Industry
Participant Success Stories
Congratulations to some of our recent program participants who have used their Cornell educational experience to further their careers and personal successes:
Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, is pleased to announce their new director of Southeast National Accounts Erin Ennis. With over 15 years of experience in hospitality sales, Erin previously worked as the national sales manager for the Terra Resort Group. She is a past recipient of the Circle of Excellence Award from Hilton for outstanding sales achievement. Erin graduated from Indiana University and completed the Professional Development Program at Cornell University. Grand Wailea is nestled on 40 acres of tropical gardens on Maui's Wailea Beach.
Omni Hotels & Resorts proudly announces the appointment of Peter Sams to General Manager of their Washington-located historic, four-diamond luxury Omni Shoreham Hotel. This promotion is one of many for Sams; he has held multiple key positions in various properties during an illustrious 16-year career with Omni, a career which includes the General Manager of the Year award which he received in 2008 for his work as General Manager of Omni Richmond Hotel. Sams graduated from Texas A&M University and completed the General Managers Program at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in 2007.
Leonard Mok is now Macau’s Mandarin Oriental’s Resident Manager. Mok has worked in the industry for over 22 years and has a wide breadth of experience in numerous leading hospitality brands such as the Conrad Centenniel in Singapore and the Renaissance and the Hilton in Vancouver. What adds further to his impressive line of experience is his position as Vice Chairman of the Macau Hotel Association and his completion of the General Manager’s Program at Cornell University in 2010. We hope Leonard all the best in his new position! Mandarin Oriental, Macau is located in Macau, China, overlooking the charming Macau waterfront.
Marco Selva joins the highly-anticipated new St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Florida as its General Manager. Selva is especially thrilled to be helping “bring this iconic brand to South Florida” and plans to bring his wealth of experience and knowledge in the hospitality industry to his position. Previously, Selva was the Ritz Carlton hotel company’s Area Vice President and most recently acted as Executive Vice President of one of the nation’s premier investment/development firms specializing luxury hospitality and residential real estate, Gencom Group. He also attended the Professional Development Program at the prestigious Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration in which he earned a certificate in Sales and Marketing.
The Resort at Squaw Creek is delighted to reveal that John Carter is its new Director of Leisure Sales. This appointment comes after an impressive line of experience in the field of luxury hospitality for Carter. He has been Director of Sales and Marketing at several mountain destination properties and most recently was the specialty travel consultant with tour operator Alpine adventures. Adding to his knowledge, he completed an Advanced Certification in Hospitality Marketing from the esteemed Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, and has conducted major research on travel and how it’s changing today as the current Harris Poll Travel Panelist.
Carlos Abaunza is now the Cancun Ritz Carlton’s general manager. After serving in the hospitality industry for over 2 decades now, Abaunza has a fantastic body of experience and subsequent knowledge that he will bring to his new role. His most recent post was as general manager for the Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort for five years and also successfully completed the prestigious General Manager’s Program offered at the world-renowned School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun features an exquisite view of the Mexican beaches and impeccable amenities.
Corinthia Hotels is pleased to announce that Eric Pere is the new General Manager of its Corinthia Hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia. St. Petersburg is just one of many international stops for Pere; he has held a number of senior management positions with leading hotels in multiple countries like the Savoy Group’s Berkeley’s Hotel in London, the Hotel Port Palace in Monte Carlo, and the Hotel La Samanna on the island of St. Martin in the Caribbean. In addition, he has also spent time in the United States professionally, part of which he spent successfully completing Cornell University’s Professional Development Program offered at their world-renowned School of Hotel Administration. Hopefully, this latest global venture for Pere will just be as successful as his previous ones.
Marco Saxer joins the Swissotel Kolkata as its newest General Manager. Saxer is a hospitality industry veteran, having worked in hotels like Amari Atrium Hotel, Radisson and Holiday Inn in places from Bangkok, Kuwait, and Indonesia. He completed his undergraduate education at the prestigious Lausanne Hotel School in Switzerland and holds a diploma in Strategic Management from Cornell University’s illustrious School of Hotel Administration. Because of his diverse experience and education, Saxer undeniably brings a unique outlook to his new role.
Kathleen Cochran is Bacara Resort & Spa’s new general manager. Cochran’s career up to date is especially remarkable, and her incredible wealth of experience will undoubtedly help her flourish in this new role. Highlights include winning California State Parks’ strongly desired “Hero Award”, and the California Hotel & Lodging Association’s “General Manager of the Year” award, and coordinating a historic partnership with the California State Parks during her time at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort. Furthermore, Cochran successfully completed General Managers Program at Cornell University’s prestigious School of Hotel Administration. The Bacara Resort & Spa is located on the California coastline, overlooking the immaculate waters and boasting a number of top-line facilities.
The Davidson Hotel Company is proud to reveal Colman Conneely as the newest general manager of its Marriott Teaneck at Glenpointe Hotel. Conneely joins the company after two decades of general manager experience, two decades that have spanned a number of diverse locations such as London, Paris and his native Ireland. He has completed several professional education programs, one of them being the acclaimed General Managers Program at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. The Marriott Teaneck is an easy 15-minute commute to Manhattan and includes a number of amenities such as a 26,000 square-foot Spa and 26,500 square feet of meeting space.
Dayna Milne joins Sage Hospitality as its latest Vice President of Revenue Management. She has a cornucopia of experience in revenue management; prior to her new role, she served as Vail Resorts Hospitality’s Corporate Director of Revenue Management and Marriott International’s Colorado Market Director of Revenue Management. Milne completed her undergraduate education at Colby College, her graduate education at University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business and earned a Certification in Hotel Marketing at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
John Vouillamoz joins The Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport as its current General Manager. Prior to his partnership with Langham Place, he held the General Manager post of the Holiday Inn Beijing Focus Square. Vouillamoz is in fact, no stranger to China, the experienced Swiss-born manager having lived and worked in China for over 16 years. He will certainly bring his extensive experience to his new role of overseeing all areas of the hotel’s operations and business development. Vouillamoz graduated from the esteemed Hotel School of Vieux Bois in Geneva and in 2003, continued his education in advanced hotel management as a part of the General Managers Program at the equally esteemed Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.
Stout Street Hospitality is proud to announce their long-time president, Leigh Hitz, as their new chief executive officer. Hitz boasts a long, illustrious career with Stout Street Hospitality, working for them since its birth at the Steven Holtze Corporation 25 years ago. Under her guidance as president, the company changed from Magnolia Hotels to its current namesake, Stout Street Hospitality. Several new properties were added to Stout Street during her time as president, as well as an overhaul of the company’s objectives to focus on strategic expansion. In her spare time, she founded a scholarship fund named “Hitz Scholars” for female hospitality majors at the University of Denver’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. Hitz is a GMP participant from 1997 at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.
The JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts Miami are both governed by general manager Florencia Tabeni, appointed to oversee both hotels in 2010 (who both opened the same year). Running two hotels simultaneously is just one of many accomplishments in Tabeni’s impressive career in hospitality. Most recently, she held the role of General Manager for the JW Marriott Hotel Miami. Prior to that, she was a participant in the General Managers’ Program at the acclaimed Cornell University School of Hotel Administrationin 2006 and a year later, she was recognized for her outstanding leadership as GM with the Marriott International’s Mustang Award. Clearly both hotels are in very capable hands; the JW Marriott Marquis Miami and the Hotel Beaux Arts are located in the heart of Miami.
The Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa is pleased to appoint S. Lee Bowden as their newest General Manager. Bowden brings three decades of hospitality management from all over the world to his new role of overseeing all operations at Omni Bedford . Some experiences include ascending quickly from Director of Sales & Marketing to Resident Manager in only two years at the Woodstock Inn and Resort in Woodstock, then moving on to a number of higher-up management positions for the rest of his career (he was President of the Gateway Canyons Resort in Colorado). Bowden graduated from Hobart College then continued his education in hospitality as a participant in the Advanced Management Program at Cornell University. Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa is picturesquely located in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania.
Bernie Corpus Jr. is Taal Vista Hotel’s new General Manager, after being appointed to the position in November of 2011. His appointment is particularly historic because he is the first Filipino to ever hold the position in the hotel’s history. This exciting appointment comes after 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry, experience in the form of multiple executive positions across multiple departments, like Food and Beverage, Human Resources and Marketing. Furthermore, Corpus holds certification from Cornell University’s Professional Development Program. In a recent interview, he cites Cornell and its School of Hotel Administration as inspiration for his ultimate dream: to build a hotel with a school next to it. With the kind of success he’s had, there’s no doubt he will accomplish it.
Klaus Kabelitz joins Le Richemond in Geneva, Switzerland as its new general manager. The German-born Kabelitz is particularly excited to oversee Le Richemond’s upcomi ng renovations, renovations he says that will “[usher in] a new era”. Prior to this new appointment, Kabelitz served as General Manager of the Berkeley Hotel in London for nine years. He completed his hotel apprenticeship in Dusseldorf, Germany and furthered his education as a participant of the General Managers’ Program at the esteemed School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. Le Richemond is located on the banks of Lake Geneva.