmont Grand Del Mar and Fairmont Copley Plaza. He also served at Loews Hotels & Co.
With more than 15 years of hospitality experience, Shelton’s career spans operations, catering and group sales, with a track record of driving sales growth, enhancing market reach and leading high-performing teams. At AC Hotel Pasadena, she will lead sales and marketing efforts to establish the hotel’s presence in the market.
NEW GMs
Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club has appointed Petra Trapp as general manager of Merrywing Beach. Bringing more than 15 years of experience in luxury hospitality to her new role, Trapp has held key roles in several luxury Leading Hotels of World, such as Laucala Private Island, Kanuhura Island & Spa, the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz & Falkensteiner Hotel Kronplatz, in locations spanning Europe, the Maldives, Mauritius, Fiji, Morocco and the Caribbean.
Before joining Aurora Anguilla, Trapp spent several years in Saint Lucia. She began her career in Rome as a guest relations manager for a tour operator and since then, has held key roles in many renowned hotels globally.
Noble House Hotels & Resorts has named Gregg Harper as general manager of LaPlaya Beach & Gold Resort. Harper will oversee all aspects of the 189-room property and private club, including operations, sales and marketing, food and beverage and revenue management. He will collaborate with Noble House leadership to drive the resort’s success.
Before joining Noble House, Harper served as area general manager/managing director at CoralTree Hospitality, where he oversaw a portfolio of resorts, including Tamarack Resort, The Woodlands Resort and The Westin at The Woodlands, from 2017 to 2024. Previously, he held general manager positions at Hotel Becket and with Crescent Hotels and Resorts, managing properties such as Salishan Coastal Lodge, The Oxford Hotel Bend and Holiday Isle Resort.
Fairmont Monte Carlo has appointed Alexandre Ariel as general manager. With more than two decades of experience in luxury hospitality, Ariel joined the Fairmont brand in 2007 at Fairmont Monte Carlo, where he held positions such as director of events and director of food and beverage. After four promotions, including one at Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I in Barcelona, he returned to Monte Carlo in 2018 as hotel manager.
Ariel will continue in his new role to further enhance the reputation of Fairmont Monte Carlo.
