As autumn settles in, the meetings and events industry throughout California is experiencing a rush of new appointments and well-deserved promotions at several of its hotels and convention and visitors bureaus.
Individual Appointments
San Diego Tourism Authority hired April Anderson as national sales director for the Southeast region where she will promote San Diego as a hotel meetings destination for markets in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. Anderson most recently served as senior sales manager at San Diego-based Access DMC, with other positions held at Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and Coronado Island Marriott Resort and Spa. sandiego.org
The InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco, An IHG Hotel, promoted Jennifer Dunn from director of sales and marketing to hotel manager in early September. Charged with overseeing all day-to-day hotel operations, Dunn’s responsibilities will include ensuring the delivery of high-quality guest experiences, colleague engagement, and profitability through strategic planning and leadership. ihg.com
Culinary expert Louis Martin joined Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs in mid-September as director of food and beverage, charged with leading the 153-room hotel’s full culinary program—which includes a restaurant and four bar concepts. His experience spans positions at resorts, fine-dining restaurants, lifestyle hotels, and more across the United States and Caribbean; he most recently served as director of food and beverage at Arizona-based Tanzerra Resorts. rowanpalmsprings.com
Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina appointed James McIver as its executive chef in early October. The 25-year culinary professional is a San Bernardino native and blends his Southern roots, Creole heritage, and classical European training to create delightful culinary experiences. His goal is to place the hotel and its dining options at the front of the food scene in Southern California, drawing inspiration from local seafood, produce, and rich cultural heritage of surrounding Los Angeles County. sonesta.com
Anna Marie Presutti was formally named president and CEO of San Francisco Travel Association in late September. She had been serving as interim president and CEO since May and will now officially oversee one of the largest membership-based tourism organizations in the country. She is also the first woman to hold the title in the organization’s 115-year history. sftravel.com
Alila Ventana Big Sur appointed Matt Skaletsky as its general manager at the end of September. He brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience to the role, most recently serving as general manager of The Islamorada Collection, a group of four hotels in the Florida Keys managed by Davidson Hospitality. Tasked with overseeing all day-to-day operations, his work will be comprised of leading the Alila Ventana team and developing strategic initiatives to elevate the resort’s guest experience. alilahotels.com
Jakub Skyvara joined The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla as general manager in early October. He replaces Bill Gross, who recently retired from the position. The lodge is managed by San Diego-based Evans Hotels, a family-owned hospitality company comprised of the lodge alongside Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa and the Bahia Resort Hotel. Skyvara most recently served as executive assistant manager at The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach. lodgetorreypines.com
Team Updates
Ahead of its opening later this year, The Fairmont Breakers Long Beach hotel has made a slew of updates to its culinary and wellness teams. Jared Reeves was appointed as executive chef, Max Pfeiffer was named chef de cuisine of Sky Room, Giuseppe A. Musso was appointed as chef de cuisine of Nettuno, and Natalie Smith was named spa director. Sky Room is the hotel’s established fine-dining outlet, and Nettuno will be its new Italian-inspired eatery. Smith will oversee the expansive spa, set to feature a two-story fitness center, relaxation room, and diverse menu of treatments and wellness offerings. fairmont-breakers.com
Visit Anaheim has welcomed several seasoned professionals to its teams—along with a few internal promotions. Adriel Terbeche was appointed as vice president of tourism and international sales in late September, tasked with targeting the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions market to draw international groups to the city. Christina Dawson was promoted to chief operating officer in mid-September, she has been with the organization for some 24 years. Ronnie Collins was promoted to chief sales officer, entrusted with elevating Visit Anaheim’s sales operations and international tourism strategies. Scott Olkin joined in mid-September as chief marketing officer, bringing extensive industry experience to the role. visitanaheim.org
Michael Monoocheri and Gaby Gentile joined Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in Rancho Santa Fe in early October. Monoocheri is the director of food and beverage and will oversee the resort’s culinary outlets—The Pony Room, Paddock at The Resort Pool, and Rein at The Spa Pool—alongside banquet and catering services. Gentile is the director of group sales, charged with managing group bookings across multiple local and regional markets in addition to overseeing all corporate and group guest experiences. ranchovalencia.com
