Illinois
- David J. Sargent was appointed to the newly created position of senior vice president of the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau. Sargent returns to Chicago with more than 20 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. Most recently, he was senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Orlando/Orange County CVB. In this new role, Sargent will lead the CCTB sales team with a strategy to acquire new meetings and convention business. Prior to joining the Orlando CVB he was the area director of sales and marketing for the Hiltons of Chicago, where he led a team of more than 50 people at three properties. Prior to that, he served as the director of sales and marketing at The Westin New York at Times Square and Sheraton New York. … The Blackstone in Chicago recently appointed three executives: Robert Cartwright as general manager; Ryan Buck as director of sales, catering and events, and Matt Balcik as hotel manager. Cartwright joins The Blackstone from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where he has spent the vast majority of his career. His most recent Starwood assignment was as general manager of Sheraton San Diego & Marina. Previously, Cartwright held an array of management positions with Starwood, including senior director of Six Sigma for the Southern California Region, resort manager of St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach, and hotel manager of Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. Buck spent the last year as associate director of sales at the Swissotel Chicago. He has also worked in sales in San Francisco and Miami Beach, as well as a stint as senior sales manager at the Blackstone. Before joining The Blackstone, Balcik spent the past year as general manager of Peter Island Resort, in the British Virgin Islands. Previously, Balcik held a series of management positions in the Caribbean, including general manager of Westin Resort & Casino on Aruba and general manager of Westin St. John Resort & Villas. … Chicago-based Preferred Hotel Group named Peter M. Kressaty regional director of Florida. In his new position, Kressaty will provide support and continue to develop Preferred Hotel Group’s portfolio within the region. Most recently, Kressaty served as senior vice president of Carino Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Additionally, he has held the positions of general manager of The Lowell Hotel in New York, operations director at the Yale Club and senior management positions with Hyatt Hotels.
Missouri
- The Hiltons of Branson promoted William R. "Bill" Tirone to assistant general manager for the Branson Convention Center, the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel and Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing hotel. Since 2005, Tirone has served as the director of sales and marketing for all three properties. Tirone has more than 30 years of meeting planning and hospitality management experience, having served as the associate director of convention and trade show sales for America’s Center, one of the largest convention facilities in the Midwest, and as director of marketing strategy for St. Louis Marriott’s downtown cluster of four hotels.
