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Hyatt Regency Milwaukee Employees Fired Following Death of D’Vontaye Mitchell
By Jordan Bradley
Several employees at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee in Wisconsin have been fired for their involvement in the June 30 death of D’Vontaye Mitchell.
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Simon Firmin
Simon Firmin has been named Director of Sales and Marketing at Pendry Chicago. The hotel is situated within the Carbide & Carbon building. Firmin brings 16 years of experience. He served as director of sales and marketing for the Beemok Hospitality Collection, where he was brought on to oversee strategy, structure, and business approach for The Charleston Place Hotel. He also worked at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.
Matthew Iacobucci
Matthew Iacobucci has been hired by The Pontchartrain Hotel as its General Manager. The property is in New Orleans’ Garden District. Prior to joining The Pontchartrain Hotel, Iacobucci served as the hotel manager at Surety Hotel in Des Moines, a sister property in the Aparium Hotels portfolio. Prior to his time in Des Moines, Iacobucci was director food & beverage at Morgans Hotel Group in Miami Beach.
Sebastian Mena
Sebastian Mena has been named as the Director of Food & Beverage at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. He has spent more than 20 years in food and beverage. Formerly, he was the director of food & beverage at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami & Hotel Beaux Arts, Autograph Collection. He led the culinary, events, and banquets teams along with eight restaurants and bars.
Nenad Praporski
Nenad Praporski has been appointed as Fairmont Grand Del Mar’s General Manager. A seasoned hotelier with more than 20 years of experience in the industry, Praporski returns to Fairmont Grand Del Mar after most recently serving as general manager at Fairmont Austin. Praporski was previously executive director of rooms at Fairmont Grand Del Mar from 2010–2015. He started his career at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand.
Association NEWS
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NBAA Urges Job Development During House Committee Appearance… Jo Damato, CAM, Sr. Vice President of Education, Training and Workforce Development at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), recently submitted testimony to the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure’s Aviation Subcommittee.
She highlighted the need to focus on attracting the next generation of industry professionals as a national priority and urged Congress to ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) effectively implements plans contained in the agency’s newly enacted reauthorization to build a workforce preserving America’s global aviation leadership.
“This hearing highlights the importance of recruiting, retaining and engaging aviation talent, and underscores the work that must be energized,” Damato said.
She noted that the issue is a top concern for business aviation, which supports 1.2 million U.S. jobs and $247 billion in economic output.
Damato added: “We applaud the leaders on this subcommittee, and in both congressional chambers, who understand that America’s leadership in aviation is central to the nation’s leadership in the world. An investment in a highly trained and dedicated workforce is an imperative not just for the industry, but for the citizens, companies and communities that depend on it.
“We thank the subcommittee for holding this hearing, and we look forward to working with Congress to promote initiatives that ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in aviation, five, 10 and 25 years into the future.”
Find more information at nbaa.org.
Hotel NEWS
Checking Inn
Hilton Hotels announced on July 9 that is has partnered with Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), expanding its global luxury portfolio of properties by almost 400 boutique hotels.
The SLH hotel properties join Hilton’s luxury brand portfolio, which currently consists of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, and Signia by Hilton.
“The hundreds of independently minded properties are highly complementary to our renowned luxury portfolio and support Hilton’s ongoing efforts to expand and create distinct, localized travel experiences for our guests,” said Chris Silcock, President of Global Brands and Commercial Services at Hilton.
The boutique hotels will be available on all of Hilton’s direct booking channels, including Hilton’s website and the Hilton Honors app, allowing guests to earn and redeem points for stays at SLH properties.
Choice Hotels International has been named to TIME and Statista’s list of America’s Best Mid-Size Companies 2024, the hotel company announce July 11.
The list recognizes companies in the U.S. that generate between $100 million and $10 billion in revenue and highlights the companies “based on employee satisfaction, revenue growth and sustainability transparency,” Choice said.
“Choice is a stronger and more versatile company today because of the hard work of our associates and our commitment to sustainable growth. We are honored to be recognized by TIME and Statista as one of ‘America’s Best Mid-Size Companies 2024,’” said Patrick Cimerola, Chief Human Resources Officer at Choice. “As we continue to innovate and grow, we remain steadfast in our mission to provide exceptional value for our owners, associates, and guests.”
Convention Bureau/Center NEWS
CVB Update
The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) in Pennsylvania has announced the formation of the Pocono Mountains Sports, Entertainment & Film Commission to promote sports tourism for the benefit of the local communities.
The Pocono Mountains Sports, Entertainment & Film Commission is an entity of the PMVB founded by Chris Barrett, President & CEO of PMVB; Brian Bossuyt, Executive Vice President & CMO of PMVB; Ben May, President of Pocono Raceway; John Oakes, CEO of Poconos Park; and Ralph Lucchese, CEO of Lucchese Media.
The commission’s first major initiative is the establishment of the Poconos Film Office, designed to attract film and television productions to the region.
“The formation of the Pocono Mountains Sports, Entertainment & Film Commission marks a significant milestone in our efforts to leverage the natural beauty and existing infrastructure of the Poconos to attract major events and productions,” said Barrett. “We are excited about the economic opportunities this will bring to our communities.”
