NATIONAL REPORT—Personnel shifts are happening in the hotel industry, with Benchmark, M3 and M&R Hotel management making personnel moves:
Benchmark Names Eric Gavin Chief Sales Officer
Benchmark has named Eric Gavin as chief sales officer. This represents a promotion for Gavin, who previously held the position of SVP sales & marketing. Ted Davis, Benchmark’s chief sales and marketing officer, made the announcement. Gavin will in his new role oversee and direct Benchmark’s systemwide revenue management department, as well as the company’s global sales strategy and performance functions. His previous role as SVP for Benchmark followed his return to the company after serving as chief marketing officer for Salamander Hotels & Resorts.
M3 Promotes Scott Watson to Chief Sales and Marketing Officer and Partner
M3 has promoted Scott Watson to chief sales and marketing officer and partner. Since joining M3 in 2011, Watson has helped lead the company to record growth, increasing customers and total properties served. Under Watson’s direction, the sales and marketing teams have grown from two to 12 team members. M3’s customer footprint has expanded during Watson’s tenure as well. The company now serves customers in all 50 states, the Canadian provinces and the Caribbean and will be expanding to the U.K. and Europe.
As chief sales and marketing officer, Watson will continue to lead M3’s sales and marketing efforts while building long term strategies that will further the company’s growth and recent global expansion.
M&R Hotel Management Promotes Paul Viapiano as Regional Operations Director
M&R Hotel Management, operator of 25 hotels in New York, Texas, Illinois, Missouri and Indiana, has promoted Paul Viapiano as regional operations director, responsible for four hotels representing more than 600 guestrooms in Midtown Manhattan. He joined M&R in July 2018 as a general manager. He previously was area general manager for Sage Hospitality, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Residence Inn by Marriott World Trade Center in New York. He also had oversight of Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn hotels on Long Island and Element, Courtyard by Marriott and Hyatt House hotels in New Jersey.
NewcrestImage Names Two Key Executives For Dallas Dual-Brand
Two hospitality veterans have been named by NewcrestImage to serve as key managers at the dual-brand AC Hotel and Residence Inn, both by Marriott, at Frisco Station in north Dallas. The property, scheduled to open in late June, combines an eight-floor, 150-room AC Hotel with a seven-floor, 150-room Residence Inn in the same building. Marissa Maguire, who has 12 years of hotel management experience, becomes general manager of the property, while Kendahl Rasnick, with more than 30 years of experience in hotel sales and marketing, becomes director of sales.
Maguire has served in management and operations positions at multiple hotels, notably the Hilton Garden Inn as well as the Courtyard by Marriott in College Station; the Courtyard at Houston Galleria; and the dual-brand Courtyard and Residence Inn in downtown Houston. Rasnick has most recently been with Hilton Worldwide since 2002, where her responsibilities included director of sales for worldwide accounts and director of sales automation for small & medium-sized enterprises.
