People for November 2008

Accent Inns regional sales manager John Espley has been promoted to business development manager with the company. His new duties include public and community relations, partnerships, website management, and tour and travel relations. Espley will continue working closely with community and company partners on sponsorships, promotional opportunities and events. Espley has a 20-year relationship with Victoria, British Columbia-based Accent Inns.

In other Accent Inn news, the company has appointed Karen England to the position of regional sales manager overseeing the Vancouver Island region.

Boutique Hotels & Resorts has handed the general manager reins of the brand new Nelsen Lodge to Peter Nielsen, who started Oct. 1. Nielsen is a veteran of the hotel industry, having worked throughout the province at the Poet’s Cove Resort and Spa on Pender Island, The Fairmont Chateau Whistler in Whistler and the Cedarwood Inn and Suites in Sidney. Most recently, Nielsen was the opening general manager of Boutique Hotels & Resorts of British Columbia’s Oswego Hotel in Victoria. The first of three buildings at the 221-suite Nelsen Lodge at Revelstoke Mountain Resort is set to open this December.

Rational Canada has brought in Björn Rowland as the company’s new national manager, replacing Sandy McGregor. Rowland’s experience includes a stint in the food manufacturing business as well as nine years as managing director of companies that sold scales, wrapping machines, barcode systems, and surveillance systems to supermarkets. He joined Rational in 2002 as managing director of the company’s Sweden division. In 2007, Rowland became area vice-president for Rational AG.

Craig Newman has joined Long Beach Lodge Resort as its restaurant manager. Newman returns to the resort after five years as front-of-house manager and sommelier at the Tauca Lea Resort and Spa in Tofino. His hospitality experience also includes Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts, The Post Hotel & Spa, Lake Louise Inn, Skiing Louise Ltd., Cottage Bar and Grill and The Fairmont Banff Springs. He returns to Long Beach Lodge Resort, where he worked from 2002-03 as head server.  “I always knew I wanted to return here and every time I step into the lodge I feel like I’m home. The view, the happy and relaxed people, it really is a special place,” Newman said. “I’ve been known to take a surf break here and there.” Long Beach Lodge has 40 lodge rooms, 20 two-bedroom cottages, a full service dining room and meeting space.

Travelport GDS, operators of the Galileo and Worldspan trip-booking software used by travel agents, has named Travis Christ as its new managing director for The Americas. It’s his job to lead and expand the company’s global distribution system business activities throughout the United States, Canada, Central and South America. Christ moves to Travelport from US Airways, where he’s worked in various roles since 1995, most recently as vice president of marketing, sales and distribution. He has also worked at America West, Continental and American Airlines.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has a number of new staff members on board at its Chateau Whistler location. Starting Sept. 1, Roger Soane took over general manager duties, moving from the same job at The Fairmont Empress in Victoria.
 
Samantha Jervis brings 10 years of hotel sales experience to her new position as account director, tour and leisure sales, at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Jervis’ career has taken her from hotels and private clubs in Spain to Mexico where she was director of group, sales and marketing for international markets with the Royal Hideaway Resort and Spa. She has an Associates Degree in Hospitality Management from Georgian College in Barrie, ON, and also has a Bachelor of Science from Florida International University.

Mark Wood has accepted the position of sales manager, Western USA with the hotel. He has over 10 years experience, including art direction and sales and marketing for Princess Fine Arts, where he managed the Fine Arts program for Princess Cruise Lines. Previous roles include management of eight sales managers as director of sales and marketing, Western Canada, for The Holiday Network. He has developed advertising campaigns with airlines, car rental companies, cruise lines, tourism associations and hoteliers throughout Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Fairmont has also announced the appointment of Clarence McLeod to the newly minted position of corporate Fairmont Gold manager. An experienced hospitality connoisseur, with nearly 20 years of hotel-related experience, McLeod most recently held the position of Fairmont Gold manager at The Fairmont Washington D.C, Fairmont’s first hotel in the United States to offer the Fairmont Gold product. McLeod, in his new position, will be responsible for managing, developing and executing on service and operational standards for Fairmont Gold, overseeing new openings and transitions, colleague training and development to establish new Fairmont Gold leaders, as well as redefining the service initiatives for the brand’s hotels.

ASSA ABLOY Hospitality, Inc., a leader in hotel security technology with headquarters in Richardson, Texas, has named Rune Venaas president. In this role, Venaas will be responsible for all activity in North America for the hospitality industry’s leading security brands: VingCard electronic locking system solutions for hotels; Elsafe UL-listed hotel safes; and TimeLox security solutions for gaming properties and other large resorts.
Most recently, Venaas served as managing director of Iberica and vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean with the company’s Europe/Middle East/Asia/Latin America (EMEA/LA) organization, based in Barcelona, Spain. In his new role, he will continue to support the Latin American and Caribbean region in addition to his responsibilities in North America.

Tucking away his golf clubs for the winter and embracing his passion for skiing and mountain living, Mark Herron has joined the Four Seasons Resort Whistler team as general manager. Leaving behind the southern charm of Houston, Texas, where he served as general manager of downtown Houston’s only AAA Five-Diamond property, Herron looks forward to working with yet another Five-Diamond gem and living in one of the world’s most beautiful mountain communities. With his postgraduate work in public administration, he appreciates Whistler’s excellent master plan and feels the resort is well prepared to host the world’s 2010 Winter Olympic Games.  Herron brings with him 20 years of Four Seasons knowledge and experience, including positions at the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in Seattle, Washington and the Four Seasons Biltmore, Santa Barbara where he guided the property through a comprehensive $200 million renovation.