Colorado
- Paul G. Toner was promoted to senior vice president and COO of RockResorts and Vail Resorts Hospitality. Toner will oversee and direct the company’s lodging and hospitality division, which currently encompasses approximately 3,800 owned and managed hotel and condominium rooms, including the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Grand Teton National Park, the Colorado Mountain Express transportation company and six company-owned resort golf courses. Toner has 25 years of hospitality experience with luxury resort hotels in the U.S. and Asia. Since 2008, he has been vice president of sales and marketing for RockResorts and Vail Resorts Hospitality. Prior to joining the company, Toner was vice president of sales and marketing for the Marriott Hong Kong Regional Office, and he was area director of marketing for the Marriott’s Pacific Islands Regional Office in Honolulu. Toner also held various sales and marketing positions within the Marriott Company, including sales manager for the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Va.; director of sales for the Boston Long Wharf Marriott in Boston; director of sales for the Maui Marriott in Hawaii; director of association sales for the Orlando World Center Marriott; and area director of marketing for the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club in Hawaii… Pete Hayda was appointed director of sales and marketing for the RockResorts Vail Collection. He previously served as the director of sales and marketing for the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay Hotel in Miami… Hilton Antlers Colorado Springs named Laurie Vitagliano regional director of sales and marketing. A 16-year Hilton Hotel sales and marketing veteran, Vitagliano brings considerable experience to her new role, as well as a familiarity with the Colorado Springs area. She served as director of sales and marketing at the Doubletree Colorado Springs before leaving to join Pyramid Hotel Group in 2007, which operates the Antlers Hilton… The Westin Westminster named Michael Rayburn director of group sales and Christoph Schottle executive sous chef. Rayburn recently served as the director of group sales at the Renaissance Hotel Denver and the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter and has more than 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including holding senior sales positions at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, the Shelter Pointe Hotel & Marina and the Doubletree Hotel San Diego Mission Valley, all in San Diego. Schottle, who started his career in his native Germany, was most recently the chef de partie at The Kitchen in Boulder.
Nevada
- Las Vegas Meetings by Harrah’s Entertainment recently made changes within its leadership. Ed Coffey came aboard as director of sales for the Western region, and Patrick Espinoza was promoted to director of sales for the Eastern region. Coffey is a hospitality veteran with nearly 30 years of experience. Prior to joining Harrah’s Entertainment, Coffey held the position of vice president of sales for the Riviera Hotel and Casino. Espinoza has been a part of the Harrah’s Entertainment team for seven years. He began his tenure at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino as a convention services manager and made the jump into sales for the Rio. He also served as national sales manager for Caesars Palace and for Paris Las Vegas and Bally’s Las Vegas.
Washington
- The Southwest Washington CVB hired two new convention sales managers. Kelsey Chappelle brings with her over seven years of hospitality and hotel experience working at hotel properties within the markets of Spokane, Houston and Portland, and at the Seattle CVB. The hotels she has worked for include the Embassy Suites Hotel-Portland Downtown and the Doubletree Hotel-Portland Downtown. Lisa Going-Green has over 13 years of hospitality experience within the Portland/Vancouver metro area working at several hotels, which also include the Embassy Suites Hotel-Portland Downtown and Doubletree Hotel-Portland Downtown, as well as The Heathman Lodge.
