MEYER JABARA NAMES NEW COO
Meyer Jabara Hotels has promoted Eric Churchill to chief operating officer. Churchill will oversee portfolio operations to ensure best in class operations and performance.
Churchill joined Meyer Jabara Hotels in 2004 as general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Copley Square in Boston. He then transitioned to general manager of the Providence (R.I.) Marriott. In 2013, he was promoted to senior vice president of operations.
“There is something really exciting about managing people and leading individuals who have a passion to succeed,” Churchill said. “Meyer Jabara Hotels is a true winner. The support from ownership is unlike anything I have experienced before, and the drive for results among the leadership team and line-level employees is contagious.”
USTA SELECTS NATIONAL CHAIR
William (Bill) J. Hornbuckle, CEO and president of MGM Resorts International, was selected national chair of the U.S. Travel Association’s board of directors. His appointment to a two-year term was formalized with a membership vote.
Hornbuckle will succeed Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton, whose term as national chair has concluded. Hornbuckle will work with association leaders to enact industry priorities, including maximizing a mega-decade of events like the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.
The national chair leads an executive board, comprising 30 members representing all segments of the travel industry, and a board of delegates who support and advise the association. In this role, Hornbuckle will work closely with U.S. Travel’s Freeman and the executive leadership team to achieve the association’s mission of increasing travel to and within the U.S.
SPENCER HUX JOINS HERMITAGE HOTEL
The Hermitage Hotel and Keswick Hall have welcomed Spencer Hux as chief sales officer. With nearly two decades of experience in luxury hospitality, Hux will oversee all commercial efforts for both the properties, leading initiatives to further elevate their reputations.
Hux will work closely with teams at both hotels to align their shared goals, fostering collaboration that enhances each property’s identity while leveraging their combined strengths.
MORE MOVES
Pacifica Hotels has appointed Shalon Hopkins as senior vice president of accounting and finance. She brings more than 20 years of experience and expertise in strategic financial leadership, operational excellence and team development. Most recently, she served as chief financial officer at Quorum Hotels.
Hopkins will oversee Pacifica Hotels’ financial operations, leading critical functions such as cash flow management, financial reporting and compliance strategies. She will play a vital role in fostering innovation and strengthening the company’s fiscal performance.
McNeill Hotel Company has promoted Jesse Kremer from regional director of operations to the new position of vice president of hotel operations.
In his new role, Kremer will lead the regional directors and hotel teams to achieve a balanced scorecard, focusing on associate satisfaction, guest satisfaction, brand initiatives, financial success and owner relations. He will also work closely with the vice presidents of other disciplines within the company to ensure continuity in service excellence for both internal customers and ownership groups.
The Kessler Collection has appointed Brian McCormick as vice president of people and culture. McCormick will leverage his experience in corporate recruitment to enhance workplace culture and performance management across the portfolio.
With more than two decades of experience in talent management and employee relations for luxury hotel brands, he has a track record of elevating workplace culture and improving employee lifecycles. Prior to joining The Kessler Collection, McCormick was vice president of human resources at The Broadmoor.
The Hiltons of Chicago Sales and Marketing Complex, representing Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, Hilton Chicago and The Drake Hotel have announced the promotion of Alison Wallace to director of sales, citywide strategy, effective April 1. She has over 28 years of experience, of which 25 has been with the Hiltons of Chicago Sales Complex.
Wallace will leverage her industry and leadership expertise to drive long-term citywide strategies that enhance the hotels’ collective legacy of nearly 350 years of hospitality excellence. She will contract citywide room blocks at Palmer House, Hilton Chicago and The Drake Hotel, while collaborating with affiliate sales managers to support group room and banquet strategies.
NEW GMs
Hilton has appointed Chintan Dadhich as complex general manager of the Tempo by Hilton Times Square in Manhattan. He will continue to oversee the Conrad New York Downtown where he’s been since 2022. As complex general manager, he will lead operations for both properties, driving excellence in guest experience, team engagement and brand positioning.
With over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and 22 years with Hilton, Dadhich has worked at several luxury properties. Prior to his move to New York in 2022, he led the repositioning and renovation of Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas.
Chicago Athletic Association has named Adam Gurgiolo has been appointed as general manager. In this role, Adam will lead the operations, revenue and guest experience for the hotel.
A Chicago area native, Gurgiolo began his hospitality journey as a front desk agent at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Naperville. Over the next 25 years, he held a variety of roles across the industry divisions, working with brands such as Hilton, Marriott, Starwood and Kimpton. He and his team played key role in the two-year transformation of the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago when Lotte Hotels and Resorts acquired it in 2022 to launch their first North American L7-branded lifestyle hotel.
Hotel 1000, LXR Hotels & Resorts has appointed Jeffery Modaff as general manager boutique hotel in downtown Seattle. In his new role, Modaff will oversee daily hotel operations while ensuring guest experience delivered with Pacific Northwest hospitality.
With experience in the luxury and lifestyle space, Modaff brings expertise in building strong teams, elevating hotels to award-winning acclaim and driving operational excellence. He joins Hotel 1000 from Conrad Los Angeles, where he served as opening hotel manager.
