People appointments for November 2009

Karen LaLonde has been appointed to the position of front office manager of Pine Bungalows, Jasper, Alberta. Karen brings with her an extensive background in not only business management, but many years experience in the customer service and hospitality industry.

Alison Partridge, who hails from Victoria, BC, is the new director of development, Western Canada and Asia, for Distinguished International Hotels, Residences and Resorts. With a career in the travel and hospitality  industries that spans over 37 years, Partridge brings an innovative approach that includes such notable accomplishments as launching her own  public relations and marketing firm that catered to airline companies and  tour operators while she was based in the UK, to creating SWAP for Travel  CUTS, today’s largest student work exchange worldwide, and managing travel agencies in New Zealand and Canada.  In Victoria, she sits on numerous boards and executive committees, and  has been the president of SKAL International Victoria for the past two  years.

Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services, recently announced the promotion of Bryan Ten Broek to senior vice president of resort sales and business development. He reports to David Gilbert, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing. In his new position, Ten Broek oversees the sales and service team who manages Interval’s resort relationships in the U.S., Canada, and Caribbean and plays the lead role in building the company’s developer client base in these regions. Ten Broek joined Interval in 1995 and has held a number of positions of increasing responsibility. Most recently, he was vice president of resort sales and service for the western region.

Louis Audette has been appointed president, Rational Canada. Audette will assume the role from Björn Rowland and will transition from regional sales director of Rational USA effective January 1, 2010. Audette will report to Rowland, who will continue in his role as Rational vice president of North America, overseeing the Canadian operation. Audette has been with Rational for more than seven years serving in Germany and the US. He started with Rational AG on the research and development team before being promoted to corporate chef and trainer. In 2005, Audette joined Rational USA as a regional sales manager and was promoted to regional sales director.

Royal Host Real Estate Investment Trust announced in late September that executive vice president and chief financial officer, A. Brad Cann, would be leaving the Trust, effective October 23, 2009, to pursue other opportunities. The trustees are in the process of establishing a transition plan, and until a replacement is announced, Cann’s responsibilities will be assumed by Royal Host’s executive and finance team who will work with him to ensure a smooth transition.

After an extensive search, SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts has found a new president and CEO. Steve Giblin brings with him an extensive background in hotel operations, development and management. Most recently he was president and COO of Dolce International.  Prior to joining that company, Giblin served five years as president and chief executive officer of Newmarket International, the developers of the hospitality industry’s first Windows-based sales automation system.  He has also worked for major hotel chains including Omni Hotels, Red Lion Hotels and Inns and Marriott International. 
 “I am here to grow this business,” says Giblin. “When I looked at this opportunity, I felt that SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts is in a stronger position for growth than most hotel companies. The hospitality industry has suffered tough times, but SilverBirch has weathered the storm well and is now ready to hit the ground running in 2010.  We have a great development platform and a strong management team and I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting time building the company’s future” he adds.

Ted Jacobs is Starwood’s new vice president, brand design. In his new role, Jacobs will head a team in charge of setting the creative vision for Starwood’s luxury and design-driven brands, including W Hotels, Le Méridien, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection. Specifically, Jacobs will oversee the design studio that directs the interior creative concepts and executes all style guidelines for the four brands across Starwood’s leading global portfolio. He reports to Mike Tiedy, senior vice president brand design & innovation. Jacobs brings to Starwood more than 20 years of design, brand-building and business expertise. Most recently he was a principal and design director at Gensler, a global architecture, design and planning firm with 32 offices and almost 2,500 professionals in Asia, UK, and the Americas.

Daryl Hudson is the new regional general manager Americas for Tourism Australia. The TA Board approved the appointment of Hudson, who is currently their Canadian manager.  Prior to joining TA in August 2008, Hudson ran his own tourism marketing consultancy for 11 years, primarily managing the marketing for Tasmania in the U.S. and Canada.  He also managed sales development projects in Australia, Fiji and Indonesia. Hudson also brings a solid background in the meetings market, having spearheaded the international sales for the Sydney Convention & Visitors Bureau from 1990-94.

The Watermark Beach Resort has appointed Ingrid Jarrett, Paul Scanlon and Joseph Dubois as general manager, hotel manager and director of sales, respectively. The resort was set to open in Osoyoos, British Columbia in late October. Prior to her appointment, Jarrett was the general manager of The Cove Lakeside Resort. Scanlon comes to the Watermark from the Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler, where he most recently held the position of hotel manager. Dubois was president of the Dubois Hospitality Group, a hotel sales and marketing organization.