PEOPLE update as of Feb. 11, 2020

LG Canada is pleased to announce that Andrew Chlebus has assumed the role of vic-president of Business Solutions Division effective February 5, 2020. In this new role, he will be a member of the executive team and will oversee all Hospitality, Signage, Monitor and IT Business Solutions functions. Chlebus has a Masters in Sports Management from Concordia University and has been with LG Canada for over 12 years, most recently as director of sales, Business Solutions Division – Hospitality, and previously held roles at IBM.

Aimbridge Hospitality, one of the world’s leading hotel management companies, has appointed Kevin Detz to executive vice-president — operational chief financial officer. Detz joined the Aimbridge Hospitality team in 2014 as senior vice-president — corporate controller with over 12 years of finance experience. Prior to joining Aimbridge, he served as vice-president at Goldman Sachs in the hospitality group, where he oversaw the acquisition and transition of a large public hotel REIT into the Goldman Sachs hospitality platform. Additionally, Detz served as an audit manager for Ernst and Young, LLP, where he was involved in several public debt and equity offerings, including the lead role on initial public offerings for clients in the real estate, retail and equipment rental industries.

Choice Hotels Canada, one of the largest and most successful lodging franchisors in the country, is creating a new function within its corporate head office to take a more holistic and coordinated approach to its key revenue generating disciplines. These are being organized under a commercial area, which includes Marketing, Revenue Management, Distribution, Loyalty and Global Sales. This new commercial function will be led by Julie Chan-McConnell, in the role of senior director, Commercial Strategy & Performance. Previously Chan-McConnell, who joined the company in 2006, held the role of senior director, Marketing and Distribution.

Michelle Weber is now the general manager at Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Orillia, Ont. Weber comes to the Fairfield Inn after five years as GM of the Best Western Plus Mariposa Inn & Conference Centre, where she was responsible for the operations of a full service hotel, with 83 rooms, eight meeting rooms, and Grape & Olive Restaurant. Her prior experience also includes almost 20 years working with Westmont Hospitality as general manger for the Comfort Inn Newmarket and territory director of the Ontario regional marketing committee for Choice Hotels Canada. Her volunteer activities include positions on the boards of Crime Stoppers, Newmarket Chamber of Commerce, Newmarket-Awesome Foundation, Orillia Hotel Association and Lake County Marketing Consortium.

Shane Bage has a new position as marketing and communications manager at Resorts of Ontario, which is based in Orillia, Ont. Bage comes to ROO from Living Water Resorts, where he was marketing manager for six and a half years. Bage has also worked as a web content developer for Bruce County, and an account executive at Squires Resources Inc. He is an experienced marketing manager with a demonstrated history of working in the leisure, travel & tourism industry.

Guido Kerpel, COO of New Castle Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel owner, operator and developer, has announced that John Wilson (left) has been promoted to vice-president hotel performance. In his new role, Wilson will assume responsibility for the operational performance of the company’s seven Canadian hotels and resorts as well as centralized accounting and special projects. Wilson previously was the general manager of the Westin Nova Scotian and served as regional controller. Wilson joined New Castle in 1996 to help bring the shuttered Nova Scotian Hotel back to life as the first Westin-franchised hotel in the world. Most recently he oversaw a multi-year, $16 million renovation of the hotel. A native of New Brunswick and graduate of St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Wilson began his hospitality career as a night auditor with Centennial Hotels. Over 24 years with New Castle he earned multiple promotions and the company’s General Manager of the Year Award in 2017.