People on the Move
Eric Grimm has been announced as the new Resort Manager for Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, and Thor Holm as Director of Spa. The Lake Geneva, WI resort is an award-winning AAA Four-Diamond hotel owned by Marcus Hotels & Resorts. Grimm has spent his career as manager of the Sheraton Detroit and director of operations for what is now the St. Kate Hotel in Milwaukee. Holm has over 33 years of industry experience in spa and recreation management and operations. He has held general manager roles for the Beale Group, Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, and was director of spa at the Hammock Beach Resort & Spa. He currently serves as president of the Green Spa Network Board of Directors.
Dan Flannery has been named CEO of Cape Resorts, a collection of classic historic American resort properties in NY and NJ. Flannery is charged with leading Cape Resorts’ operations and continuing its strategic growth, starting with the renovation and reopening of the iconic Pridwin on Shelter Island later this month. Prior to this new role, Flannery was senior vice president and managing director of Marriott’s EDITION brand. Dan currently serves on Pennsylvania State University's School of Hospitality Management Advisory Board.
George Toma has joined the Kimpton Schofield Hotel as director of sales and marketing, bringing more than 20 years of industry experience to the position. Toma has been part of the local hotel scene for more than a decade. “I look forward to the continuing transformative evolution of downtown Cleveland into one of America’s premier destinations,” he said. “The Kimpton Schofield offers unparalleled accommodations and personal experiences for its guests, and I am excited to be part of a dynamic leadership team.” Most recently, Toma was director of group sales at the DoubleTree by Hilton Cleveland. Since coming to the city in 2010, he previously worked at the Marriott and at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. He has also held positions in Bloomington, IL, Lexington, KY and Steamboat Springs, CO.
Venue News
The Starling has debuted as Atlanta's latest lifestyle hotel, joining Curio Collection by Hilton™. The Starling marks the brand's second property in the Atlanta area and adds to Hilton's roster of full-service Atlanta properties. Additionally, the property will feature updates to both the hotel spa, rebranded as The Spa at The Starling, and to the distinctive lobby bar, to re-debut as the hotel's newest food and beverage concept, Lantana. With the rebrand, The Starling will begin to introduce immersive programs and experiences including "Night Shade Bingo at Lantana" hosted by Drag Performer Taylor Alxndr as well as "Sweat.Swim.Spa," a full-day package offering an opportunity for individuals to experience fitness classes curated by popular local instructors along with time at both the terrace pool and the spa. The 466-room property originally built in 1973 also features murals of local cultural figures and musicians.
Hot off the Presses
PROLIGHTS EclProfile FS created a colorful environment for the annual Cotton Bowl Classic, an American College Football game in Arlington, TX. On December 31, 2021, the Cincinnati Bearcats faced the Alabama Crimson Tide. Keith Allen, owner of KW Allen Productions was tasked with lighting two separate venues during the Cotton Bowl; one at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, the other at the Hilton Anatole. Working with lighting designer Tomm Gillies from Seeking Productions, and Ralph Foster, producer at XTRADA Productions, the team was able to come up with a relaxing, and enjoyable hospitality suite for both teams and their families. Allen chose PROLIGHTS EclProfile FS (formerly known as the EclipseFS), because of the color saturation in the fixture, its low-powered ellipsoidal, with full color and true one connection was important for engineering to flow through the cabling to have one connector for everything.
Minnesota USA Expo 2027 announced that it has completed the next step in the bid process to host the first World Expo in the US in more than 40 years. US Ambassador to France Denise Bauer and Minnesota USA Expo 2027 President and CEO John Stanoch delivered the required detailed bid candidature dossier to the Bureau International des Expositions (BEI) Assembly in Paris, presenting the dossier to BIE Secretary General Dimitri Kerkentzes. Now, all five candidates to host the Specialized Expo enter the proposal examination phase, which will include a BIE enquiry mission trip to Washington D.C. and Minnesota in October. Minnesota Expo USA 2027, themed “Healthy People, Healthy Planet,” would be the first- ever Expo focused on bringing together the health and wellness issues and innovations from as many as 170 countries.
