People on the move at Stonehill, Travelodge UK, Timbers Resorts

Companies are filling executive positions around the globe. Here’s a look:

Stonehill adds Cooper
Stonehill has named Jeremy Cooper to the position of VP, business development.

Cooper is responsible for originating and structuring debt and equity investments across Stonehill’s hospitality lending platform and helping to drive its strategic growth efforts. He will report to Stonehill’s EVP, Brent LeBlanc, and establish the company’s Northeast office in New York City.

He is a fourth-generation hotelier, having learned the hotel business at Cooper Hotels, a family business with more than 2,000 rooms. He most recently served as a senior investments associate with Intrinsic Hotel Capital. Before that, he worked with Atlas Real Estate Partners, LW Hospitality Advisors and Hilton.

During his decade of experience, he managed relationships and underwrote approximately $800 million of real estate assets; launched a hotels-to-housing investment platform targeting acquisitions of $500 million; and published appraisals and market feasibility studies representing more than $5 billion of hotel and portfolio transactions.

Travelodge UK names Bonnar CEO
Travelodge UK has appointed Craig Bonnar as its new CEO.

Bonnar has been serving as Travelodge’s interim CEO since the start of this year and has been a member of the group operating board since his appointment as COO in January 2017.

As COO, he held direct management responsibility for leading the group’s operations across its hotels in the U.K., Ireland and Spain. Among his key achievements, he defined and implemented a three-year strategic review of the hotel operating model which helped deliver significant improvements in the company’s ‘Net Promoter Score,’ colleague engagement, and also generated millions of pounds in productivity savings. During this time, Travelodge was also awarded its highest ever number of Tripadvisor Certificates of Excellence and placed on the platform’s Top 10 Global Hotel Chains for the first time, the company reports.

Prior to joining Travelodge, Bonnar worked at Asda for more than 20 years, having started on the shop floor. He joined the graduate program and progressed through the business holding a variety of senior roles including head, retail operations; operations director for Scotland and Northern Ireland; managing director, city facilities management and VP, store proposition and format development.

Timbers Resorts adds to executive team
Timbers Resorts has made several new additions and promotions to its executive team.

As corporate director, marketing, Lisa Hultquist oversees all marketing and communications efforts and leads new initiatives to further drive revenue across Timbers’  luxury portfolio including the launch of the Timbers Company website and the development behind the new brands. With more than 25 years of leadership experience, she has overseen successful marketing campaigns for travel destinations and hotels including SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts.

As director, business development—hospitality, Nick Hall is responsible for hotel acquisition initiatives, identifying acquisition targets and management opportunities for Timbers as the company seeks to expand both its national and global presence. Prior to joining Timbers, he was responsible for real estate acquisitions and oversaw budgeting, financial projects and the construction draw process for ground-up hotel developments in excess of $600 million at The Kessler Collection hotels and resorts. Hall also worked with Xenia Hotels & Resorts (formerly Inland America Lodging Advisors) on more than $2 billion in total transactions, leading up to a successful public listing.

The company also made two executive promotions. As managing director, hospitality, Jesse Geremia oversees all operational aspects of the brand’s portfolio with a primary focus on business operations, evaluating new opportunities and new properties, in addition to leading the operations teams, including all GMs, and oversight of all Timbers operating assets. He also manages the Timbers Reciprocity Program, a signature offering to Timbers Resorts owners. He previously served as director of operations and additionally led individual properties across the Timbers Resorts portfolio for a total of 11 years.

As director, operations, Carrie Bligh oversees all owner and guest experiences by driving consistency and continuity through strong training and employee cultural initiatives. Bligh will also guide the property operations teams as they develop customized programming for each location. Bligh previously served as GM of Timbers Jupiter, overseeing operations and owner experience at the luxury residence club and resort and brings decades of experience in the real estate and hospitality industry.