Hotel executive moves: Lark, Noble, Pan Pacific, Rebel

Here is a compilation of the most critical executive moves of the past week in the hotel investment world, alphabetically (by company):

First Hospitality adds exec. Chicago-based First Hospitality has expanded its global sales office and it will now be led by Lance Hornecker, who has more than 25 years of sales experience in the lifestyle and brand space and will become the company’s new managing director, global sales.

Lark names new EVP. Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based Lark has named Lynsey Kreitzer as executive vice president of commercial strategy. Kreitzer will collaborate with the company’s marketing, revenue, creative and sales teams to lead strategic growth. Kreitzer brings more than 20 years of experience in hospitality commercial leadership to her role, and most recently served as executive vice president of commercial strategy and sales at GF Hotels & Resorts.

Dumont new CEO at Las Vegas Sands. Patrick Dumont will become Las Vegas Sands chairman and CEO effective March 1, succeeding Robert Goldstein, who will become a senior advisor to the company through March 2028. Dumont was also appointed chairman of Sands China Ltd., the company’s Hong Kong-listed subsidiary. He was appointed president and COO of Sands in January 2021 and has been a member of the board of directors since 2017. Dumont joined the company in 2010 and has more than 25 years of experience in management, development, operations and corporate finance.

Noble names asset management execs. Atlanta-based Noble Investment Group has added Omar Mont-Louis and Tom Embry to its asset management leadership team. Mont-Louis is now the director of capital expenditures and will help lead capital planning, facilities oversight, and property improvement execution. He brings more than 30 years of hospitality engineering and facilities leadership experience, including senior roles with Remington Hospitality and Marriott International. Embry is now director of asset management and will help oversee asset management initiatives across Noble’s branded long-term accommodations platform, focusing on revenue optimization, margin expansion, and operational efficiency. He has more than 20 years of hospitality experience, including leadership positions at Extended Stay America and WoodSpring Suites.

Obie Hospitality names COO. Eugene, Oregon-based Obie Hospitality has promoted Curt Asmussen to president and COO. For the past five years, Asmussen has served Obie Hospitality as vice president and previously as managing director and general manager. Asmussen has worked in the hospitality business community since 2006.

New COO at Pan Pacific. Singapore-based Pan Pacific Hotels Group has appointed Craig Bond as COO. Bond steps into the role following his tenure as senior vice president, head of operations, and in his new role will oversee global operations across Pan Pacific’s brands.

Pebblebrook names 2 to board. Bethesda, Maryland-based Pebblebrook Hotel Trust has named Nina Jones and Bill Bayless to its board. Jones’s election is effective in March, while Bayless is expected to join the board during the fourth quarter. Jones retired from T. Rowe Price, where she most recently served as a vice president and portfolio manager for the U.S. Real Estate Equity Strategy. She also worked at KPMG. Bayless is the CEO of Maslow Campus Communities and is a recognized real estate operator and capital markets leader who helped build and institutionalize the modern student housing sector. Over his more than 35-year career, he has been involved in nearly $30 billion in real estate transactions. He co-founded American Campus Communities and has served in leadership roles across the REIT and multifamily industries.

PM names new VP. Chevy Chase, Maryland-based PM Hotel Group has named Steve Marino as vice president of Information Technology + Hotel Systems. Marino brings more than 25 years of experience from Marriott International, where he held 14 leadership roles supporting enterprise technology and hotel operations across brands. Most recently, Marino served as vice president, U.S. & Canada IT.

Rebel names COO, other leaders. New York City-based Rebel Hotel Co. has added four senior leaders to its executive team, including Gary Thomas as COO. Thomas brings decades of leadership experience across lifestyle and luxury brands. Most recently, he served as senior vice president at Aimbridge Hospitality, overseeing the Evolution vertical, a portfolio of lifestyle/luxury properties across the U.S. and Canada. He previously worked for Makeready, Ian Schrager and Morgans Hotel Group. Tanya Sims joins the company as vice president, operations, bringing more than 25 years of hospitality leadership experience. Before Rebel, she served as vice president, operations at Aimbridge Hospitality and previously held the same role at Interstate Hotels & Resorts. Kelly Makino has been appointed head of HR. She brings a background in talent strategy, organizational development and employee engagement within the hospitality sector and previously served in senior HR leadership roles at The Wurzak Hotel Group. Patrick Horstmann has been named director, luxury and lifestyle. With more than 20 years of experience in luxury and lifestyle hospitality, he has held senior leadership roles with brands including Denihan Hospitality Group, Gansevoort Hotel Group and Morgans Hotel Group’s Shore Club Miami Beach.