US Hires, Promotions

New General Managers in San Diego and Honolulu

Rani Gharbie, Ronni Anderson, Matthew McGuigan

By Trevor Simpson
Hotel News Now

September 28, 2023 | 8:12 P.M.

Read the latest roundup of U.S.-based hires and promotions in the hotel industry.

Executives

Rani Gharbie

Managing director, investment and development for the Americas
CitizenM
Sept. 26, 2023
New hire
Experience: Gharbie founded New York-based real estate investment firm Cedar Funds and held senior roles with companies such as Virgin Hotels, IHG and Hyatt.

Tom Barber

Chief financial officer
Mission Hill Hospitality
Sept. 25, 2023
Promotion
Experience: Barber joined Mission Hill Hospitality as managing director of acquisitions when the firm was launched in 2021. Before joining Mission Hill, he served as global chief development officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

General Managers

Justin Rodriguez

General manager
Shashi Hotel Mountain View
Mountain View, California
Sept. 26, 2023
Promotion
Experience: Rodriguez has remained an asset to the Shashi Group team since July 2019, when he previously held the role of director of food and beverage.

Jim Hollister

General manager
Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter
San Diego, California
Sept. 19, 2023
New hire
Experience: Hollister joins Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter from Graduate Hotels, where he served as regional vice president providing regional operational support to seven West Coast hotels.

Matthew McGuigan

General manager
Romer Waikiki at The Ambassador
Honolulu, Hawaii
Sept. 19, 2023
New hire
Experience:McGuigan joins Romer Waikiki from the Ala Moana Hotel by Mantra in downtown Honolulu, where he served as hotel manager for the past five years.

Rick Schatz

General manager
Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown
Nashville, Tennessee
Sept. 13, 2023
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Schatz served as general manager at the dual-branded Hyatt Place Hyatt House Indianapolis Downtown, where he oversaw the hotel opening and daily operations of the 316-room property.

Jason Caughron

General manager
Fontana Village Resort & Marina
Fontana Dam, North Carolina
Sept. 12, 2023
New hire
Experience: Caughron has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years, holding management-level positions in the Atlanta area since 1993. Most recently, he was the general manager at the Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Perimeter Center.

Sales and Marketing

Alice Land

Executive director of sales and marketing
JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa
Miami, Florida
Sept. 26, 2023
New hire
Experience: Land joins JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa from Fort Lauderdale Beach's four-diamond, 650-room Marriott Harbor Beach Resort, where she had served as director of group sales since 2019.

Ronni Anderson

Director of sales and marketing
Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown
Nashville, Tennessee
Sept. 13, 2023
New hire
Experience: Anderson previously held director of sales and marketing roles across several Nashville hotels. Her experience ranges from boutique lifestyle properties to large convention facilities, and she most recently served as the regional sales and marketing consultant for a hospitality travel group overseeing properties across the southern U.S.

Food and Beverage

Alex Hernandez

Director of food and beverage
Hotel Bennett
Charleston, South Carolina
Sept. 26, 2023
New hire
Experience: Hernandez brings 20 years of experience to Hotel Bennett, having held numerous leadership roles at hotels and restaurants such as Michelin-starred Cavallo Point Lodge in San Francisco and Bottega Restaurant in Napa.

Michael Paley

Executive steakhouse chef
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Miami, Florida
Sept. 13, 2023
New hire
Experience: Paley most recently served executive chef of Miami’s Klaw, garnering “Best New Restaurant” honors from Eater and Infatuation Miami in 2022.

Eric Fullem

Executive chef
JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District
Savannah, Georgia
Sept. 12, 2023
New hire
Experience: Fullem joins JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District from the Sea Island Company, a AAA Five-Diamond resort on Sea Island, Georgia, where he served as executive chef for the lodge, beach club and events.

Miscellaneous

Richard Cambeis

Topline specialist
Essex Hotel Management
Sept. 13, 2023
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Cambeis served as the general manager of the Hampton Inn and Suites in Lake Placid, New York.

To be included in an upcoming Hotel News Now U.S. Hires and Promotions List, email Associate Editor Trevor Simpson here.