Former Hilton veteran officially named to lead newly launched dedicated third-party business with focus on all-inclusive and
urban/lifestyle hotels.
ATLANTA – Hotel Equities, Atlanta, has appointed
industry veteran Juan Corvinos as president of the newly launched Caribbean & Latin
America (CALA) division to further develop the company’s third-party management
business in the region. HE CALA is launching with two dedicated verticals: an
All-Inclusive Resorts and Urban and Lifestyle Hotels.
With a near-term goal of
building out the dedicated, in-market team, Corvinos will
lead already-present teams based in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Miami, all
of whom have strong local relationships and deep operational experience,
according to Hotel Equities. HE CALA is also structured to operate within the
Hotel Equities organization to leverage the firm’s operational infrastructure.
HE’s CALA portfolio is currently comprised of nine properties and nearly 1,000 hotel rooms under development in the region, including locations in Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Mexico, St. Thomas, and Trinidad & Tobago.
This is a transformational moment for Hotel Equities. With HE CALA, we’re investing in a team designed specifically for the future of hospitality in this region.
Ben Rafter
Corvinos joins Hotel Equities following more
than 15 years with Hilton, where he most recently served as senior vice president
of Development, Architecture, Design & Construction for Latin America and
the Caribbean. During his tenure, Hilton tripled its footprint in the region
and launched major brand platforms such as All-Inclusive by Hilton, Waldorf
Astoria, Conrad, LXR, Curio, Canopy and Tapestry.
Corvinos
will split his time between Miami and Mexico City, two key locations anchoring HE’s
presence across the Caribbean and Latin America. However, he shared that his
most consistent “office” is an airplane seat. He said he’s spent years
traveling country to country to stay hands-on with partners and ensure that
property needs are met in real time.
The move comes after Hotel Equities and Springboard Hospitality merged
their hotel management businesses, effective May 1. The move combined Hotel
Equities 200 opened or opening branded select- and limited-service portfolio
with Springboard’s 51 independent, lifestyle, and resort properties in the
U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
The news of Corvinos’ new role also follows the recent appointment of
Marilia Pergola as vice president of Operations for HE CALA. Pergola brings her
in-market expertise and now leads operational strategy and execution across
HE’s expanding CALA portfolio.
“This is a transformational moment for Hotel
Equities,” said Ben Rafter, CEO of Hotel Equities. “With HE CALA, we’re
investing in a team designed specifically for the future of hospitality in this
region. Juan’s leadership and firsthand experience in the region, combined with
HE’s commitment to local talent and operations, makes us uniquely positioned to
serve hotel owners.”
“We’re building a management infrastructure
specifically for the region, as an owner-centric company with the talent,
tools, and infrastructure to deliver long-term value,” Corvinos said. “With
local contracts, local experts, and local solutions, HE CALA is the only
dedicated, U.S.-born CALA third-party operator serving the region with a fully
embedded model. A key priority is developing our presence in the all-inclusive
space by aligning with partners and properties that share our vision.”