White Lodging announces new general managers named in Q3 2014

Both internal promotions and external hires helped the company grow

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Oct 20, 2014, 01:06 ET

MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Oct. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- White Lodging is pleased to announce the following individuals have been named general managers last quarter across the company.

Ryan Foltz joined White Lodging as the general manager of the Courtyard Golden in Golden, Colo. with over 10 years of hospitality experience. He spent eight years as a general manager with The Summit Group and Stonebridge Companies. His first general manager position was at the Fairfield Inn Denver Federal Center for two years, and then he moved his family to Fort Collins to lead the Hampton Inn Fort Collins team for an additional two years. He joined Stonebridge Companies in late 2009 at the Hampton Inn & Suites Denver Cherry Creek. After several years in Cherry Creek, he became general manager of the Aloft Denver International Airport.

Amy Hampton joined White Lodging as general manager of the Residence Inn Grand Junction in Grand Junction, Colo. Hampton joined White Lodging most recently from Hyatt Place Kansas City, Md. where she had been assistant general manager No. 1 for the last three years. She started in the hospitality industry almost five years ago as a guest service representative at Extended Stay America in Lenexa, Kan. She then moved to the Hyatt Place Kansas City, Md. as assistant general manager No. 2 where she completed only four months in the position before being promoted to her most recent position. Prior to joining the hospitality industry, Amy owned her own child care business, Casa De Los Ninos, Inc. for 10 years where she and her team of 40 associates created and managed educational programs for up to 200 children ages birth to 6^th grade. She has also served in the Air Force Reserves as Crew Chief.

Joshua Jorden has been named as the new general manager of the SpringHill Suites Westminster. Jorden joined White Lodging in 2011 as the general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Denver West/Golden after nine years with Marriott International. He started his hospitality career after graduating from Texas Christian University, where he majored in Entrepreneurial Management with a minor in Political Science. His first series of positions included a guest care representative, cook and houseman at the Courtyard by Marriott, University in Fort Worth, Texas. Only a few months later, he was promoted to his first management position as guest care manager. He then went into Market Sales as an account executive followed by his first general manager position at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Southwest Fort Worth, Texas.

Silviya Stankova has been promoted as the new general manager of the Residence Inn Indianapolis at the Canal. Stankova started with White Lodging in 2008 as a front desk agent at the Residence Inn Novi before being promoted to the housekeeping manager at the Hilton Garden Inn Novi later that year. She quickly was promoted to the assistant general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn Novi, and in 2012 was named the general manager of the Courtyard Pontiac. In that role, she was named the GM of the Year for Select Service and the White Lodging GM of the Year for 2013. Stankova is a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in business management.

Cassie Kronewitter has been promoted to the general manager of the Residence Inn South Bend. Most recently, she was a sales manager at the hotel. Before joining White Lodging as a sales manager in 2012, Kronewitter worked in sales for Nestle USA, Tri-Chem Corporation and Russell Stover Candies. She also worked as a career services specialist at ITT Technical Institute. Kronewitter is a graduate of the University of St. Francis with a degree in marketing.

Kirk Anderson has been promoted to the dual general manager for the Fairfield Inn & Suites/Courtyard San Antonio Airport North Star. Most recently he was the general manager of the Courtyard Marriott San Antonio Airport/North Star, and he joined White Lodging in 2013 from his position as assistant general manager at the Hartford/Windsor Marriott Airport. Anderson has worked for companies such as Winegardener & Hammons, Inc., HEI Hotels and Resorts and Strategic Hotels and Resorts, Inc. Across these companies, he's held positions such as assistant general manager, food and beverage department head and food and beverage outlets manager. Anderson said he is excited to build a team of guest-oriented service professionals who are committed to excellence.

Trenton Keelen has been promoted to general manager of the Residence Inn Austin Northwest. Keelen started with White Lodging as a management intern in 2010 at the Courtyard Merrillville. In 2011, he was promoted to assistant general manager of the Residence Inn Merrillville before being named the dual assistant general manager at the Courtyard/Residence Inn Happy Valley in Phoenix. He was named Rookie Extended Stay Manager of the Year for 2012. Keelen said he feels privileged to join the Austin branch of White Lodging and is excited for the wonderful opportunities he'll have in the region. He is a graduate of Purdue University Calumet.

Jeremy Wilson has been promoted to the general manager of the Marriott Chicago Midway. Wilson started with White Lodging in 2012 as the general manager of the Holiday Inn Midway. Prior to White Lodging, he worked for John Q. Hammons Hotels and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in roles ranging from general manager to assistant director of food and beverage and executive steward. Jeremy worked at properties in Florida, Long Island, California and Arizona. He said he is looking forward to making the Marriott Chicago Midway the hotel of choice in the Midway Hotel Center. He is elated to join the team, and looks forward to continuing the spirit of authentic hospitality on the hotel campus. Wilson is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in hospitality business.

Jill Farley has been promoted to the director of sales for the Midway Hotel Center. Farley joined White Lodging as the assistant director of sales for the campus in 2012. She started her hospitality career in 2006 working as a server at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago before working in catering at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco. At the Westin San Francisco, she worked as a catering manager and group sales manager. She said she is looking forward to developing her team to become strong sellers and leaders within White Lodging. Farley graduated from Purdue University with a major in hospitality tourism management.

Long-time White Lodging associate Michael Hunt will return to property with his promotion to general manager of the Holiday Inn Midway. Hunt previously was the director of hotel openings and acquisitions for Select Service where he assembled, trained and scheduled the task forces for all openings and acquisitions, managing them from pre-open through post-open. Hunt has a variety of experiences as a general manager with White Lodging since he started with the company in 1993, and helped open the Chicago Triplex, Hilton Garden Inn Salt Lake City and the Hyatt Place Austin Downtown. He also helped with the acquisitions of the Courtyard/Residence Inn Houston Downtown, the Hampton Inn Houston Galleria, the Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn West Palm Beach and the Hilton Garden Inn Boca Raton. He has worked at the Midway Hotel Center before, as the general manager of the Hampton Inn Midway.

Stan Iliev has been promoted to the general manager of the Hampton Inn Midway. Iliev joined White Lodging in 2011 as the front desk manager of the Hilton Garden Inn Midway. He was promoted to the operations manager of the same hotel before starting his most recent position as the general manager of the Courtyard Valparaiso. Before joining White Lodging, he worked as the restaurant manager in the Avanti Bar and Grill at the Courtyard Oklahoma City and as a restaurant supervisor at the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club.

Jeremy Sherman has accepted the position of general manager at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Denver Cherry Creek. Sherman has more than nine years of service with White Lodging, most recently as general manager of the Fairfield Inn & Suites Austin South. He has also held positions as food and beverage manager, banquet manager, food and beverage outlets manager, front office manager and assistant general manager. In his current position he has improved OSAT from the bottom 70 percent of the brand to the top 27 percent, improved cleanliness scores from the bottom 70 percent to top 30 percent of brand and is currently Gold/Platinum/Platinum through June. A self-described "hands on manager," Sherman is often seen mopping the lobby floor, greeting guests in the lobby and working breakfast. He is most definitely exemplifying the Walking Your Talk Theory.

White Lodging Services Corporation was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Merrillville, Ind. White Lodging is a fully integrated hotel ownership, development and operations company focused on developing and operating premium-branded hotels in growing urban markets across the United States. The company is a recognized leader that has defined and cultivated the ability to achieve consistent, sustainable growth among mid- to large-scale hotels. Its current portfolio consists of more than 160 hotels in 21 states and encompasses representation of the following leading brands: Marriott International, Inc., Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Global, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Preferred Hotel Group and InterContinental Hotel Group.

For more information about White Lodging, please visit www.whitelodging.com.

Contact:
Kathleen Quilligan
Phone: 219.472.2861
Fax: 219.472.2273

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SOURCE White Lodging