On the Move: Oxford, Marriott, Access Point Financial; More…

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Companies are changing up their rosters with recent personnel shifts. Oxford Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Access Point Financial, Caesars Entertainment and Benchmark are all part of the mix:

Oxford Hotels & Resorts Promotes New President
Oxford Hotels & Resorts LLC, a wholly owned management subsidiary of Oxford Capital Group LLC, has promoted George Jordan to president of Oxford Hotels & Resorts LLC. Most recently, Jordan served as EVP following his position as SVP at the company. In his new role, Jordan oversees a growing portfolio of hotels and resorts across the United States, totaling nearly 4,000 hotel rooms. Jordan is also responsible for operations, human resources, legal, revenue management and property finance teams, and continues to report directly to the founder/CEO of Oxford Capital Group LLC and Oxford Hotels & Resorts LLC, John W. Rutledge.

Marriott’s Kyriakidis to Step Down as President of Middle East & Africa 
Alex Kyriakidis, president/managing director of Marriott International Inc.’s Middle East & Africa division, will transition from the position effective Dec. 31. to take up an executive advisory role for the company. Kyriakidis joined Marriott eight years ago as Marriott International’s first leader of MEA under the company’s newly established continent structure which created four continental operating divisions. During Kyriakidis’ tenure, Marriott’s presence in MEA grew from 37 hotels in 10 countries and territories to 264 properties in 30 countries and territories, with a signed pipeline of 184 hotels. Prior to joining Marriott, Kyriakidis spent more than 38 years providing strategic, financial, M&A, operational, asset management and integration services to organizations in the travel, hospitality and leisure space as global managing director—travel, hospitality & leisure for Arthur Andersen and then Deloitte LLP.

Access Point Financial Adds to Senior Management Team
Access Point Financial LLC (APF) has appointed two new managing directors to its senior leadership team, including Justin Perry as managing director/legal affairs and Lori Tirado as managing director/business development. Perry brings nearly two decades of real estate law, finance and banking industry expertise to his new role. Most recently, he served for four years as SVP/general counsel for CoastalStates Bank, where he managed corporate governance, litigation, contract review, loan assessment and resolution for a financial institution. Tirado joins Access Point Financial following nearly 15 years with The Largo Group of Companies, which she joined in 2005 as director of marketing and business development.

Jan Jones Blackhurst Joins Caesars Entertainment’s Board of Directors
Caesars Entertainment has appointed Janis “Jan” Jones Blackhurst to the company’s board of directors subject to regulatory approval. Blackhurst, who has been a senior executive at Caesars since 1999, will continue in her current role, EVP, public policy & corporate responsibility, until Oct. 1. Blackhurst replaces Richard Schifter who has resigned as a director. During her 20 years at Caesars, Blackhurst helped develop and grow the industry’s first responsible gaming practices to include an ambassador model for the gaming industry and the first industry code of commitment. Under her leadership, Caesars Entertainment has earned a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for 10 consecutive years. Most recently, she led the company’s Gender Equity Initiative.

Benchmark Names Kevin Walsh Regional Director of Finance
Benchmark has appointed Kevin Walsh regional director of finance. Walsh’s responsibilities will include overseeing the accounting and financial operations of several of Benchmark’s properties, including The Essex Resort & Spa, The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, The Heldrich and the Copley Square Hotel. Walsh was previously regional director, finance, for Interstate Hotels & Resorts.