September 2024
Sep 24, 2024Checking in with Dondra Ritzenthaler | CEO, Azamara Cruises
THE BASICS Name: Dondra Ritzenthaler Title: CEO Company, city: Azamara Cruises; Miami (Coconut Grove), Florida First job: I was with American Airlines for 20 years and one day, in 11 different positions. I then moved to Celebrity Cruises, where I also worked for 20 years and one day! Where are you traveling next: I’m headed to Montréal for our next “Listen, Learn, and Link Together” session with travel agents.
September 2024
Sep 2, 2024Checking in with Chris Austin | President, North America, Explora Journeys
PHOTO: © EXPLORA JOURNEYS
Global City Guidebook 2024
Jul 8, 2024Won Yong Cho | Gyeonggi Tourism Organization
Name: Won Yong Cho Title: CEO Company, City: Gyeonggi Tourism Organization; Suwon, South Korea First job: Asiana Airlines Where to next? Santiago, Spain, to present Gyeonggi as a symbol of peace and a MICE destination
June 2024
Jun 11, 2024Frederic Zemmour | General Manager, L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
PHOTO: © L’ERMITAGE BEVERLY HILLS
May 2024
May 11, 2024Checking in with Michael Dorf Founder and CEO, City Winery
THE BASICS Name: Michael Dorf Title: Founder and CEO Company, city: City Winery; New York City First job: Founder of Knitting Factory Where to next: I’m going to Nashville for some real estate work, then to St. Louis, where we have a location, to host a 40th- anniversary college reunion. I’ll also head to wine meetings in Northern California.
March 2024
Mar 10, 2024Kil Ki-yon President and CEO, Seoul Tourism Organization
THE BASICS Name: Kil Ki-yon Title: President and CEO Company, City: Seoul Tourism Organization; Seoul, South Korea First job: At a company named PIC Where to next: I’m planning to visit Frankfurt to attend IMEX Frankfurt.
February 2024
Feb 2, 2024Checking in with Emilo Padilla-Larios Director of Operations, The Langham Huntington, Pasadena
PHOTO: © THE LANGHAM HUNTINGTON, PASADENA
December 2023
Dec 2, 2023Get to Know Jillian Simpson President and CEO, Alaska Travel Industry Association
PHOTO: © ALASKA TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
November 2023
Nov 4, 2023Get to know Francois Olivier-Luiggi General Manager, The Pierre New York, a Taj Hotel
PHOTO: © THE PIERRE NY
November 2023
Nov 4, 2023Getting to Know Mikko Turtiainen Director of Sales, The Americas, Condor Airlines
PHOTO: © CONDOR AIRLINEs
September 2023
Sep 11, 2023Natalya Leahy, President, Seabourn Cruise Line
THE BASICS Name: Natalya Leahy Title: President Company, city: Seabourn Cruise Line; headquarters in Seattle, Washington First job: I had just started college in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, right after the Soviet Union collapsed. With a passion for finance, I saw the new Le Méridien was hiring, so I walked in and asked for the head of finance. When he asked what experience I had, I told him three months studying finance at university. He suggested reception or food and beverage, but I convinced him to give me a chance, and I started the next day as assistant shopkeeper. I was chief accounting officer by the end of college. Where to next: Japan with my daughters for vacation, but I just got back from my first sailing on Seabourn Venture, the expedition ship!
August 2023
Aug 11, 2023Checking in with Suzanne Neufang CEO, Global Business Travel Association
THE BASICS Name: Suzanne Neufang Title: CEO Company, city: Global Business Travel Association; GBTA is fully remote, and I am based in New York City. First job: County 4-H program coordinator in North Dakota Where to next: Dallas for the GBTA Convention; Germany for vacation; Singapore for the GBTA APAC Conference; Lisbon to give a keynote at the World Aviation Festival; Brooklyn for our WINiT by GBTA Summit and Gala; and, finally, Hamburg for our GBTA Europe Conference. It will be a busy second half of 2023!
April/May 2023
May 30, 2023Catching Up With Benjamin Evers Swindell General Manager, Air New Zealand
THE BASICS Name: Benjamin Evers Swindell Title: General manager Company, city: Air New Zealand; Los Angeles, California First job: Cook at KFC at 14 years old Where to next: Vancouver to catch up with our airport teams
January/February 2023
Feb 1, 2023Michael Covey Managing Director, MileagePlus, United Airlines
PHOTO: © BARRY BRECHEISEN
December 2022
Dec 10, 2022Mark Sergot, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, IHG Hotels & Resorts
THE BASICS Name: Mark Sergot Title: Senior vice president, Global Sales Company, city: IHG Hotels & Resorts; Atlanta, Georgia First job: Guest service agent at a downtown Chicago convention hotel Where to next: Cannes, to attend the International Luxury Travel Market
Interviews
Nov 16, 2022Ellison “Tommy” Thompson, CEO, St. Kitts Tourism Authority
PHOTO: © ST. KITTS TOURISM AUTHORITY
November 2022
Nov 15, 2022Kristin Karst Owner and Executive Vice President, AmaWaterways
PHOTO: © AMAWATERWAYS
Class Act 2022
Oct 7, 2022Nadim Barrage General Manager, Loews Coral Gables Hotel
THE BASICS Name: Nadim Barrage Title: General manager Company, city: Loews Coral Gables Hotel; Coral Gables, Florida First job: Dishwasher at a French brasserie in Paris Where to next: Any chance I get, it’s off to Paris to see family.
Class Act 2022
Oct 6, 2022Christine Ourmières-Widener CEO, TAP Air Portugal
THE BASICS Name: Christine Ourmières-Widener Title: CEO Company, city: TAP Air Portugal; Lisbon, Portugal First job: I was a production engineer in a Concorde hangar. I was the only woman in the hangar; while the diversity is getting better and it’s good to see the progress, there’s still a long way to go. Where to next: The Azores on a personal trip to reconnect with nature
September 2022
Sep 3, 2022Andrea DeMarco | Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
PHOTO: © REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES
September 2022
Sep 3, 2022Get to Know Daniel Skjeldam CEO, Hurtigruten Group
THE BASICS Name: Daniel Skjeldam Title: CEO Company, city: Hurtigruten Group; Oslo, Norway, and London, England First job: I was a check-in and gate agent at Bergen Airport; it was an amazing job, and I absolutely loved it. Where to next: In the next few weeks I head out on a Hurtigruten Expeditions cruise to Greenland.
September 2022
Sep 3, 2022Get to Know Isis Ruiz, Chief Commercial Officer, American Queen Voyages
PHOTO: © AMERICAN QUEEN VOYAGES
August 2022
Aug 11, 2022Checking in with Delphine Millot, Senior Vice President of Sustainability, GBTA, and Managing Director, GBTA Foundation
PHOTO: © DELPHINE MILLOT
April/May 2022
Apr 24, 2022George Fleck | Vice president and global brand leader, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
THE BASICS
December 2021
Dec 14, 2021Jamie L. Rhee | Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation
THE BASICS Name: Jamie L. Rhee Title: Commissioner Company, city: Chicago Department of Aviation; Chicago, Illinois First job: I started working at The Deck, a truck stop off of I-80, when I was 16 years old. Where to next: I have a 7-year-old daughter, so next up we’re taking her to one of the Disney parks for the first time!
Lifestyle
Jul 16, 2021Join the Remote Work Revolution
Passport Heavy’s founder and CEO Jubril Agoro has found the key to living and breathing the digital nomad life for more than 10 years, from gaining more than 240,000 subscribers on his travel and lifestyle channel on YouTube, having his work shown on NoireTV, owning a thriving marketing education company and co-founding a financial education institution, Live Richer Academy.
April/May 2021
May 26, 2021Steve Smotrys, Vice President, Global Sales and Trade Relations, Seabourn
THE BASICS
September 2021
Mar 8, 2021Kristin Carlson, Managing Director Tahiti Tourisme North America
PHOTO: © TAHITI TOURISME NORTH AMERICA
January/February 2021
Feb 10, 2021Philippe Gombert: President and CEO, Relais & Châteaux
THE BASICS
December 2020
Dec 18, 2020Danny Hughes, Executive Vice President and President, Americas, Hilton
Name: Danny Hughes Title: Executive vice president and president, Americas Company, city: Hilton; McLean, Virginia First job: I was a chef at my parents’ pub, which led to my first job with this great company as a chef at the London Hilton. Where to next: Latin America. We have some important hotel owners and new properties to see.
November 2020
Nov 6, 2020Luc Bondar, President, United MileagePlus, and Vice President, Marketing & Loyalty
PHOTO: © NICOLAS BATES
November 2020
Nov 1, 2020Duncan Bureau, Senior Vice President, Sales and Distribution, Etihad Airways
PHOTO: © ETIHAD AIRWAYS
August 2020
Aug 26, 2020Jeff Guaracino, President and CEO, Visit Philadelphia
PHOTO: © VISIT PHILADELPHIA
August 2020
Jul 30, 2020James Soerensen, General Manager, The Beaumont
THE BASICS Name: Jannes Soerensen Title: General manager Company, city: The Beaumont; London, United Kingdom First job: Page boy at The Adlon in Berlin, Germany Where to next: New York City, hopefully!
March 2020
Mar 2, 2020Mark Eberwein, General Manager, W Hollywood
THE BASICS Name: Mark Eberwein Title: General manager Company, city: W Hollywood; Hollywood, California First job: Dishwasher at a greasy spoon called Aunt Emma’s. It was the only place that would hire a 15-year-old. Where to next: Mount Rushmore; we’re exploring everything America has to offer.
February 2020
Feb 3, 2020Ghim-Lay Yeo, Vice President, Corporate Communications, oneworld Interview
THE BASICS Name: Ghim-Lay Yeo Title: Vice president, corporate communications Company, city: oneworld; New York, New York First job: When I was 18 years old, as a telemarketer for a financial services company, I had to cold-call people, which is never pleasant. Where to next: Madrid, Spain
February 2020
Feb 3, 2020Lisa Holladay, Global Brand Leader, Marriott International Interview
THE BASICS
January 2020
Jan 2, 2020Ahmed Elassy
THE BASICS Name: Ahmed Elassy Title: General manager Company, city: AC Hotel by Marriott Los Angeles South Bay; Los Angeles, California First job: Auto show organizer; first hospitality job: operator Where to next: Anywhere with a beach and a hammock, probably Costa Rica or some other exotic island
December 2019
Dec 18, 2019Yil Surehan
Name: Yil Surehan Title: Vice president, airline business development Company, city: Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority; Washington, D.C. Number of employees: 1,700 Recent project: I lead a team of seven people dedicated to attracting new and expanded business to our two airports, Ronald Reagan Washington National and Washington Dulles International, and we’ve been focused on growing air service out of Dulles. First job: I worked in a pet store at age 13 and worked my way through high school, college and grad school. Little-known fact about you: Just like the movie, I am a teenager trapped in his father’s body!
December 2019
Dec 4, 2019Evan Fazio
Name: Evan Fazio Title: General manager Company, city: City Winery and City Vineyard; New York, New York Number of employees: 250 Recent project: City Winery at Rockefeller Center, City Winery at Pier 57 First job: Steakhouse busboy at age 14 Little-known fact about you: I play bass in a Beatles tribute jam band.
November 2019
Nov 4, 2019Alicia Cummings: Vice President, Marketing, Paul Gauguin Cruises
Name: Alicia Cummings
October 2019
Oct 8, 2019Fabio Lazzerini, Chief Business Officer, Alitalia
Name: Fabio Lazzerini Title: Chief business officer Company, city: Alitalia; Rome, Italy Number of employees: 12,000 Recent project: Re-launching Alitalia and coming out of the tough times First job: I worked in the State Department for nine years. Little-known fact about you: I grew up in the mountains surrounding Lake Como, and my dream career is to start a business in the wine industry.
October 2019
Oct 1, 2019Deborah Flint, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles World Airports
Name: Deborah Flint Title: Chief executive officer Company, city: Los Angeles World Airports; Los Angeles, California Number of employees: 3,700 Recent project: We painstakingly removed a pedestrian bridge to pave the way for our Automated People Mover and we broke ground on our Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility. First job: I was an ice cream server at the Sweet Stop, but I actually lost money because of all the ice cream my little sister ate. Little-known fact about you: I’m the biggest Golden State Warriors fan in Los Angeles.
Interviews
Sep 1, 2019Dan White, Complex General Manager, Claridge House
Name: Dan White Title: Complex general manager Company, city: Claridge House; Chicago, Illinois Number of employees: 70 Recent project: Leading a neighborhood mural design and installation project First job: Grocery store clerk Little-known fact about you: I enjoy playing acoustic guitar.
August 2019
Aug 1, 2019Michael Dorf, CEO and Founder, City Winery
Name: Michael Dorf Title: CEO and founder Company, city: City Winery; New York, New York (additional locations in Chicago; Boston; Atlanta; Washington, D.C.; and Nashville; plus Philadelphia and Hudson Valley coming soon) Number of employees: 1,000-plus Recent project: Raising money for Solar Responders, a great nonprofit working to solve the electric grid challenge during storms in Puerto Rico using renewable energy at all first responder stations First job: I never worked for anyone. I sold my beer can collection at a flea market at age 12, had a lawn mowing business at 13–14, built rec rooms on contract at 15–16, did more flea market business, then started the Knitting Factory. Little-known fact about you: I really love hiking, going off into the woods almost every weekend for at least a two-hour hike/climb. Once a year for the last 31 years, I go away out of cell range and spend a week off the grid, going deep into a journey while on some mountain expedition.
Interviews
Jul 1, 2019Jae-sung Rhee, President and CEO, Seoul Tourism Organization
Name: Jae-sung Rhee Title: President and CEO Company, city: Seoul Tourism Organization; Seoul, South Korea Number of employees: 150 in the STO office Recent project: Launching a Seoul Welcome Kit through our Seoul MICE Alliances program, which includes vouchers for extra services and goods from more than 30 partners First job: I worked at a shipbuilding company in Masan, South Korea. As I majored in Spanish in my university years, my first project was working on ships for export to Venezuela. Little-known fact about you: I enjoy playing golf and walking outdoors.
Interviews
Jul 1, 2019Eva Reda, Executive Vice President, Global Co-Brand Partnerships and Business Development, American Express
Name: Eva Reda Title: Executive vice president, global co-brand partnerships and business development Company, city: American Express; New York City, New York Number of employees: 55,000 Recent project: The rebrand and refresh of the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card portfolio, formerly the SPG American Express Card portfolio First job: I was a pharmacy technician. Little-known fact about you: I love old homes and find restoration so much fun. I bought a home from the 1890s and restored it to what it was; I love all the detail and architecture notes.
Interviews
Jun 1, 2019John Selden, Airport General Manager, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Name: John Selden Title: Airport general manager Company, city: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Number of employees: 700 in the Department of Aviation; 63,000 employees throughout the airport Recent project: The canopy on the south side of the airport will be finished by mid-September. First job: I started a lawn mowing business with my friend when I was 14 years old on Long Island. Later, I attended flight training with the U.S. Navy in Pensacola, Florida. Little-known fact about you: I’m left-handed and enjoy wake boarding.
Interviews
Jun 1, 2019Tarek Adawy, General Manager, USA, EgyptAir
Name: Tarek Adawy Title: General manager, USA Company, city: EgyptAir, New York, New York Number of employees: 20 in New York; 9,000 in Cairo Recent project: Working on opening new gateways in the United States First job: EgyptAir ticket agent in Cairo Little-known fact about you: I am a Backstreet Boys fan.
Interviews
May 1, 2019Brendan Griffin, Minister of State for Tourism & Sport, Government of Ireland Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport
Name: Brendan Griffin Title: Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Company, city: Government of Ireland Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport; Dublin, Ireland Recent project: Tourism Ireland recently launched a new brand advertising campaign, “Fill Your Heart with Ireland,” to inspire Americans to put Ireland on their vacation destination list. First job: I was a porter at age 15 at a 5-star hotel in Killarney, my summer job Little-known fact about you: I am a writer; I have self-published two books of fiction for children and have one planned for adults.
Interviews
May 1, 2019Perry Cantarutti, Senior Vice President, Alliances, Delta Air Lines
Name: Perry Cantarutti Title: Senior vice president, alliances Company, city: Delta Air Lines; Atlanta, Georgia Number of employees: 80,000 company-wide; 50 in Alliances department Recent project: Bringing together our two trans-Atlantic joint ventures into one combined partnership that offers more than 340 destinations First job: Analyst, domestic yield management Little-known fact about you: I was a young entrepreneur at the age of 12, starting a small business selling coffee and pastries at an Italian film festival organized by my father. More than 40 years later, the festival is still going strong, but I lost the taste for coffee!
April 2019
Apr 1, 2019M. İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines
Name: M. İlker Aycı Title: Chairman of the board and executive committee Company, city: Turkish Airlines; İstanbul, Turkey Number of employees: Approximately 51,000, including subsidiaries Recent project: Bringing all our developing technology within Turkish Airlines to create a seamless experience, from using AI in our reservation system to fullservice enhancements at the airport First job: Right out of university, I worked for the İstanbul metropolitan government as a consultant for the mayor. Little-known fact about you: I enjoy learning about the unique cultures, from gastronomy to history and mythology, of the places I visit around the world.
April 2019
Apr 1, 2019Derek DeCross, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, InterContinental Hotels Group
Name: Derek DeCross Title: Senior vice president, global sales Company, city: InterContinental Hotels Group; Atlanta, Georgia Number of employees: 375,000 at 5,500 hotels and corporate offices around the world Recent project: We celebrated reaching the milestone of 200 Inter- Continental Hotels and Resorts open around the world. First job: Unpaid? Probably pulling weeds for my mom. Paid? I was a cook and a carhop at a Sonic Drive-In at age 15. Little-known fact about you: My first hotel job was playing piano in lobbies and bars.
Interviews
Mar 1, 2019Ayo Akinsete, Managing Director/Vice President of Operations, Dream Hollywood
Name: Ayo Akinsete Title: Managing director/vice president of operations Company, city: Dream Hollywood; Los Angeles, California Number of employees: 250 Recent project: Dream Hollywood First job: Football player for West Ham United in the U.K. Little-known fact about you: I love music; sometimes people call me a jukebox. I DJ as a hobby.
Interviews
Mar 1, 2019Rob Gurney, CEO, oneworld
Name: Rob Gurney Title: CEO Company, city: oneworld; New York, New York Number of employees: The central oneworld team numbers around 30, but oneworld member airlines collectively employ 400,000. Recent project: I don’t think of things as projects but as a stream of initiatives to make the customer experience better. In that vein, we’re updating technology, growing revenue by making it easier to do business with us and reimagining our brand. First job: Unpaid, I ran errands for my grandfather; he owned multiple businesses, from jewelry to betting shops. In the travel industry, I started as a management trainee with Qantas. Little-known fact about you: I’m a long-time surfer. It’s not as easy to surf in NYC as it has been in some of my other postings.
Interviews
Mar 1, 2019Jamie Rhee, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation
Name: Jamie Rhee Title: Commissioner Company, city: Chicago Department of Aviation; Chicago, Illinois Number of employees: 1,400 Recent project: O’Hare International Airport is always on the move, with new services, new amenities and projects opening to serve our customers. Most recently, we opened a Multi Modal Facility, centralizing all our rental car operations for the first time, and expanded economy parking capacity. We also just opened a centralized deicing pad for use by all our carriers, which will enhance operational efficiency, improve gate capacity and further reduce delays during Chicago’s winter operations. First job: I’ve come full circle; it was providing foreign language assistance at ORD. I also served as general counsel here 2004–2008. Little-known fact about you: I grew up on a farm in a small town with only one stoplight!
February 2019
Feb 1, 2019Luis Gallego, Chief Executive Officer, Iberia
Name: Luis Gallego Title: Chief executive officer Company, city: Iberia; Madrid, Spain Number of employees: 16,000 Recent project: In 2012 Iberia’s transformation began. At that point, the airline was losing $1 million per day. I joined in 2013 to help turn the company around; with more than 30 initiatives today, we strive to be the best in everything. First job: I studied to be an engineer, but I’ve been in the aviation industry since I started my career 25 years ago. Little-known fact about you: I don’t have a lot of secrets! I’m a big supporter of Real Madrid Football Club.
February 2019
Feb 1, 2019Janelle Anderson, Vice President, Global Marketing, American Airlines
Name: Janelle Anderson Title: Vice president, global marketing Company, city: American Airlines; Fort Worth, Texas Number of employees: 100 people on AA’s marketing team and 130,000 worldwide Recent project: Developing AA’s Flagship program as the only domestic airline with a truly first-class product First job: I was a swimmer in college, so my first job as a lifeguard in Cambridge, Minnesota, was an easy choice. Little-known fact about you: In college I minored in English and theology, which taught me how to think broadly and from different points of view.
Interviews
Jan 1, 2019Thomas Kochs, Managing Director, Corinthia Hotel, London
Name: Thomas Kochs Title: Managing director Company, city: Corinthia Hotel London Number of employees: 500 Recent project: Working with Tom Kerridge to open Kerridge’s Bar & Grill and the new London and Garden suites First job: I worked in a restaurant in my hometown. Little-known fact about you: I enjoy cooking and frequently have dinner parties. I do not enjoy baking, but cooking for friends is enjoyable.
December 2018
Dec 1, 2018Rafael Lizarraga, Chief Commercial Officer, Grupo Posadas
Name: Rafael Lizarraga Title: Chief commercial officer Company, city: Grupo Posadas; Mexico City, Mexico Number of employees: 18,200 Recent project: We expanded outside of Mexico, opening two new Fiesta Americana hotels in Cuba. First job: I started in reservations with Grupo Posadas 24 years ago. Little-known fact about you: When possible, I like to cook, but I hate to wash the dishes.
Interviews
Nov 1, 2018Jess Peterson, Director, Itinerary and Revenue Planning, Windstar Cruises
Name: Jess Peterson Title: Director, itinerary and revenue planning Company, city: Windstar Cruises; Seattle, Washington Number of employees: 1,800 (140 at the Seattle headquarters) Recent project: Launch of Wind Surf’s Grand Caribbean voyage, a 56-night voyage to every corner of the Caribbean. Our flagship will visit many places for the first time, including a partial transit of the Panama Canal, ports in Central America and Cayman Brac. First job: Product manager, Imgur Technologies Little-known fact about you: I studied computer science and thought I would work in Silicon Valley after college.
Interviews
Oct 1, 2018Peter Ingram, President and CEO, Hawaiian Airlines
Name: Peter Ingram Title: President and CEO Company, city: Hawaiian Airlines; Honolulu, Hawai’i Number of employees: 7,153 worldwide Recent project: Integrating the Airbus A321neos into our fleet; we will have 11 by the end of 2018 and 18 by 2020. Also, 10 Boeing 787-9s will join our fleet starting in 2021. First job: I delivered the Toronto Star at age 10, including in the winter. Little-known fact about you: I enjoy hiking Koko Crater Trail in East Honolulu, with its 1,000-plus steps. On my 50th birthday I hiked it three times to prove I could do it.
Interviews
Oct 1, 2018Charles E. “Chilly” Ewing, Sr., Director of Concessions, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Name: Charles E. “Chilly” Ewing, Sr. Title: Director of concessions Company, city: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Atlanta, Georgia Number of employees: 63,000 employees overall; 6,000 in concessions Recent project: Completing request for proposals for new concession vendors, and our Global Runway event First job: As a youngster, I worked at a newsstand. Then I spent 27 years in the Air Force and served in Vietnam and Desert Storm. Little-known fact about you: I love to ride motorcycles and I love to golf.
Interviews
Sep 1, 2018François Luiggi, General Manager, The Pierre, a Taj Hotel
Name: François Luiggi Title: General manager Company, city: The Pierre, a Taj Hotel; New York City Number of employees: 500-plus Recent project: Launch of our new signature restaurant, Perrine First job: Assistant manager of room service at the Essex House in New York when it was managed by Nikko Hotels Little-known fact about you: I was born and raised on Corsica in southeastern France.
Interviews
Sep 1, 2018Kristen Bowdoin, Managing Director, Chase Bank Credit Cards
Name: Kristen Bowdoin Title: Managing director Company, city: Chase Bank Credit Cards; Wilmington, Delaware Number of employees: 12 Recent project: Relaunching the United MileagePlus Explorer Card from Chase June 1; now called the United Explorer Card, it offers two times the miles on dining and hotel stays, up to a $100 statement credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee and 25 percent back on in-flight purchases, including WiFi. First job: My first job was working at a fast-food Greek restaurant in Paramus Park Mall, where I got hooked on Greek salads. My first job in credit cards was 23 years ago, at the banking management company at a Pennsylvania regional bank. Little-known fact about you: I love to dance. I’m the first person on the dance floor at weddings.
August 2018
Aug 1, 2018Morten B. Andersen, General Manager, SIGNIEL Seoul
Name: Morten B. Andersen Title: General manager Company, city: SIGNIEL Seoul Number of employees: 300 at SIGNIEL Seoul; 120,000 with Lotte Recent project: Opening of the L7 properties in various cities First job: Steward at a hotel, responsible for filling the minibars Little-known fact about you: I am a diverse music lover; I enjoy nearly every type of music.
August 2018
Aug 1, 2018Mert Dorman, Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing & Distribution Channels, Turkish Airlines
Name: Mert Dorman Title: Senior vice president, corporate marketing & distribution channels Company, city: Turkish Airlines; İstanbul, Turkey Number of employees: 24,075 Recent project: Corporate Help Desk First job: Financial consultant, Aviva Life and Pensions Little-known fact about you: I graduated from Istanbul University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and hold a master’s degree in business administration from Marmara University.
Interviews
Jul 1, 2018Luc Bondar, President, MileagePlus Holdings; Vice President, Loyalty; United Airlines
Name: Luc Bondar Title: President, MileagePlus Holdings; vice president, loyalty Company, city: United Airlines; Chicago, Ill. Number of employees: 90,000 Recent project: With Chase, we launched the new United Explorer Card, now the best $95 travel card in the United States, allowing MileagePlus members to accelerate their earning power with 2x miles for hotel and dining purchases. First job: Waiting tables and working bars in high school and university, I learned the value of hard work and the power of connecting with people. Little-known fact about you: My first international flight was at 6 months old, on a Boeing 747 with my parents from Australia to San Francisco via Honolulu. When I joined United in 2017, I flew United’s last 747 SFO–HNL flight. It felt like one travel chapter closing as a new one opened.
Interviews
Jun 1, 2018Heather Geisler, Vice President, Global Brands, Full Service, Hyatt
Name: Heather Geisler Title: Vice president, Global Brands, Full Service Company, city: Hyatt; Chicago, Ill. Number of employees: 110,000 colleagues Recent project: We recently launched (ANDAZ)RED Cabanas across Andaz hotels in West Hollywood, Mayakoba, Costa Rica, Scottsdale and Maui, with a portion of each cabana booking going directly to support (RED)’s fight to end AIDS. And, for the Hyatt Regency brand, we launched the Portraits of Understanding initiative that brought cancer survivors to the Chicago hotel for empowerment, healing and to help them move on. First job: I bagged groceries in Chicago at age 15. Little-known fact about you: I am a yoga devotee.
Interviews
May 1, 2018George Liu, Chief Marketing Officer, Hong Kong Airlines
Name: George Liu Title: Chief marketing officer Company, city: Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Number of employees: 3,500 worldwide and 12 in the United States, with more to come as we expand Recent project: Hong Kong Airlines launched its first continental U.S. destination at LAX in December, followed by SFO in March. We welcomed our first Airbus A350 Sept. 1 and opened a state-of-the-art VIP lounge at HKG. First job: I was a journalist for eight years, then moved into public relations and marketing. Little-known fact about you: I dress to express myself. As a marketing executive I have the freedom to be creative, and I like to incorporate my personality and that of the brand into my daily uniform.
April 2018
Apr 1, 2018Ashley Gochnauer, General Manager, Kimpton Everly Hotel Hollywood
Name: Ashley Gochnauer Title: General manager Company, city: Kimpton Everly Hotel Hollywood; Los Angeles, Calif. Number of employees: About 125 First job: My first hotel job was with W Hotels as a guest services agent. Little-known fact about you: I am a coffee enthusiast, and it is a true hobby. I love exploring L.A.’s coffee scene, which has no shortage of great options.
April 2018
Apr 1, 2018Marc Ferguson, General Manager, Delta Sky Club Experience
Name: Marc Ferguson Title: General manager, Delta Sky Club Experience Company, city: Delta Air Lines; Atlanta, Ga. Number of employees: More than 80,000 Recent project: Launch of our third Asanda Spa Lounge, in our Delta Sky Club at ATL First job: Retail manager at Federated Department Stores (Rich’s, now Macy’s) Little-known fact about you: I swam in the U.S. Olympic Trial in 1988 in Austin, Texas.
Interviews
Mar 1, 2018Zahi Hawass, Former Minister of Antiquities, Egypt
Name: Zahi Hawass Title: Former Minister of Antiquities Company, city: Consultant; Cairo, Egypt Number of employees: Three to four assistants Recent project: Director of excavation at Valley of the Kings, monthly lecture series for American tourists with a tour company, other lectures around the world, writing articles for publications in Egypt, preparing the second part of my autobiography First job: Inspector of Antiquities at Tuna El-Gebel in Middle Egypt Little-known fact about you: I get really nervous and annoyed when I meet any stupid man or woman.
Interviews
Mar 1, 2018Frank Reilly, President, Reilly Financial Advisors
Name: Frank Reilly Title: President Company, city: Reilly Financial Advisors; San Diego, Calif. Number of employees: 40 Recent project: Entering the institutional retirement plan space, expanding into our European office and offering free financial education to the masses First job: I was a dishwasher at a barbecue restaurant when I was 16. Little-known fact about you: I’ve taken 20-plus around-the-world flights, and I’m an ordained deacon in the Catholic Church.
April 2017
Feb 1, 2018Liza Milagro, Sustainability Manager, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Name: Liza Milagro Title: Sustainability manager Company, city: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Atlanta, Ga. Number of employees: 63,000 Recent project: Green Acres ATL Energy Park & Entrepreneurial Center First job: Sales rep/assistant buyer for my family’s Just Sox store Little-known fact about you: I am a vermiculturist; our worm colonies eat our vegetative food scraps, paper towels and shredded paper.
February 2018
Feb 1, 2018Slim Zaiane, General Manager, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates Dubai
Name: Slim Zaiane Title: General manager Company, city: Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates Dubai; Dubai, U.A.E. Number of employees: 400 Recent project: Our $100 million property renovation, with the full refurbishment of the Aspen Chalets, took close to four years to complete. First job: Food and beverage management trainee in Geneva at what was then the Hilton, now a Kempinski Little-known fact about you: I am British; I was born in Tunisia and studied in Switzerland and the U.K. I speak fluent French, English, Arabic and Italian. I am married with two daughters. I love to run 10k at the end of a hectic day and tend to complete 100k in running per month.
February 2018
Feb 1, 2018Trey Urbahn, Chief Strategy Officer, TAP Air Portugal
Name: Trey Urbahn Title: Chief strategy officer Company, city: TAP Air Portugal; Lisbon, Portugal Number of employees: Approximately 7,800 airline employees, with another 4,000-plus at ground handling, maintenance and regional subsidiaries Recent project: Transforming TAP from a stodgy, state-owned airline to a private, innovative, profitable airline capable of competing globally First job: I rotated stock on supermarket shelves for a pet food company in college. Little-known fact about you: I commute weekly from my home in Connecticut to Lisbon. Before that, I did the same to São Paulo. In the past 12 years, I’ve flown more than 5 million miles and spent more than 1,000 nights commuting to and from work.
Interviews
Jan 1, 2018Diego Garcia, Commercial Director, Aerolineas Argentinas
Name: Diego Garcia Title: Commercial director Company, city: Aerolineas Argentinas; Buenos Aires, Argentina Number of employees: 12,300 Recent project: Launching our third gateway in Argentina: Córdoba First job: I was a travel agent; I’ve been in this industry for 28 years in a variety of different capacities. Little-known fact about you: I was a professional soccer player when I was young; I played fullback.
Interviews
Jan 1, 2018Kim Day, CEO, Denver International Airport
Name: Kim Day Title: CEO Company, city: Denver International Airport; Denver, Colo. Number of employees: 1,200 city employees who actually work for the airport, plus 400 Denver Police and Fire first responders Recent project: We opened a 519-room Westin hotel at a commuter rail station, incredibly significant to the airport and far exceeding revenue projections. The rail station makes DEN physically closer to downtown. Ridership is up and trains run frequently. First job: Working for a large architectural firm after earning a degree in architecture Little-known fact about you: I played alto saxophone in high school and college marching bands.
December 2017
Dec 1, 2017Jittima Sukpalin, Executive Director, The Americas Region Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand
Name: Ms. Jittima Sukpalin Title: Executive Director, The Americas Region Department Company, city: Tourism Authority of Thailand; Bangkok, Thailand Number of employees: 30 Recent project: Destination Wedding Planner Congress in Phuket, May 2017; Thailand Travel Mart+ 2017 in Chiang Mai First Job: Marketing officer, marketing publicity division, marketing services department Little-known fact about you: Apart from expertise in marketing, I have experience in marketing communications of more than 15 years.
December 2017
Dec 1, 2017Rob Gurney, CEO, Oneworld
Name: Rob Gurney Title: CEO Company, city: oneworld; New York, N.Y. Number of employees: 25 at oneworld; 400,000 across our member airlines Recent project: I started in this role October 2016, so I’m looking at the business with a fresh set of lenses, focused on how we can make our offerings more contemporary. Airlines have changed, and we need to better utilize our digital capabilities. First job: My grandfather was an entrepreneur, and my first job was working in his betting shops. Little-known fact about you: I’m an animal lover, a supporter of animal charities and also a surfer.
December 2017
Dec 1, 2017David Canty, Vice President Loyalty Programs, InterContinental Hotels Group
Name: David Canty Title: Vice president loyalty programs Company, city: InterContinental Hotels Group; Atlanta, Ga. Number of employees: More than 300,000 globally, including hotels Recent project: We launched a Stay Preferences program last year that gives members an easy way to tell us about what they prefer when they travel. First job: I worked as a farm laborer during the summers in Ireland: bailing hay, cutting corn, picking potatoes and carrots and even milking cows. Little-known fact about you: I grew up in the pub industry in Ireland. My great-grandfather opened Canty’s Bar in Cork in 1892. My grandfather and then my dad ran it until it was sold. It is still there, so if your travels take you to Cork, drop in for a pint.
Interviews
Nov 1, 2017Allison Ausband, Senior Vice President, In-Flight Service, Delta Air Lines
Name: Allison Ausband Title: Senior vice president, inflight service Company, city: Delta Air Lines; Atlanta, Ga. Number of employees: 80,000 Recent project: Improving Delta’s Main Cabin experience, from the overall flow of service to providing more unique and thoughtful choices for passengers First job: At 15 I worked at an ice cream parlor. The job taught me to always test the product and be creative. Little-known fact about you: I was a morning radio announcer for a local station, Easy Listening.
Interviews
Nov 1, 2017Dan Donahue, President, Saunders Hotel Group
Name: Dan Donahue Title: President Company, City: Saunders Hotel Group; Boston, Mass. Number of employees: 425 Recent project: Acquiring the Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro First job: I was a cashier, dishwasher and soda jerk (for millennials, Google it). Little-known fact about you: I went to the seminary and almost became a priest.
Interviews
Oct 1, 2017Stephen Thompson, Senior Executive Vice President, Qantas Airways
Name: Stephen Thompson Title: Senior executive vice president Company, city: Qantas Airways; Los Angeles, Calif. Number of employees: 28,000 worldwide; 250 in the United States Recent project: G’Day USA, our annual campaign with Australia to bring trade, tech, Best of Australia to the United States First job: I sold insurance in Adelaide for 12 months, then moved into the airline industry, starting at Ansett Airlines for 14 years and then Qantas for 24 years. Little-known fact about you: I run three times a week, three 10k jogs around Santa Monica. I also run when I travel to help with jet lag.
Interviews
Oct 1, 2017Michael Ziemer, General Manager, Mandarin Oriental, Taipei
Name: Michael Ziemer Title: General manager Company, city: Mandarin Oriental, Taipei Number of employees: 650 Recent project: Concept changes for two restaurants: from formal French to all-day dining, and from a Cantonese to a Chinese restaurant serving specialties from around China, Hong Kong and Taiwan First job: Hotel management trainee in Sydney, Australia Little-known fact about you: I truly enjoy the simpler things in life!
Interviews
Sep 1, 2017Michael Dorf, CEO, City Winery
Name: Michael Dorf Title: Founder, CEO Company, city: City Winery; New York City, N.Y. Number of employees: 750, with plans to have 1,000 by the end of 2017 Recent project: We’re opening City Winery locations in Boston and Washington, D.C., this year, with plans to announce three more openings in 2018. First job: I’ve never worked for anyone else; I’ve always created my own money-making opportunities. I started a lawn mowing business, collected beer cans … many different jobs before I opened the Knitting Factory in 1987 in New York City. Little-known fact about you: I’m a golfer, which doesn’t necessarily fit in the avant-garde club world I’ve come up in.
Interviews
Sep 1, 2017Byung-Tae Kim, CEO and President, Seoul Tourism Organization
Name: Byung-Tae Kim Title: CEO and president Company, city: Seoul Tourism Organization Number of employees: 125 Recent project: Creating local, authentic experiences for MICE visitors through new initiatives First job: Ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, I noticed the only atlas maps were in Korean, and I published the first atlas maps of Korea in English, Chinese and Korean just in time for the event. Little-known fact about you: For my mandatory military service, I was stationed in the DMZ, quite rigorous and tough but a rewarding and memorable experience.
August 2017
Aug 1, 2017Franco Tedeschi, Regional Vice President, American Airlines
Name: Franco Tedeschi Title: Regional vice president Company, city: American Airlines; Chicago, Ill. Number of employees: 120,000 overall for American Airlines and 10,000 strong in Chicago Recent project: Construction projects at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and the launch of new routes First job: As a waiter to help pay for college, I served the likes of Telly Savalas and Sofia Loren. I joined flight operations with American Airlines in 1990. Little-known fact about you: I’ve lived in 10 places in the United States, Europe and Asia, and I speak four languages; I’ll master Japanese before I die.
August 2017
Aug 1, 2017Jayson Goh, Managing Director, Airport Operations Management, Changi Airport
Name: Jayson Goh Title: Managing director, airport operations management Company, city: Changi Airport, Singapore Number of employees: Changi Airport Group has 1,800; the airport community has 50,000. Recent project: In January we kicked off a SGD50 million project with the Singapore Economic Development Board called Changi Airport Living Lab Programme, collaborating with innovation-driven companies and startups to develop and demonstrate new technology solutions in a live airport environment. First job: Singapore Economic Development Board, for 15 years Little-known fact about you: In junior college I was on the canoe team, and we paddled around the island of Singapore for three days, an amazing experience that grew my appreciation for nature while testing my physical strength and mental endurance.
Editorial
Jul 1, 2017Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer, Delta Air Lines
Name: Ed Bastian Title: Chief executive officer Company, city: Delta Air Lines; Atlanta, Ga. Number of employees: 80,000 Recent project: Notable ongoing projects include closing a joint venture with Aeromexico and launching an expanded partnership with Korean Air, launching a major enhancement and expansion of our facilities at LAX, embarking on a major terminal project at New York-LaGuardia, and paying more than $1 billion in profit-sharing to our employees for the third year in a row. First job: Working on a road crew in upstate New York Little-known fact about you: I was once the official accountant for the MTV Music Awards and briefly appeared on the show.
Editorial
Jun 1, 2017Joe Berger, President, Americas, Hilton
Name: Joe Berger Title: President, Americas Company, city: Hilton; McLean, Va. Number of employees: 165,000 worldwide and 65,000 in the Americas Recent project: We recently opened Conrad Chicago on the Magnificent Mile and will open the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills this June, the first new-build Waldorf Astoria on the West Coast. First job: I began my hospitality career as a bellman at the Marriott Hotel at Dulles International Airport. Little-known fact about you: You would never know it by my personality, but I am a highly introverted person.
Editorial
Jun 1, 2017Ho, Nuan-Hsuan, Chairman, China Airlines
Name: Ho, Nuan-Hsuan Title: Chairman Company, city: China Airlines; Taoyuan City, Taiwan Number of employees: 12,645 First job: Teaching assistant Little-known fact about you: I have extensive experience in the transportation sector, most recently as chairman of the Taoyuan Metro Corp.
Interviews
May 1, 2017Elena Kountoura, Minister of Tourism, Greece
Name: Elena Kountoura Title: Minister of Tourism, Greece Company, city: Ministry of Tourism; Athens, Greece Number of employees: Almost 1 million jobs in Greece are linked with tourism and travel. Recent project: National tourism policy to promote Greece as a 365-day destination First job: Physical education professor Little-known fact about you: Mother of two wonderful sons
Interviews
May 1, 2017Anthony Melchiorri, Creator and Host, Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible, and Managing Director and Founder, Argeo Hospitality
Name: Anthony Melchiorri Title: Creator and host, Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible, and managing director and founder, Argeo Hospitality Company, city: Argeo Hospitality; New York, N.Y. Number of employees: It varies depending on the project, but we currently have seven. Recent project: We’re working on the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Fla., the home of NASCAR; we’re infusing the history of the city back into the hotel. We’re also working on two resorts in South America and Central America. First job: At age 11, I was a paperboy in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Little-known fact about you: I can juggle anything.
April 2017
Apr 1, 2017Angela Foster-Rice, Managing Director, Environmental Affairs & Sustainability, United Airlines
Name: Angela Foster-Rice Title: Managing director, Environmental Affairs & Sustainability Company, city: United Airlines; Chicago, Ill. Number of employees: 82,000 Recent project: I had the honor to be part of an international airline delegation that engaged with governments to reach an agreement among 190 countries to regulate greenhouse gases from international aviation. The UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization reached the agreement in October 2016. First job: Working in my dad’s pizza parlor washing dishes at age 12 Little-known fact about you: I enjoy choreographing dance performances with my kids; whether it’s ballet, jazz or hip-hop, we have a blast.
Interviews
Mar 1, 2017Jeff Zidell, Senior Vice President, Loyalty Marketing, Hyatt Hotels Corp.
Name: Jeff Zidell Title: Senior vice president, loyalty marketing Company, city: Hyatt Hotels Corp., Chicago Number of employees: 100,000 worldwide Recent project: I have spent most of my time working on the launch of our new loyalty program, World of Hyatt. First job: My first “real” job during college was selling athletic shoes in a department store. Little-known fact about you: I can juggle.
Interviews
Mar 1, 2017Diane Moore, President, Paul Gauguin Cruises
Name: Diane Moore Title: President Company, city: Paul Gauguin Cruises; Bellevue, Wash. Number of employees: 39 Recent project: We completed an agreement for two onboard programs with the Wildlife Conservation Society. First job: I started my career in the 1970s with Royal Cruise Line, a small company run by my father, Richard Revnes. Everyone wore many hats and learned every aspect of the business. Little-known fact about you: I grew up in the Chicago area, and I’m a Chicago Cubs fan. What an amazing year to be a Cubs fan!
February 2017
Feb 1, 2017Brad C.H. Shih, Director, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Los Angeles
Name: Brad C.H. Shih Title: Director Company, city: Taiwan Tourism Bureau; Los Angeles, Calif. Number of employees: 10 in the United States and 250-plus in Taipei Recent project: We are underway in a large public relations project, bringing Taiwan to the mainstream, with initiatives like trade shows and reaching the millennial market. First job: Right out of university I started my career as a public servant. My first project was making Yehliu Geopark, featuring the 4,000-year-old natural sculpture called The Queen’s Head, into a well-known travel destination. Little-known fact about you: I travel often for work, but I am truly a homebody on my days off.
February 2017
Feb 1, 2017Peter Strebel, Chief Marketing Officer, Omni Hotels & Resorts
Name: Peter Strebel Title: Chief marketing officer Company, city: Omni Hotels & Resorts; Dallas, Texas Number of employees: 19,800 nationally Recent project: In 2016 we launched Say Goodnight to Hunger. For every direct booking on our website, Omni makes a donation to Feeding America. First job: Desk clerk at an oceanside resort in the Hamptons Little-known fact about you: Even as a small child, I was interested in hotels. I remember building resorts using blocks and home items.
Interviews
Jan 1, 2017Vibhat Nair, General Manager, Chase Card Services
Name: Vibhat Nair Title: General manager, Chase Card Services Company, city: Chase; Wilmington, Del. Number of employees: Chase has more than 235,000 employees. First job: Tutor for younger kids Little-known fact about you: I am a hobby woodworker.
Interviews
Jan 1, 2017Jasper Hope, Chief Executive, Dubai Opera
Name: Jasper Hope Title: Chief executive Company, city: Dubai Opera, Dubai Number of employees: 102 Recent project: Opening Dubai Opera! First job: Agency receptionist (maternity coverage) Little-known fact about you: I usually carry a lollipop in a jacket pocket for those low-sugar moments, whether mine or someone else’s.
Interviews
Jan 1, 2017Luc Delafosse, Managing Director, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
Name: Luc Delafosse Title: Managing Director Company, city: Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills; Beverly Hills, Calif. Number of employees: Close to 400; guests can expect two employees per room when the hotel opens. Recent project: Opening the hotel, scheduled for June 1, 2017 First job: I was a chef during hotel school. Little-known fact about you: Even though I may be someone who portrays a cool persona, I am not that cool.
Interviews
Jan 1, 2017Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Commissioner, Department of Tourism, U.S. Virgin Islands
Name: Beverly Nicholson-Doty Title: Commissioner Company, city: Department of Tourism; U.S. Virgin Islands Number of employees: 24, with contractors and representatives across the United States and Denmark Recent project: We commemorate our centennial in 2017, so we’ve planned a combination of events, festivities and celebrations to surround the anniversary. First job: In ninth grade I joined a program to help students learn pottery in an effort to enhance their productivity. Little-known fact about you: My love of the water; the Caribbean Sea can cure everything!
December 2016
Dec 1, 2016Tim Sheldon, President, Caribbean & Latin America, Marriott International, Inc.
Name: Tim Sheldon Title: President, Caribbean & Latin America Company, city: Marriott International, Inc.; Plantation, Fla. Number of employees: More than 45,000 associates serve our guests in the Caribbean and Latin America. Recent project: Opening Four Points in Havana, Cuba, was a highlight for 2016. First job: I was a busboy/server in a Sheraton hotel in Fort Wayne, Ind., 31 years ago. Little-known fact about you: I studied six years to become a Lutheran pastor while waiting tables at a hotel restaurant.
December 2016
Dec 1, 2016Ann Marie Maher, President/CEO, Discover Prince William & Manassas
Name: Ann Marie Maher Title: President/CEO Company, city: Discover Prince William & Manassas; Manassas, Va. Number of employees: 10 Recent project: Partnering with three neighboring counties in Virginia to create an experiential artisan trail to promote agritourism; the arts; and our many craft breweries, wineries and distilleries First job: Burger King drive-thru Little-known fact about you: I’m an avid scuba diver, logging more than 100 dives including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Belize, Costa Rica, Grand Cayman, Jamaica and The Bahamas.
Interviews
Nov 1, 2016Joseph Nam, Vice President and Director, Marketing and Sales, Hotel Lotte Co., Ltd.
Name: Joseph Nam (Jae Seob Nam) Title: Vice president and director, marketing and sales Company, city: Hotel Lotte Co., Ltd.; Seoul, South Korea Number of employees: 4,103 Recent project: Launching the new lifestyle/boutique hotel brand L7 in Seoul First job: Human resources associate at Lotte Hotels and Resorts Little-known fact about you: I spend my spare time hiking. Korea has many beautiful mountains, and I feel refreshed by looking at the view from the mountaintop.
Interviews
Nov 1, 2016Suzie Mills, General Manager, Trump International Hotel & Tower New York
Name: Suzie Mills Title: General manager Company, city: Trump International Hotel & Tower New York; New York, N.Y. Number of employees: 255 Recent project: Renovating the residential hallways, changing out the in-room TVs; there’re always projects going on and continual upgrades to both the hotel and residences. First job: I grew up in the hospitality industry; my parents owned a hotel. Little-known fact about you: I was the youngest female GM at a 5-star hotel in North America.
Interviews
Oct 1, 2016Maria Zec, General Manager, The Peninsula Chicago
Name: Maria Zec Title: General manager Company, city: The Peninsula Chicago; Chicago, Ill. Number of employees: Fewer than 600 Recent project: Completing our renovation, which began in 2015 and ended April 8, 2016 First job: At 13 years old, I washed dishes for $1.25 an hour at a local restaurant. Little-known fact about you: I’m very shy.
Interviews
Oct 1, 2016Alison Metcalfe, Executive Vice President, United States & Canada, Tourism Ireland
Name: Alison Metcalfe Title: Executive vice president, United States & Canada Company, city: Tourism Ireland; New York, N.Y. Number of employees: 150 globally, 25 in North America Recent project: I led the development of Tourism Ireland’s 2016 overseas marketing plan encompassing North America, Europe, Great Britain and developing markets. First job: Graduate management trainee with Visit Britain (formerly British Tourist Authority) in London, U.K.
Interviews
Sep 1, 2016Mark Spencer Conroy, Managing Director, The Americas, Silversea Cruises
Name: Mark Spencer Conroy Title: Managing director, the Americas Company, city: Silversea Cruises; Miami, Fla. Number of employees: 160 in the Miami office Recent project: Launching a business-class offer for our 2016 Mediterranean season and unveiling our World Cruise 2018, an epic, 121-day voyage to 60 destinations in 21 countries First job: A caretaker for a nearby lake home in Wisconsin at age 14 Little-known fact about you: I was a ski instructor in high school.
Interviews
Sep 1, 2016Alex Spektor, General Manager, INNSIDE New York NoMad
Name: Alex Spektor Title: General manager Company, city: INNSIDE New York NoMad, Meliá Hotels International; New York, N.Y. Number of employees: 105 Recent project: Opening INNSIDE New York NoMad First job: Guest service agent Little-known fact about you: I have played piano since the age of 6.
2016
Aug 10, 2016Matt Hardison, Executive Vice President, Marketing And Sales, Amtrak
Name: Matt Hardison Title: Executive vice president, marketing and sales Company, city: Amtrak; Washington, D.C. Number of employees: 21,200 Recent project: Testing technology to deliver the first true broadband WiFi on board a train First job: Hauling hay Little-known fact about you: I finished my Master of Business Administration degree in Lima, Peru.
August 2016
Aug 1, 2016Ginger Evans, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation
Name: Ginger Evans Title: Commissioner Company, city: Chicago Department of Aviation; Chicago, Ill. Number of employees: 1,350 Recent project: We had a successful vote for the nighttime rotation of flights, the first change in night flights in 20 years. First job: I gave baton-twirling lessons in junior high for $1 a lesson. Little-known fact about you: I am an accomplished pianist.
August 2016
Aug 1, 2016Eric Lemaire, Area General Manager, Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
Name: Eric Lemaire Title: Area general manager Company, city: Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills; Los Angeles, Calif. Number of employees: 255 Recent project: We refreshed the look of our signature California- French Estérel Restaurant and transformed our outdoor patio to a whimsical French garden patio. First job: Night auditor for an AccorHotels’ property in Paris Little-known fact about you: I have a passion for vintage pick-up trucks from the 1950s and 60s and hope to one day own one.
August 2016
Aug 1, 2016H. Stuart Foster, Vice President, Marketing, Luxury & Lifestyle Brands, Hilton Worldwide
Name: H. Stuart Foster Title: Vice president, marketing, luxury and lifestyle brands Company: Hilton Worldwide; McLean, Va. Number of employees: More than 300,000 Team Members globally work across our corporate offices as well as our owned, managed and franchised properties. Recent project: The repositioning of Conrad as a brand and introducing the concept of smart luxury. This includes the launch of the Stay Inspired and 1/3/5 campaign. First job: Sales associate at a True Value Hardware store in Cleveland, Ohio Little- known fact about you: I love to play the piano.
2016
Jul 11, 2016Cenk Ocal, General Manager, Turkish Airlines, New York
Name: Cenk Ocal Title: General manager Company, city: Turkish Airlines, New York Number of employees: 50 (New York) Recent project: Creating a new marketing campaign aimed at B2B customers First job: Flight attendant, Turkish Airlines Little-known fact about you: I am the former general manager of Turkish Airlines in Sofia, Bulgaria.
July 2016
Jul 1, 2016Brian Povinelli, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Leader, Westin and Le Méridien
Name: Brian Povinelli Title: Senior vice president, global brand leader, Westin and Le Méridien Company, city: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.; Stamford, Conn. Number of employees: 188,000 Recent project: Rolling out the new Westin visual identity; we asked ourselves how we communicate the Westin message and how we can bring the wellness concept to life visually. First job: Advertising intern in Cleveland at W.B. Doner Little-known fact about you: I’ve jumped out of an airplane.
July 2016
Jul 1, 2016Robert Lauter, CEO, Master Spas, Inc.
Name: Robert (Bob) Lauter Title: CEO Company, city: Master Spas, Inc.; Fort Wayne, Ind. Number of employees: 400-plus Recent project: I just finished a six-year term as the president of the International Hot Tub Association, the spa and hot tub industry’s trade association. First job: Delivering newspapers Little-known fact about you: I worked as a ski instructor and boxed in Golden Gloves.
2016
Jun 1, 2016Yu-Hern Chang, President, China Airlines
Name: Yu-Hern Chang Title: President Company, city: China Airlines, Taipei Number of employees: 12,452 Recent project: Next Generation program First job: Chairman, Department of Transportation and Communication Science/Institute of Telecommunications Management, National Cheng Kung University Little-known fact about you: As a devout Buddhist, the key to my happy enterprise practice is the Three B’s Approach: Be Altruistic, Be Grateful, Be Humble.
2016
Jun 1, 2016Chris Myers, Regional General Manager, Americas, U.K. and Europe, Air New Zealand
Name: Chris Myers Title: Regional general manager, Americas, U.K. and Europe Company, city: Air New Zealand; Los Angeles, Calif. Number of employees: 300 Recent project: We opened our fifth North American gateway, Houston, in December. First job: I worked in finance with the Bank of New Zealand. Little-known fact about you: I coach two junior rugby teams through the Los Angeles Rugby Club, a great way to give back to the community.
2016
Apr 1, 2016Kim Soo Cheon, President and CEO, Asiana Airlines
Name: Kim Soo Cheon Title: President and CEO Company, city: Asiana Airlines; Seoul, South Korea Number of employees: About 12,000 globally Recent project: Launch of Air Seoul, Asiana Airlines’ second low-cost carrier subsidiary First job: Responsible for new business development at SamCheok Coal Co. (acquisition of pharmaceutical company) Little-known fact about you: I am a huge fan of Korean and Chinese classics and novels.
2016
Mar 8, 2016Liz Carisone, Chief Executive Officer, GroundLink
Name: Liz Carisone Title: Chief executive officer Company, city: GroundLink, New York, N.Y. Number of employees: 150 Recent project: Creating a strategic plan and vision for business alignment First job: Credit and collections analyst Little-known fact about you: I never set out to be a CEO.
2016
Mar 8, 2016Florence Quinn, President/Founder, Quinn PR
Name: Florence Quinn Title: President/founder Company, city: Quinn PR; New York and Miami Number of employees: 50 Recent project: Building our 10,000-square-foot penthouse office in Manhattan First job: Picking strawberries for 10 cents a quart when I was 14 Little-known fact about you: I can make animal calls, from guinea pig to elephant.
2016
Feb 4, 2016Nicholas Panza, Vice President, Americas, Air Tahiti Nui
Name: Nicholas Panza Title: Vice president, Americas Company, city: Air Tahiti Nui; Los Angeles, Calif. Number of employees: U.S. office, 32; corporate, 710 Recent project: A recent promotion (fly Air Tahiti Nui to New Zealand and enjoy a free three-night hotel stopover in Tahiti) met with great consumer response. First job: Ticket taker, Dodger Stadium Little-known fact about you: I am just a hard-working guy trying to do my best and do the right thing. One of my sons served in the Marine Corps in Afghanistan during the surge. As a parent, I can tell you when you have a child in the middle of war, you wonder and worry every day.
2016
Feb 4, 2016David Gold, General Manager, JPMorgan Chase Card Services
Name: David Gold Title: General manager Company, city: JPMorgan Chase Card Services; Wilmington, Del. Number of employees: 20,000-plus in Chase Card Services Recent project: Preparing for the Chase and United Airlines’ VIP Holiday and Big Game Week lounges in San Francisco, Calif., and the VIP Holiday Lounge in Short Hills, N.J. First job: I worked at my local county park. Little-known fact about you: I’ve run the New York City Marathon 15 times and helped raise more than $100,000 for cancer research for “Fred’s Team.”
2016
Feb 4, 2016Ersen Engin, General Manager, Turkish Airlines
Name: Ersen Engin Title: General manager Company, city: Turkish Airlines; Los Angeles, Calif. Number of employees: 26 Recent project: Turkish Airlines currently offers two daily flights from Los Angeles to Istanbul, a route in high demand. I am focused on increasing the number of weekly flights and making the experience ever better. First job: I started as a part-time accounting clerk in the aviation sector of Turkish Airlines in 1997. Little-known fact about you: I majored in mathematics in college.
2015
Jan 1, 2016Sean Verney, General Manager, The Westin New York at Times Square
Name: Sean Verney Title: General manager Company, city: The Westin New York at Times Square, New York City Number of employees: 500 Recent project: We teamed with Starwood Preferred Guest partner Audience Rewards for a series of exclusive on-property activations. One of our greatest assets is our location beside the Broadway theater district, and we were thrilled to bring our guests Broadway experiences ranging from a live performance of WICKED in the lobby to wake-up calls featuring the title character in Matilda – The Musical! First job: At age 12, I was a dishwasher at Heidi’s Brauhaus in Mahopac, N.Y. Little-known fact about you: I married my junior high school sweetheart. We’ve been married for 28 years and have four beautiful children.
2015
Jan 1, 2016Rishikant Singh, Regional Manager, Air India
Name: Rishikant Singh Title: Regional manager Company, city: Air India, New York City Number of employees: 67 in the United States and Canada Recent project: Preparing to announce and launch Air India’s newest North American gateway First job: Working for a New York City garment company as its “man Friday” Little-known fact about you: I’m extremely shy by nature.
2015
Dec 3, 2015Eli Ostreicher, Founder And CEO, Regal Wings
Name: Eli Ostreicher Title: Founder and CEO Company, city: Regal Wings, New York City Number of employees: 125 Recent project: The exciting launch of RegalCard.com, a one-of-a-kind elite luxury travel membership club First job: At 18, I was part-time assistant to the editor of a small weekly newspaper in my hometown of London, U.K. Little-known fact about you: I get goose bumps when I near an airport, even if I’m not traveling and am just dropping off a friend.
2015
Dec 3, 2015David C. Marr | Senior Vice President, Brand Management, Global Brand Leader, Tribute Portfolio and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Name: David C. Marr Title: Senior vice president, brand management, global brand leader, Tribute Portfolio and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Company, city: Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Stamford, Conn. Number of employees: 180,000 employees Recent project: We recently launched Tribute Portfolio, Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ 10th brand. First job: My first job was as a banquet houseman at a hotel in New Hampshire. Little-known fact about you: I enjoy attending trapeze school. I also love drawing.
2015 / September 2015
Oct 1, 2015Lars Redeligx, Chief Commercial Officer, Brussels Airlines
Name: Lars Redeligx Title: Chief commercial officer Company, city: Brussels Airlines; Brussels, Belgium Number of employees: 3,500 Recent project: Our new commercial strategy will bolster the company against the ever-increasing low-cost competition in the Belgian market, offering 21 new destinations to attract business and leisure travelers at low fares but with high-level service. Soon we’ll launch a new frequent-flyer program for the not-so-frequent traveler. First job: A trainee in Beiersdorf, the German company that makes Nivea and much more Little-known fact about you: When I travel, I kitesurf wherever possible. From New York to Dubai, Norway to Vietnam, I get to know places from the water.
2015 / August 2015
Sep 1, 2015Christophe Laure, Area General Manager Paris, IHG/General Manager, InterContinental Paris – Le Grand
Name: Christophe Laure Title: Area general manager Paris, IHG/general manager, InterContinental Paris – Le Grand Company, city: IHG; Paris, France Number of employees: 580 Recent project: The opening of the first Indigo Hotel in France last September, the Hôtel Indigo Paris Opéra, just next to the InterContinental Paris – Le Grand First job: Valet at a car park in Monaco Little-known fact about you: I am a member of the Harley Owners Group.
2015
Aug 1, 2015David W.J. Hsieh, Direct-General, Taiwan Tourism Bureau
Name: David W.J. Hsieh Title: Direct-general Company, city: Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Taipei City Number of employees: 1,626 Recent project: Taiwan’s 2015–2018 Tourism Action Plan, emphasizing diversity and lifestyle First job: Section chief and senior engineer, Department of Public Housing, Taipei City Government Little-known fact about you: I graduated from Chinese Culture University and National Cheng Kung University; while getting around campus, I developed a passion for riding bicycles that I keep up with today.
Park Wan-su, President and CEO, Incheon International Airport Corp.
Name: Park Wan-su Title: President and CEO Company, city: Incheon International Airport Corp.; Incheon, South Korea Number of employees: 1,100
Peter Mainguy, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
Name: Peter Mainguy Title: General manager Company, city: The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore Number of employees: 600 Recent project: We refreshed the Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge in late 2013, offering panoramic views of Marina Bay which guests can enjoy while savoring culinary options and eight types of wine from our Enomatic machine. The Drawing Room provides drawing paper, coloring pencils and an easel so guests can explore their inner artist, while The Library offers an alternative boardroom meeting venue for Club guests. First job: I was a newspaper delivery boy in London at age 12 and made my first foray into hospitality as a room service attendant for a Brussels hotel at 24. Little-known fact about you: I enjoy competitive off-road rally motorcycling and motocross racing and collect and restore American classic muscle cars.
2015 / April 2015
May 2, 2015Todd Orlich, General Manager, Montage Beverly Hills
Name: Todd Orlich Title: General manager Company, city: Montage Beverly Hills; Beverly Hills, Calif. Number of employees: 470 Recent project: Working on back-of-house projects including staff locker rooms and our employee dining room. We are also working on an in-room technology project which began testing in February. First job: A dishwasher at Loews Ventana Canyon Little-known fact about you: I was a trumpet player. For a moment, I had aspirations to play professionally.
2015 / April 2015
May 2, 2015David Sarafinas, Managing Director, HX Global
Name: David Sarafinas Title: Managing Director Company, city: HX Global; Boston, Mass. Number of employees: 350 Recent project: Medical staffing for large media/entertainment company during FIFA World Cup in Brazil First job: U.S. Navy Little-known fact about you: I am an avid gardener and consider it therapy in order to reduce stress.
One on One Interview With Aer Lingus’ Michael Rutter
Name: Michael Rutter Title: Chief revenue officer Company, city: Aer Lingus; Dublin, Ireland Number of employees: 4,000 Recent project: Re-imagining and re-launch of Aer Lingus business class First job: General secretary, U.K. students’ union Little-known fact about you: I ran the European launch of Ray-Ban’s Men in Black campaign, dressing up as Tommy Lee Jones to deliver the launch show to 1,000 European opticians.
2015 / March 2015
Apr 1, 2015Seema Pande, Group Director of Sales and Marketing, Emaar Hospitality Group
Name: Seema Pande Title: Group director of sales and marketing Company, city: Emaar Hospitality Group, Dubai Number of employees: 80-plus on the sales and marketing team Recent project: Opening our new hotel — Manzil Downtown Dubai in December 2014, a modern boutique hotel brand that celebrates authentic Arabesque design aesthetics and culinary flavors First job: Front office assistant, Crowne Plaza, New Delhi Little-known fact about you: I like to spend time on my own — not generally obvious, given my personality.
2015 / March 2015
Apr 1, 2015Cristian Vasquez, Food and Beverage Director, The Westin New York Grand Central
Name: Cristian Vasquez Title: Food and beverage director Company, city: The Westin New York Grand Central, New York Number of employees: Approximately 100 Recent project: We implemented a new point of sale system that allows us to better service our guests by making it easier for associates to input orders in the restaurant, bar and room service. First job: Food and beverage intern, Atlantic City Trump Hotel and Casino Little-known fact about you: I love the outdoors. I compete in Spartan Races, an obstacle course challenge that tests your strength and endurance.
2015 / February 2015
Mar 1, 2015Ángel Valdemoros, Head of Sales, North America, Iberia
Name: Ángel Valdemoros Title: Head of Sales, North America Company, city: Iberia, Madrid Number of employees: 18,000 Recent project: Integration of sales forces of Iberia and British Airways in North America and presentation of Iberia’s new brand and long-haul product First job: Financial analyst
2015 / February 2015
Mar 1, 2015Tom Faust, Vice President, Sales, Omni Hotels & Resorts
Name: Tom Faust Title: Vice president, sales Company, city: Omni Hotels & Resorts; Dallas, Texas Number of employees: 21,000 Recent project: Finalizing our Omni Meetings University, an online meeting planner educational portal modeled after our successful Omni Travel Agent University First job: A bellman at Stouffer’s Riverfront Towers in St. Louis Little-known fact about you: While my weeks are filled with creating memorable experiences for guests, on weekends I unwind with yoga.
2015 / January 2015
Jan 31, 2015Pierre Perusset, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
Name: Pierre Perusset Title: General manager Company, city: The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong Number of employees: 570 Recent project: Daily operations at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong First job: My first job in the industry was “apprentice server” at the age of 16. Little-known fact about you: I have learned karate (broke my hands twice when I was young), silat (Indonesian martial art), energy-restoring methods including tai chi and reiki and some practices of the Universal Tao System (healing sounds, qi gong, healing love), in addition to healthy eating. I exercise regularly and can do 100 push-ups in three minutes!
2014 / December 2014
Jan 1, 2015Javier Rosenberg, Chief Operating Officer, Americas, And Executive Vice President, Managed Hotels, Carlson Rezidor
Name: Javier Rosenberg Title: Chief operating officer, Americas, and executive vice president, managed hotels Company, city: Carlson Rezidor; Minnetonka, Minn. Number of employees: 80,000 globally Recent project: Opening the Radisson Blu in downtown Minneapolis First job: I was a butler at Claridge Hotel Buenos Aires. Little-known fact about you: I’ve lived in 11 cities in eight countries, and all three of my kids were born in different locations.
2014 / November 2014
Nov 30, 2014Emily Snyder, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Name: Emily Snyder Title: Vice president, sales and marketing Company, city: Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; New York City, N.Y. Number of employees: 13,000 worldwide Recent project: Opening properties in Shanghai and Paris, and taking over the Rosewood in Atlanta First job: Selling Girl Scout cookies door to door Little-known fact about you: I met and kissed Bruce Springsteen in 1980.
2014 / November 2014
Nov 30, 2014Jason Cho, Vice President and Director, Marketing and Sales, Hotel Lotte Co., Ltd.
Name: Jason Cho Title: Vice president and director, marketing and sales Company, city: Hotel Lotte Co., Ltd.; Seoul, South Korea Number of employees: About 120 globally Recent project: Last June we opened Lotte Hotel Guam, with 222 guestrooms providing much-needed accommodations in Guam. First job: Front desk clerk, Lotte Hotel Seoul Little-known fact about you: I mastered my proficiency in English and Japanese, but it seems there is no end to the desire to learn a new language. I want to study Spanish and Chinese and surprise the people around me.
2014 / September 2014
Oct 1, 2014Rick Smith, Owner, Rick Smith Golf Academy, Treetops Resort
Name: Rick Smith Title: Owner, Rick Smith Golf Academy Company, city: Treetops Resort; Gaylord, Mich. Number of employees: 400 Recent project: Several projects are underway in China. First job: Teaching professionally at Toledo Country Club in 1979 Little-known fact about you: I hold the record for the PGA’s playing ability test.
2014 / September 2014
Oct 1, 2014David Morgan-Hewitt, General Manager, The Goring
Name: David Morgan-Hewitt Title: General manager Company, city: The Goring; London, England Number of employees: 170 (2.5 staff per guestroom) Recent project: The Goring’s complete refurbishment First job: At university, I took a summer job as a barman in a lovely hotel in Norfolk, U.K. Little-known fact about you: I am the honorary catering advisor to the British Army, evaluating the quality of catering for troops at bases around the U.K.
2014 / August 2014
Sep 1, 2014Robert Schofield, General Manager, The Langham, Chicago
Name: Robert Schofield Title: General manager Company, city: The Langham, Chicago; Chicago, Ill. Number of employees: 300 Recent project: As our hotel is only a little more than a year old, we are just in the process of refining and fine-tuning. First job: A trainee accountant Little-known fact about you: I am a chartered accountant.
Rosemarie Andolino, Commissioner, Chicago Department Of Aviation
Name: Rosemarie Andolino Title: Commissioner Company, city: Chicago Department of Aviation; Chicago, Ill. Number of employees: 1,500 between Chicago O’Hare International and Midway airports Recent project: I began work on one of the world’s largest construction projects 11 years ago at one of the busiest airports in the world, and the work is ongoing. Recently, we opened Runway 10C, the end of Phase I of the project. First job: Selling subscriptions to the Daily Herald to win a new bike, then working concessions in my grandparents’ bingo hall Little-known fact about you: My family and friends mean everything to me, and my co-workers are like family.
Thomas P. Botts, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, Denihan Hospitality Group
Name: Thomas P. Botts Title: Executive vice president and chief customer officer Company, city: Denihan Hospitality Group; headquartered in New York, N.Y. Number of employees: 2,000 Recent project: Refining our revenue platforms from brands to revenue management systems; redesigning and re-engineering all of our websites; launching a new industry-leading mobile app for The James brand, bringing a new level of customization to guests pre-, during and post-stay. First job: Loading luggage and cargo for Delta Air Lines at Boston Logan Airport. Stacking 200-pound boxes of seafood in the belly of a Boeing 727 keeps you in great shape! Little-known fact about you: I’ve recently started running, which most people would not expect unless I were wearing loafers and charging through an airport.
Michel Volk, General Manager, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora
Name: Michel Volk Title: General manager Company, city: Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, French Polynesia Number of employees: 296 Recent project: Expansion and enhancement of our overwater bungalows was completed April 1. First job: Front desk agent at Four Seasons Hotel London Little-known fact about you: I once bungee-jumped from the highest bridge possible at the time (216 meters, in South Africa) — and cracked a rib doing so.
Bob Stuart, Executive Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing, Hertz
Name: Bob Stuart Title: Executive vice president, global sales and marketing Company, city: Hertz; Naples, Fla. Number of employees: 44,000 Recent project: The Dollar Thrifty integration and a major rebranding initiative First job: I was a busboy at Ponderosa Steak House. Little-known fact about you: My family changed our last name in 1952, from Cicone to Stuart.
Masaki Yokai, Vice President and Director, Marketing and Sales, the Americas, All Nippon Airways
Name: Masaki Yokai Title: Vice president and director, marketing and sales, the Americas Company, city: All Nippon Airways; head office in Tokyo, Japan; regional office in Torrance, Calif. Number of employees: 14,000 globally, 280 in the Americas Recent project: A joint venture sales project with United First job: I worked as an airport check-in agent for ANA at Fukuoka, Japan. Little-known fact about you: I love to swim. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I joined the YMCA but have only gone a few times because of my busy travel schedule!
2014
Apr 23, 2014Offer Nissenbaum, Managing Director, The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Name: Offer Nissenbaum Title: Managing director Company, city: The Peninsula Beverly Hills; Beverly Hills, Calif. Number of employees: 464 Recent project: We redesigned a 1,500-square-foot suite for Suite 100, a year-long hospitality promotion coordinated by the Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau for the Beverly Hills Centennial. First job: Mail and information agent at The Park Lane Hotel Little-known fact about you: I played NCAA ice hockey (goalie) and soccer (striker) in college. I occasionally play in an adult hockey league.
2014 / April 2014
Mar 20, 2014Christie Hicks, Senior Vice President, Starwood Sales Organization, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Name: Christie Hicks Title: Senior vice president, Starwood Sales Organization Company, city: Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Stamford, Conn. Number of employees: 171,000 worldwide Recent project: With our goal to be the easiest hotel company to do business with, we developed StarwoodPro, an educational program to provide our travel professional partners with tools and programs to help grow their business. We recently introduced a new core module on upselling to help them increase loyalty and profits. The program offers six modules geared toward business development and a growing library of destination immersions, including nine options, with more to come in 2014. First job: Secretary, Hyatt Regency New Orleans Little-known fact about you: I learned to speak and cook Italian while living in Italy in my 20s. I make a mean spaghetti carbonara.
2014 / March 2014
Feb 28, 2014Haim Gutin, Commissioner, North and South America, Israel Ministry of Tourism
Name: Haim Gutin Title: Commissioner, North and South America Company, city: Israel Ministry of Tourism; New York, N.Y. Number of employees: 60 in the United States Recent project: Every day, we have at least 10 projects in the works. Recent projects include a media campaign to the Christian market; online training for travel agents; and organizing media visits, conferences, seminars and trade shows. First job: As a student, I was a security guard and paramedic. Little-known fact about you: I’ve practiced martial arts, and I love to play soccer.
2014 / March 2014
Feb 28, 2014Pablo Chiozza, Vice President, USA, Canada and Caribbean, LATAM Airlines Group
Name: Pablo Chiozza Title: Vice president, USA, Canada and Caribbean Company, city: LATAM Airlines Group; Miami, Fla. Number of employees: 1,654 in the United States; 54,000 worldwide Recent project: Overseeing the merger of LAN and TAM airlines in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean and managing the synergies resulting from the merger First job: I worked in the strategy department of BankBoston in Argentina. Little-known fact about you: I have four wallets in my travel backpack: one for Europe, one for my home country of Argentina, one for the rest of South America and my day-to-day U.S. wallet. I often combine business and personal travel, so I may use more than one wallet in one trip.
2014 / February 2014
Jan 28, 2014Phillippe Zuber, Chief Operating Officer, Emaar Hospitality Group
Name: Philippe Zuber Title: Chief operating officer Company, city: Emaar Hospitality Group, Dubai Number of employees: 4,200 Recent project: Vida Downtown Dubai, The Address The BLVD Downtown Dubai, The Address Emaar Square in İstanbul First job: Corporate trainee Little-known fact about you: I am a passionate hotelier. I believe in innovation, consistency and timeless design.
2014 / February 2014
Jan 28, 2014Lindsey Ueberroth, President, Preferred Hotel Group
Name: Lindsey Ueberroth Title: President Company, city: Preferred Hotel Group; Newport Beach, Calif. Number of employees: 210 Recent project: Launch of our iPrefer Loyalty Program First job: I worked at Anderson Consulting as a change management analyst. Little-known fact about you: When I was 12, my mother sent me to survival camp in South Africa and Super Camp in Russia.
2014 / January 2014
Dec 18, 2013Scott Wiseman, President, the Americas, Cox & Kings
Name: Scott Wiseman Title: President, the Americas Company, city: Cox & Kings; Los Angeles, Calif. Number of employees: 2,500 globally Recent project: We relaunched our website, adding more content, dynamic search options and a strong travel agent portal. First job: When I was 14, I worked as a dishwasher/prep cook at an Italian restaurant. Little-known fact about you: I was relentless when starting my first job. I worked 40 hours a week all through high school.
2014 / January 2014
Dec 18, 2013Rob Palleschi, Global Head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Name: Rob Palleschi Title: Global head Company, city: Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide; McLean, Va. Number of employees: 145,000 Recent project: In 2013, we launched our Vacationitis campaign, which targets working professionals who are familiar with Hilton Hotels & Resorts through business travel; we aim to increase their awareness of the brand’s incredible leisure travel offerings with our playful and bold workforce humor campaign. Travelers can take a short quiz at vacationcarecenter.hilton.com to receive their diagnosis and a prescription to cure their “vacationitis.” First job: Front desk employee at a suburban motor lodge Little-known fact about you: I am a hotel fitness center snob; I expect ample modern commercial equipment; a positive atmosphere; bright, good air movement; and a fresh scent.
2013 / December 2013
Nov 18, 2013Tom O’Toole, Senior Vice President, Marketing And Loyalty, And President, MileagePlus, United
Name: Tom O’Toole Title: Senior vice president, marketing and loyalty, and president, MileagePlus Company, city: United, Chicago Number of employees: More than 85,000 Recent project: Introducing new product features, a new brand advertising campaign, new digital channels, onboard WiFi and new onboard media First job: Movie theater usher Little-known fact about you: I like football and cars.
2013 / December 2013
Nov 18, 2013Edward Maynard, General Manager, The Westin New York Grand Central
Name: Edward Maynard Title: General manager Company, city: The Westin New York Grand Central, New York City Number of employees: 435 Recent project: Opening of the 2,800-square-foot Madison Ballroom, the hotel’s primary social event space First job: Dishwasher at an ice cream parlor in Aviation Mall, Glen Falls, N.Y. Little-known fact about you: This November, I celebrated my 50th birthday by running my fifth New York City Marathon with my 24-year-old daughter, who ran her first marathon.
2013 / November 2013
Nov 1, 2013Alison Metcalfe, Executive Vice President, United States and Canada, Tourism Ireland
Name: Alison Metcalfe Title: Executive vice president, United States and Canada Company, city: Tourism Ireland, New York City Number of employees: About 150 globally Recent project: A major review of the U.S. market entitled “Make Ireland Jump Out … A Strategy for Growth 2013–15” First job: Graduate management trainee with Visit Britain, London Little-known fact about you: I competed in my first 10K snowshoe race in Colorado in January.
2013 / November 2013
Nov 1, 2013Katie Benson, CEO and Executive Director, Langham Hospitality Investments Limited
Name: Katie Benson Title: CEO and executive director Company, city: Langham Hospitality Investments Limited, Hong Kong Number of employees: Approximately 1,000 Recent project: Recently named CEO of the newly formed Langham Hospitality Investments Limited out of Hong Kong First job: I was a chef for Grand Metropolitan Hotel Co. in London’s West End. Little-known fact about you: I do kick boxing in my spare time.
2013 / October 2013
Oct 1, 2013Jorge Goytortua, Executive Vice President, Global Sales, Grupo Aeromexico
Name: Jorge Goytortua Title: Executive vice president, global sales Company, city: Grupo Aeromexico, Mexico City Number of employees: More than 13,000 Recent project: Incorporation of the Boeing 787 into the Aeromexico network First job: Mexicana Airlines Little-known fact about you: I have a passion for my family, and I am a workaholic.
2013 / October 2013
Oct 1, 2013Paul Wright, General Manager, Hyatt Regency Incheon
Name: Paul Wright Title: General manager Company, city: Hyatt Regency Incheon; Incheon, South Korea Number of employees: 580 Recent project: We are expanding the hotel to a second tower, which will double the number of guestrooms to more than 1,000 in 2014. First job: I was a banquet waiter at the Hyatt Regency Perth. Little-known fact about you: I enjoy cooking in my spare time.
2013 / September 2013
Sep 1, 2013William D. Talbert III, President and CEO, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
Name: William D. Talbert III Title: President and CEO Company, city: Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau; Miami, Fla. Number of employees: 60 Recent project: The 2016 Super Bowl bid; the launch of the new tag line, “It’s so Miami,” something people used to say all the time; rebranding the Port of Miami to “Port Miami”; opening rail connections from Miami airport to downtown First job: Park planner in Metro Dade County, now Miami Dade County Little-known fact about you: I played drums in a high school band and snare drum in the marching brand. I played at the Elks and Moose lodges.
2013 / August 2013
Aug 1, 2013Bruce Dickinson, Vice President And Chief Project Engineer, 747 Program, The Boeing Co.
Name: Bruce Dickinson Title: Vice president and chief project engineer, 747 program Company, city: The Boeing Co.; Chicago (headquarters); Everett, Wash. (747 factory) Number of employees: More than 170,000 company-wide Recent project: Director of engineering, 777 and 767 programs First job: Stress analysis, Boeing C-17 side-of-body wing fairing Little-known fact about you: I conducted onboard testing on more than 1,000 stall maneuvers during my days in flight testing.
Guillaume Epinette, General Manager, InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
Name: Guillaume Epinette Title: General manager Company, city: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa; Bora Bora, French Polynesia Number of employees: 160 First job: Head waiter Little-known fact about you: I enjoy scuba diving in French Polynesia and photography with a drone.
Nancy Deck, Vice President, Multi-Brand And Loyalty Marketing, Hilton Worldwide
Name: Nancy Deck Title: Vice president, multi-brand and loyalty marketing, Hilton Worldwide Company, city: Hilton Worldwide; McLean, Va. Number of employees: 130,000-plus Recent projects: We launched new HHonors rewards in 2012 (Points & Money, Premium Room and Room Upgrade). We also launched HHonors Global Shopping Mall, a site where members can transform points into experiences or gifts, and HHonors Shop-to- Earn Mall, online shops where members earn Bonus Points through purchases. First job: In high school, I worked in an old-fashioned toy store; every item was gift-wrapped, and I tested the toys. Even then, I had client service on the brain. Little-known fact about you: Travel is not only my job, it’s also a passion. My favorite travel experience thus far was wine tasting in Mendoza, Argentina.
David Rabkin, Senior Vice President, Consumer Lending Products, American Express
Name: David Rabkin Title: Senior vice president, Consumer Lending Products Company, city: American Express; New York, N.Y. Number of employees: 63,500 worldwide Recent project: Working to raise the bar in delivering value associated with our affinity cards, including partner-specific benefits like frequent-flyer rewards and services like priority boarding First job: At 15, I scooped ice cream at Baskin-Robbins; postcollege, I was a sales representative for Proctor & Gamble in San Francisco. Little-known fact about you: I’ve worked in 20 countries and lived in six, including two and a half years in Jamaica.
James Hogan, President And CEO, Etihad Airways
Name: James Hogan Title: President and CEO Company, city: Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi Number of employees: 14,500 Recent project: Launch of daily service to Washington, D.C. First job: Sales and service agent at Melbourne Airport Little-known fact about you: I played Australian rules football.
Mark Schwab, Chief Executive Officer, Star Alliance
Name: Mark Schwab Title: Chief executive officer Company, city: Star Alliance; Frankfurt, Germany Number of employees: 65 from more than 20 countries Recent project: Securing Heathrow Terminal 2 as the new London home for Star Alliance First job: Management trainee, Pan Am, Rio de Janeiro Little-known fact about you: I’m an American Civil War buff.
Bjørn Kjos, CEO, Norwegian Air Shuttle
Name: Bjørn Kjos Title: CEO Company, city: Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA; Oslo, Norway Number of employees: 3,000 Recent project: Setting up a base of operations in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria; London; and Alicante, Spain First job: I was in the military Special Forces. I also served as an Air Force pilot. Little-known fact about you: I published a spy thriller, The Murmansk Affair, in 2007.
Paul Kerr, CEO, Small Luxury Hotels Of The World
Name: Paul Kerr Title: CEO Company, city: Small Luxury Hotels of the World; London, England Number of employees: 70 Recent project: The March 2013 launch of our Chinese website to improve communication and meet the needs of this emerging outbound market First job: I began as an accountant with Deloitte Haskins & Sells (now PricewaterhouseCoopers), but a passion for the luxury market led to my first travel position with Forte Hotels. I then combined both passions as financial director of Cunard Hotels & Resorts. Little-known fact about you: I am an avid sailor and feel most relaxed on the water. My sailboat is named Rum Truffle.
2013 / March 2013
Mar 1, 2013Rob Friedman Of American Airlines’ Passion For Progress
Name: Rob Friedman Title: Vice president of marketing Company, City: American Airlines, Fort Worth Number of employees: AMR Corp. has more than 81,000 employees worldwide. Recent project: We unveiled American’s new, more modern look, which included developing the product strategy for our new fleet, designing new aircraft interiors and promoting new aircraft. First job: I started my own yard service when I was 12. Little-known fact about you: I’m color-blind.
2013 / February 2013
Feb 1, 2013Huang-Hsiang Sun: China Airlines Offers Exquisite Service And Modern Comfort
Name: Huang-Hsiang Sun Title: President Company, city: China Airlines; Taipei, Taiwan Number of employees: 10,822 Recent project: Developing eco-friendly service, plus the Greater China Connection and Next Generation programs First job: China Airlines’ traffic staff at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Little-known fact about you: I enjoy having fun with my grandchildren.
2013 / January 2013
Jan 1, 2013Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman, Jumeirah Group
Name: Gerald Lawless Title: Executive chairman Company, city: Jumeirah Group, Dubai Number of employees: 13,000-plus Recent project: I co-chaired the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Bangkok in May 2012; as vice-chairman of the WEF’s Aviation, Travel and Tourism Council, I work to promote e-visas worldwide. First job: Prior to hotel school, I worked for six months in a kitchen of the Great Southern Hotel in Galway, Ireland.
2012 / December 2012
Dec 1, 2012Fatma Yuceler, General Manager Western USA, Turkish Airlines
Name: Fatma Yuceler Title: General manager, Western USA Company, city: Turkish Airlines, Los Angeles, Calif. Number of employees: 15,000-plus; 20 in Los Angeles Recent project: Working on a corporate travel agreement with businesses in the United States First job: Turkish Airlines part time while studying at university Little-known fact about you: I am a workaholic.
2012 / December 2012
Dec 1, 2012Danny Saadon, Vice President And General Manager, EL AL Israel Airlines
Name: Danny Saadon Title: Vice president and general manager Company, city: EL AL Israel Airlines; New York City Number of Employees: 110 Recent project: The introduction of our GlobaLY/Matmid program First Job: Summer lifeguard Little-known fact about you: I speak Italian fluently.
2012
Nov 1, 2012Offer Nissenbaum, Managing Director, The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Name: Offer Nissenbaum
2012 / October 2012
Oct 1, 2012Roy Berger, President And CEO, MedjetAssist
Name: Roy Berger Title: President and CEO
2012 / October 2012
Oct 1, 2012John T.A. Vanderslice, Global Head Luxury And Lifestyle Brands, Hilton Worldwide
Name: John T.A. Vanderslice Title: Global head, luxury and lifestyle brands
2012 / September 2012
Sep 1, 2012Charm Lee, President, Korea Tourism Organization
Name: Charm Lee Title: President
2012 / September 2012
Sep 1, 2012Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman, Dubai Duty Free
Name: Colm McLoughlin Title: Executive vice chairman
2012 / August 2012
Aug 1, 2012Adam Simkins, General Manager, Hyatt Regency Incheon
Name: Adam Simkins Title: General Manager
2012 / August 2012
Aug 1, 2012Amit Arora, Chief Sales And Marketing Officer, Emaar Hospitality Group
Name: Amit Arora Title: Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
Herve Humler, President And COO, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. LLC And Bulgari Hotels & Resorts
Name: Herve Humler Title: President and COO
Mark Templin, Group Vice President And General Manager, Lexus Division, Toyota Motor Sales
Name: Mark Templin Title: Group vice president and general manager, Lexus Division, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and general manager, Lexus Product Marketing Planning Division, Toyota Motor Corp.
Todd Neuman, Executive Vice President, South African Airways
Name: Todd Neuman Title: Executive Vice President, North America
Devendra Bharma, Executive Vice President Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, The Oberoi Group
Name: Devendra Bharma
2012 / April 2012
Apr 1, 2012John McDonald, Vice President Of Marketing, British Airways
Tell Our Readers About The Re-launch Of The Executive Club. British Airways re-launched the Executive Club on a global scale. Overall, the new program makes achieving and maintaining status more accessible. We’ve introduced a tier level to match oneworld’s Ruby level and changed the name of the mileage currency to Avios. The change brings the program more in line with Iberia’s Plus program; their mileage currency is also known as Avios now. Customers are the heart of our business, and the re-launch was designed with them in mind.
2012 / March 2012
Mar 1, 2012Jerry Giarla, Managing Director, Tryall Club
RETURN VISITORS ARE OFTEN PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY JAMAICA’S TRANSFORMATION. DESCRIBE WHAT THEY DISCOVER FROM THE MOMENT THEY ARRIVE. Jamaica is a wonderfully complex, beautiful country. You can keep coming back for decades and continue to be beguiled by its food, music, art, dramatic mountains, sea and rolling hills. Years ago, people seemed content to lie on the beach drinking rum punch. Now guests want to hike Dunn River Falls; swim in the Blue Lagoon; bird-watch; and learn about Jamaica’s tropical flowers, wetlands and majestic trees.
2012 / March 2012
Mar 1, 2012Chanchai Doungjit, Director Western USA And Latin America, Tourism Authority Of Thailand
THAILAND IS A DIVERSE COUNTRY. TELL US ABOUT THE DESTINATIONS THAT ATTRACT VISITORS TO THAILAND.
2011 / December 2011
Dec 1, 2011Dr. Chia-Juch Chang, Chairman, China Airlines
WHAT ARE CHINA AIRLINES’ INITIATIVES TO ANSWER THE NEEDS OF U.S. BUSINESS TRAVELERS? China Airlines is the largest airline in Taiwan, operating 224 flights daily from Taiwan to 80 destinations in Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada and Europe. As the cross-strait market leader, we fly to 20 cities in Mainland China. In addition to direct services from China Airlines, we offer seamless interline products with U.S. carriers, taking customers to their desired destinations in North America.
2011 / December 2011
Dec 1, 2011Michael Nutter, Mayor Of Philadelphia
WHY IS PHILADELPHIA RANKED ONE OF THE TOP CITIES FOR TOURISM? Philadelphia is positioned between New York City and Washington, D.C., attracting millions of visitors who can access the city in a day’s drive. Philadelphia International Airport is strategically positioned, offering easy access to the city for those arriving by air.
Mika Vehviläinen, President And CEO, Finnair
How Will Finnair’s New Brand Launch Change The Vision Of The Airline? One of my first priorities at Finnair was to help formulate Finnair’s “Vision 2020.” Two goals emerged: Make Finnair the No. 1 airline in our home market in terms of airline size, quality and financial health; and make it the most desired option for travelers between Europe and Asia, and possibly North America and Asia. Through our long-term strategy of operational efficiency, reliability, innovation and distinctly personal service, I am optimistic that we will attain these goals.
CW Lee, CEO, Incheon International Airport
Global Traveler’s Readers Have Voted Incheon Best Airport In The World For Five Consecutive Years. What Makes Incheon The Best?
2011 / April 2011
Apr 1, 2011Simon Talling-Smith, Executive VP, British Airways
What Successes Have You Seen From Ba’s Face-to-face Campaign? We have seen huge successes from the Face-to-Face campaign, which was started to help small businesses grow. We believe in the importance of meeting face to face and the profitable business partnerships that result from such meetings. Helping our passengers reach their objectives is one measure of the campaign’s achievements: Some of the small businesses that have since flown on BA have signed their biggest contracts ever, opened in new markets and increased their success rate. By flying on BA, they have seen the ease and value of getting to go where they want. Being on the Face-to-Face flights, they have also gained the opportunity to network with other small businesses.
2011 / April 2011
Apr 1, 2011Kevin Robinson, COO And General Manager, Elysian Hotels & Resorts
The Elysian Opened In Difficult Economic Times As A 5-star Luxury Hotel With 188 Hotel Rooms And 52 Private Luxury Residences. How Was Its First Year? Despite the challenges, our first year was a huge success, based on the service delivered by our team. Elysian opened as an unknown brand with luxury status yet to be proven. While we have a beautiful, newly constructed property, our industry requires unscripted hospitality in order to be considered genuinely luxurious. We opened with zero brand awareness in December 2009 when the economy was at its worst and Chicago was beginning a four-month period of its weakest demand. We spent the year building brand awareness, strategically managing expenses and proving ourselves as luxury operators.
2011 / March 2011
Mar 1, 2011José María Alvarado, General Manager, Iberia Airlines
What Is Iberia’s Growth Strategy In The United States? The United States is Iberia’s main market overseas, and it is the focus of our growth for 2011. This year, we will offer almost 1.2 million seats between Europe and the United States, which is a quarter of our long-haul capacity. This represents a growth of 13 percent compared to 2010 in terms of available seats. Part of this growth comes from the opening of two new routes in late March — Los Angeles–Madrid and Miami–Barcelona, with three weekly flights each — and from increased capacity to Madrid from our existing gateways in New York, Chicago, Boston and Miami. Iberia offers an extensive network in Spain (37 destinations), Europe (38 cities), Africa and the Middle East.
2011 / January 2011
Jan 1, 2011Haim Gutin, Israel Tourism Commissioner, Tel Aviv
What Do You Recommend Business Travelers Explore To Extend Their Israel Visit? Israel is a small country, about the size of New Jersey, and nothing is too far for a weekend getaway. The culinary scene is varied, with many excellent restaurants boasting celebrity chefs, not only in Tel Aviv but all over the country, and especially in the Galilee. From Tel Aviv, you can be in Jerusalem in 45 minutes or the Galilee in about two hours, where you can ride horses with the “cowboys.” In a little over an hour from Jerusalem, you can be at the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth, where you can float in the mineral-rich, salty water and receive mud treatments that make your skin glow. But wait! You can also fly to Eilat on the Red Sea for the weekend and swim with the dolphins. Israel is filled with natural wonders, history, archaeology, UNESCO World Heritage sites, fun and sun — something for every interest.
2011 / January 2011
Jan 1, 2011Jorge Goytortua, Senior VP Of Sales For North America, Aeromexico
Congratulations On Winning Best Airline In Mexico In The 2010 Gt Tested Awards. How Will Aeromexico Continue To Provide Premium Services To Business And Luxury Travelers? Being recognized as the Best Airline in Mexico is a proud accomplishment, but it also embodies a hefty responsibility for all Aeromexico employees since it further advocates our everyday efforts to deliver an enhanced, safe, reliable, high-quality product.
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November 2024
Nov 20, 2024A Fusion of History and Modernity Makes Bangkok a Perfect Meeting Spot
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Nov 20, 2024Celebrate the Holidays at This Hotel on Italy’s Amalfi Coast
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