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Going Places

Arizona
  • Kim Chappell has been named general manager for the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, bringing 42 years of experience in the hotel industry, including several leadership positions for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and as senior vice president of operations for the Westin brand. He will be responsible for overseeing all operations for the luxury resort. … Sherry Laswell, who has been with the Lake Havasu City CVB for nearly four years, is handing over the reigns as director of sales to Jenefer Johnson, who brings several years of experience in the tourism business to the position. ... Kirk Leinenkugel was named sales account executive for the Scottsdale Plaza Resort. Prior to the appointment, Leinenkugel held various comparable positions with the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company in Chippewa Falls, Wis. His responsibilities include handling the food and beverage market.

British Columbia
  • Tourism Vancouver’s Meeting & Convention Sales department added Dori Jensen as manager of meeting and convention sales for the Washington, D.C., region. Jensen’s most recent position was director of global accounts for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, working from its Washington, D.C., global sales office. … Kor Hotel Group appointed two new senior managers to Loden Vancouver, opening summer 2007. David Curell has been named general manager and Barbara Hicks has been appointed director of sales. Curell has more than 18 years of experience in senior management positions in the luxury hotel industry, managing San Francisco’s Hotel Vitale and serving as the general manager of the Opus Hotel in Vancouver. Hicks served for 19 years with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, most recently as the company’s director of global sales.

California
  • LA Inc., The CVB appointed Pouria Abbassi general manager of the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC). Abbassi had been serving at the LACC as the interim general manager and has also served as executive assistant general manager and chief operating office of the facility. … The San Francisco CVB (SFCVB) combined its marketing and public relations departments into one new department, Marketing & Communications, and implemented several staff changes. Laurie Armstrong has been named vice president of Marketing & Communications. She has been with the SFCVB since 1998 as vice president of public relations. In her new position, she will oversee consumer marketing, marketing services, editorial services, and public relations operations. Angela Jackson was hired as the SFCVB’s director of public relations. Jackson was previously with The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco as director of public relations. In her position at the SFCVB, Jackson will oversee local, domestic and international public relations efforts. Tanya Houseman, previously the SFCVB’s member communications manager, is now public relations manager. Sara Vasquez has joined the bureau as communications manager. … The Sacramento CVB (SCVB) appointed Paul Miller director of convention sales. Miller most recently served as director of sales with the Nashville [Tenn.] CVB. In his new position, Miller will focus on national associations in the Midwest and lead the SCVB’s convention sales team. … The San Jose CVB named Janice Williams Oliver as its new senior director of marketing. Prior to her appointment, Williams Oliver served as the director of business development for media company Clear Channel, and has more than 10 years of corporate experience. … The Oxnard CVB named Susan M. Stalley its director of sales. Stalley brings over 20 years of general hotel management and sales management experience in the hospitality industry to the position. Before joining the tourism bureau, Stalley was general manager/director of sales for the Casa Sirena Hotel, and has also served as director of sales and marketing at the Oxnard Hilton Hotel. … The Wilshire Grand Los Angeles hired S. Chris Park as vice president and general manager. Park previously served as the general manager at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill in Seoul, South Korea. In his new role, Park will lead all the Wilshire Grand hotel’s personnel and outlets, as well as those at the Waikiki Resort in Honolulu.

Colorado
  • Park Hyatt Beaver Creek hired Giles Priestland as its director of leisure sales, while Melanie Walent transferred from the catering department to become the associate director of sales. Priestland formerly served as director of sales and marketing for The Lodge at Vail. Walent has worked as catering and convention services manager for the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, as well as its associate director of catering and conventions.

Mexico
  • The Mexico Tourism Board opened a tourism marketing office in Washington, D.C., in May headed by Eduardo Chaillo. Chaillo said the office will focus its marketing efforts on meetings and conventions. The tourism board said it also planned to expand operations in its West Coast office in Los Angeles this year.

Hawaii
  • Christopher Blunt recently took over as sales manager at Mauna Lani Resort, on the Big Island. Prior to his appointment, Blunt served as director of national accounts for Marriott International Hawaiian Islands. Blunt was also a senior account executive for the Wailea Marriott and served as national sales manager for the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa on Maui.