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ASAE, Destinations International and NCBMP React to Brand USA Board Firings
By Todd McElwee
ASAE, Destinations International (DI) and the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) have each offered comment on the surprising late April dismissal of five members of the Brand USA Board. Brand USA directed questions to the Depart of Commerce.
Allen Orr, Founder, Orr Immigration Law Firm PC, who served as board secretary, confirmed his dismissal to USAE. When asked about potential resignations from remaining board members, he shared he hoped they would not as it is an “important board for the nation.” Orr was the lone past or current board member to offer comment.
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Photos of the Week
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Industry Movers
Marilia Pergola
Marilia Pergola has been appointed Vice President of Operations for the Caribbean and Latin America of Hotel Equities. Pergola will be based in the company’s Miami corporate office. Pergola has more than 20 years of experience in hotels. She spent the past eight years at Marriott International, where she recently served as the senior director of operations-owner & franchise relations for the Caribbean and Latin America.
Kenneth M. Hemsley Jr.
Kenneth M. Hemsley Jr., a 15-year veteran at Visit Indy, has been promoted to area sales leader—a new leadership role empowering senior staff to mentor sales managers and oversee specific markets. His purview includes associations based in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia and managing groups with 1,501 or more peak rooms. Previous roles at Visit Indy include senior national account director and national account director.
Dejan Djukic
Dejan Djukic is now Destination Restaurant Chef of Tía Carmen & Kembara at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. His career started at The Ritz-Carlton Phoenix in 2003 where he served as a banquet cook and culinary supervisor. Prior to his current position, Djukic was the destination restaurant chef of Tía Carmen. Now, he assumes the role of Destination Restaurant Chef for both eateries.
Shyam Lalu
Shyam Lalu has been named General Manager of The Statler, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel managed by Aimbridge Hospitality. The Statler is in Dallas and was built in 1956. It is recognized on the Historic Hotels of America registry. Lalu has spent 24 years serving in various roles in the hotel industry, most recently as the general manager of the Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport.
Chef Denis Ehmig
Chef Denis Ehmig is now Executive Chef at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. Ehmig’s career began at Le Cordon Bleu Chicago. He has worked at the JW Marriott Chicago, McCormick Place, and Marriott Marquis Chicago, where he most recently served as executive sous chef. In his new role, Ehmig oversees a team of more than 130 culinary and operations staff. His cooking style is rooted in French technique.
Scott Siebert
Scott Siebert is the General Manager of Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in San Diego. The property opens May 15. He brings more than 35 years of experience to his role, including a variety of leadership positions across Marriott International. Most recently, he served as hotel manager at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville. Siebert also held roles at Eden Roc Miami Beach Resort.
Association NEWS
Around Associations
American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) Issues Call for Abstracts for National Coastal Conference… In partnership with the California Shore & Beach Preservation Association (CSBPA) Headwaters to Oceans (H2O) conference, the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) has announced a Call for Abstracts for the National Coastal Conference, “Coasts on the Leading Edge: Bridging Science, Policy and Community.” It is set for October 7–10, in Long Beach, California.
“The ASBPA National Coastal Conference welcomes all coastal managers and stakeholders to learn the latest science, engineering, and policy needed to maintain and improve the health of our beachfront and estuarine shorelines and ecosystems, while developing collaborative networks to promote best management practices,” the association said.
Abstracts shall include discussions on objectives/motivations, methods/approach, results/findings, and conclusions/lessons learned. Topics include, but are not limited to, water quality, infrastructure, surfing, policies, funding and more.
Deadlines are June 1 and August 15 for PowerPoint presentations and poster presentations, respectively.
“Technical, policy-oriented, and coastal floodplain resource and flood risk management presentations or posters are invited for a broad range of coastal and estuarine ecology, science, engineering, economics, and policy,” ASBPA said. “We will also have special sessions with our CSBPA H2O partners.”
Find more information at asbpa.org.
Hotel NEWS
Checking Inn
Aerial shot of Sandals South Coast, home to 12 pickleball courts set on a pristine 50-acre property in Whitehouse, Jamaica.
Sandals and Beaches Resorts have been named the Official All-Inclusive Resorts partners of USA Pickleball, the national governing body for the sport. The partnership will offer new programming, comprehensive staff training, “top-quality equipment standards,” and new and upgraded courts and facilities at Sandals and Beaches properties, parent company Sandals Resorts International said on April 28.
“Pickleball’s rise in popularity has been nothing short of extraordinary and the enthusiasm is palpable in the Caribbean where we already welcome players of all levels from around the world to enjoy our 72 courts and counting,” said Melody Cargill, Sr. Manager of Fitness at Sandals Resorts International. “The momentum is only growing and we’re in it for the long run, investing heavily in the sport, our facilities and programming, while celebrating this designation by the very authority on pickleball, USA Pickleball. Sun, sand, pickleball: the Caribbean is the ultimate backdrop for play.”
For more information, visit sandals.com/pickleball or beaches.com/pickleball.
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea unveils a stunning transformation of three-bedroom Maile Presidential Suite.
The Four Seasons Resort Maui in Wailea, Hawaii, unveiled its recently renovated Maile Presidential Suite on April 23. According to the property: “The transformation unveils a refined 4,000-square-foot private residence, seamlessly blending elevated luxury with a serene wellness sanctuary, redefining five-star sophistication in the heart of Hawaii.”
The top-floor-suite offers guests 180-degree wraparound views of the Pacific and Hawaii’s neighboring islands. After the renovation, the suite has been updated with refined design and furnishings throughout its three bedrooms and bathrooms, with an expanded centra kitchen and entertaining bar.
“The Maile Suite is intentionally crafted to be an experience that feels deeply influenced by its location yet undeniably Four Seasons Resort Maui. By reshaping the suite’s layout and integrating wellness-focused elements, we’ve created a retreat where every detail reflects Maui’s pristine beauty in a way that feels both intentional and effortless,” said Will Meyer, Co-Founder of Meyer Davis, the design firm behind the suite’s refresh.
Rates for the suite begin at $31,000 per night. For more information, visit fourseasons.com/maui.
CVB Updates
Destination Dayton, the destination marketing organization for Dayton and Montgomery County in Ohio, is pleased to share that the 2025 NCAA First Four Tournament games generated $6,631,875 in estimated direct spending economic impact.
“This figure, based on an economic impact calculator from Destinations International and Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company, doesn’t even begin to capture the incredible value of having Dayton in the national media spotlight for one of the country’s most-watched sporting events with millions of viewers,” said Jacquelyn Y. Powell, President & CEO of Destination Dayton.
The NCAA First Four brings thousands of visitors to the Dayton region each year, including teams, fans, media, and officials, resulting in significant economic impact for the area. Since its inception, the First Four has attracted both national and international attention.
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