Tony Phillips, Victoria Carroll, Tecla Tawonezvi and Benjamin Bope have joined the staff of Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville. Phillips is director of rooms. He has 20 years of hospitality experience, primarily with Loews Hotels. He was most recently the director of rooms for Loews Santa Monica Hotel. Phillips is a graduate of the University of Denver’s hotel, restaurant and tourism management program. Carroll, executive housekeeper, comes to Loews Vanderbilt Hotel from Orlando, where she was a training manager for the Sheraton Vistana Resort. She was previously housekeeping manager for the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. Carroll holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. Leo University. Tawonezvi brings 12 years of hospitality industry experience to her role as national transient sales manager. She was most recently senior sales manager of the Embassy Suites Hotel at Vanderbilt in Nashville and previously served as area director of sales for Marriott and Hilton properties in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A native of southern Africa, Tawonezvi has a degree in hospitality management from El Centro College in Dallas. Bope is a catering and conference sales manager. His experience includes food and beverage leadership roles at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Amelia Island, Fla., and Loews Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort. For more information, call 800/23-LOEWS or visit www.loewshotels.com.

La Quinta announces that Temple H. Weiss has been selected as executive vice president and chief financial officer to succeed Robert Harshbarger, who retired in May. Weiss, who has more than 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, joined La Quinta in 2001. Since then, he has held increasingly senior executive roles and has been significantly involved in the company’s financial activities. Previously, he served as vice president of finance and investor relations, with responsibility for capital markets, corporate acquisitions, financial analysis and strategic planning. Most recently, he was executive vice president of acquisitions and development, leading the company’s $450 million expansion program. In his new role, he will be responsible for the full range of finance activities, including accounting, financial reporting, planning and analysis, payroll, treasury, tax, internal audit and purchasing. In addition, he will continue to lead the company’s acquisition and real estate efforts. For more information, visit www.lq.com.

Callaway Gardens has chosen William Justus as the new executive chef of its luxurious Georgia resort. Justus will add an impressive flavor to the 10 casual dining and gourmet restaurants serving up Callaway’s famous Southern charm. Justus graduated from Columbus Sate Community College in Columbus, Ohio, where he earned an associate’s degree in hospitality management and successfully completed an apprenticeship at the Athletic Club. Prior to accepting his position at Callaway, Justus served as the executive chef at the Hershey Lodge, where he oversaw all aspects of the culinary staff, including ordering, inventory, scheduling and menu development. Justus also held the title of executive chef at Ohio’s Brookside Golf Country Club and executive sous chef at the Opryland Hotel, which had a food and beverage annual volume of more than $65 million. Along with considerable experience, the new executive chef brings a creative and competitive edge to Callaway Gardens with his numerous awards from American Culinary Federation competitions. Justus received the best of show “Art of Food” award at the Art Association of Harrisburg in 2003. For more information, call 800/CALLAWAY or visit www.callawaygardensliving.com.

Chef Martin Pfeffekorn was recently named the new executive chef of Grand Hyatt Atlanta. He comes to this market with distinct culinary mastery. Most recently, Pfefferkorn was the executive chef of Hyatt Regency Albuquerque, and prior to that he was the executive sous chef at the Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio and chef de cuisine for Corn Maiden, the fine dining restaurant located at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa. European born and trained, Pfefferkorn brings to Grand Hyatt Atlanta a wealth of culinary flavors. His culinary expertise extends to restaurants and resorts in his homeland of Austria, where he received his culinary certification and served his apprenticeship. In his new role, Pfferkorn oversees all food outlets at the hotel, including Cassis Restaurant, Onyx Bar, in-room dining and all of the specialty catering and banquet menus. In addition, he will oversee the largest and most successful state-of-the-art kosher kitchen in Atlanta. For more information, call 404/237-1234 or visit www.grandatlanta.hyatt.com.

Senior management at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota has selected five employees from a team of more than 600 for the honor of being named Five Star Awardees for 2007. The Five Star annual winners are chosen from a distinguished group of Five Star quarterly winners. Quarterly winners are nominated by their peers based on the following criteria: active engagement/involvement, attitude and quality of work, adherence to The Ritz-Carlton Gold Standards, appearance, attendance, participation in ongoing extracurricular professional activities, and recruitment. In addition to a plaque and a sapphire pin, the Five Star annual winners receive a complimentary five-night vacation at any Ritz-Carlton within the United States, round-trip airfare for two, a check for $500 and other recognitions throughout the resort. The Five Star winners for 2007, consisting of five front-line hourly employees, are Jedidiah Lippincott, accounts receivable clerk; Lashawn Frey, sales and marketing coordinator; Fanny Backwithfulleda, housekeeper; Eric “Bernie” Burrell, pastry cook; and Reto Maurer, hotel ambassador. For more information, call 800/241-3333 or visit www.ritzcarlton.com.

Already one of the most environmentally responsible conference centers and hotels in the Southeast, the Emory Conference Center Hotel (ECCH) is now the only property in Georgia implementing the single stream recycling system. Single stream recycling enables ECCH employees and guests to mix recyclable paper, plastic and glass in one centralized bin, resulting in the hotel recycling more than 41 tons each year. Before adopting the program, items had to be sorted into seven different bins. Sorting is now done at a processing center after the mixed recyclables are collected from special containers on the loading dock at the ECCH. Guests are also encouraged to participate. Recycling information is posted in every hotel room, and recycling bins are located on each floor and in all meeting rooms. For more information, visit www.emoryconferencecenter.com or call 404/712-6000 or 800/933-6679.

The Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Atlanta just steps from Peachtree Street, is now 100 percent smoke-free, which includes all guestrooms and public spaces. The new initiative to support wellness and a healthier lifestyle follows a nationwide Sheraton brand policy to be smoke-free in the United States, Caribbean and Canada by the end of 2008. To implement the new smoke-free policy, the Sheraton Atlanta staff has closely followed the brand’s comprehensive, step-by-step smoke-free conversion guide outlining specific cleaning instructions for erasing all allergens from former smoking rooms. The deep-clean transition included everything from soft goods and windows to walls, carpets and air conditioning units. The hotel also closely adhered to inventory changing guidelines, a certification checklist and timeline, outdoor area requirements and much more. For more information, call 866/221-9922 or 404/659-6500 or visit www.sheratonatlantahotel.com.

Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando has been awarded the prestigious “Greens of Distinction” by Corporate & Incentive Travel Magazine for the fourth year in a row. Readers employed several criteria in determining the winners, including location, course condition, function setup and food and beverage. According to the magazine, Rosen Shingle Creek had high marks in every category. Another factor in selecting winners was that Rosen Shingle Creek’s 18-hole, par 72 David Harman-designed Shingle Creek Golf Club has racked up numerous awards since it opened in December 2003. The club’s pro shop has been named one of the Top 100 Golf Shops in the United States by Golf World magazine the past three years. In June 2005, Shingle Creek was named a “Top 40 Best New Course” by Golfweek magazine, and a month later was named one of the “Top 10 Toughest Courses” by the Orlando Business Journal. For more information about the Shingle Creek Golf Club, visit www.shinglecreekgolf.com or call 866/996-9933. For information about Rosen Shingle Creek, visit www.rosenshinglecreek.com or call 866/996-9939.

Holiday Inn Augusta-Gordon Highway, located in Augusta, Ga., has won three awards from InterContinental Hotels Group for enhancements to guest service and business improvement. The property was recognized for excellence during the period spanning 2007-2008 by IHG’s Hotel Performance Support organization for Most Improved Overall Satisfaction Score (OSAT); Top Overall Satisfaction Score in its region, which includes the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and northern Florida; and Most Improved RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room). Located at 2155 Gordon Highway, at the intersection of I-520 (Bobby Jones Expressway), the Holiday Inn Augusta-Gordon Highway is the nearest full-service hotel to the main gate of Fort Gordon U.S. Army Base. For more information, visit www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/agsgh.

For the 10th consecutive year, the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa has been presented the “Greens of Distinction” award from Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine. Selections were based on meeting facilities, overall hospitality, golf staff assistance and course condition and design. In addition, the Hilton Sandestin was judged on its coordination of tournament arrangements, which successfully hosted on-property meetings and incentive travel programs. The Hilton Sandestin will be recognized at the Corporate & Incentive Travel’s Annual Awards Gala in New York City on Nov. 8 and will receive a plaque to commemorate its outstanding accomplishment. The resort was featured in the 14th Annual “Greens of Distinction” awards section of the magazine’s August issue. In addition to this honor, the Hilton Sandestin has received several awards over the years, including Corporate & Incentive Travel’s “Award of Excellence” for 10 consecutive years; the “Pinnacle Award” from Successful Meetings magazine for the last eight years; and the “Best of the South” award from Meetings South magazine for eight consecutive years. These awards are based on votes from the publications’ subscribers. For more information, call 800/367-1271 or visit www.HiltonSandestinBeach.com.

Hotels and Resorts Receive Green Lodging Certification
Several hotels have recently been awarded the Florida Green Lodging designation by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The designation rewards properties that demonstrate a responsibility to protect Florida’s environment while providing the comforts, amenities and services expected by a demanding public. The voluntary state initiative provides the lodging industry with technical assistance, encouraging hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving “green” practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. These practices include water conservation measures, through low-flow plumbing fixtures and a linen reuse program, and energy efficiency achieved by installing Energy Star appliances and programmable thermostats. The waste reduction criteria are met by providing the opportunity to recycle, purchasing items in bulk, purchasing recycled materials and by recycling ink and toner cartridges. All designated members of the Florida Green Lodging Program must also use green cleaners and high efficiency air filters, and clean air handler units frequently. Only a handful of other states—California, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin—have similar programs.

The Sandpearl Resort & Spa on Clearwater Beach has been embracing environmental stewardship since its conception and in its daily operations. The resort is a true leader in how new lodging developments can be built more energy efficient and environmentally sound. The combined foresight and vision of “building better” by the resort’s development partners, Coral Hospitality of Naples, Fla., and JMC Communities of St. Petersburg, Fla., have resulted in many ecological benefits in areas such as energy efficiency, indoor air quality, water conservation, natural resource conservation, transportation and the coastal environment. The Sandpearl Resort, which opened Aug. 27, 2007, is the first new beachfront resort in Clearwater Beach in over 25 years. Situated along a 700-foot expanse of pristine Gulf Coast beach, Sandpearl features 253 luxurious guestrooms and suites, a lagoon-style beachfront pool with private cabanas, unique lifestyle enrichment programs, fine and casual dining, plus meeting and event space. For more information, visit www.sandpearl.com or call 877/726-3111.

The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla., has something for everyone, whether you’re seeking a golfer’s paradise or a lush resort getaway. Offering spectacular views overlooking the Village’s picturesque lake and two golf courses, The Renaissance Resort is adjacent to the remarkable World Golf Hall of Fame. In addition to being an easy stroll to that impressive facility, the resort provides to guests privileges at the renowned PGA TOUR Golf Academy. Renaissance guests also enjoy an indoor professional golf simulator, an enhanced 24-hour health club with all-new equipment, sauna, pool, hot tub, tennis courts, a billiard room and full-service concierge. Just a chip shot from the resort, guests will find The World Golf Hall of Fame’s 18-hole championship putting course, the 132-yard Island Challenge Hole, an IMAX® Theater and the Walk of Champions. Guests also have privileges at the private oceanfront Serenata Beach Club and at PGA TOUR Spa Laterra. For more information, call 888/740-7020 or 904/940-8000 or visit www.worldgolfrenaissance.com.

The Embassy Suites Boca Raton is the first Green Lodging hotel designated in Boca Raton and the 139th in the state. The Embassy Suites is close to Boca Raton’s best beaches, fantastic shopping and challenging South Florida golf courses. It is the perfect location for a summer vacation, business meeting or social event. All of the suite night stays include cooked to order breakfast and the manager’s reception daily. For more information, call 561/994-8200 or visit www.bocaratonembassy.com.

The Orlando World Center Marriott Resort & Convention Center is home to an impressive 450,000 sq. ft. of event space almost entirely on one level and under one roof. It also boasts a diverse array of outstanding amenities and services, including 2,000 guestrooms and 110 suites, most with spacious balconies; 10 restaurants and lounges; Marriott’s Signature Red Coat Program, 18-hole championship golf course and a full-service spa and fitness center. A variety of outdoor functions can take place on the vast array of wide-open spaces and terraces that surround or overlook the resort’s million-gallon pool complex. For more information, call 407/238-8888 or visit www.marriottworldcenter.com.

Hyatt Regency Miami offers guests service, style and sunshine right in the center of the city and is located within minutes of downtown’s hottest restaurants, nightlife and cultural attractions. The 612-room hotel celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2007 with $20 million in renovations and now boasts the newest luxury accommodations in the city. Stylishly remodeled common areas, a 24-hour business center and a fitness center cater to leisure and business guests alike. All guestrooms are designed to provide optimal comfort and boast Hyatt Grand Beds™, floor-to-ceiling windows with dramatic city views, contemporary furniture and fixtures and walk-in closets. Oversized ergonomic work areas and wireless Internet accessibility offer additional convenience for business travelers. For more information, visit http://miamiregency.hyatt.com or call 305/358-1234.

The spoonbills, egrets and rare shells on Florida’s unblemished white-sand beaches are a little safer now. Ocean’s Reach Condominiums, a beachfront property on the Gulf of Mexico, has become the first and only lodging facility on Sanibel Island to be designated a Florida Green Lodge by the DEP. Ocean’s Reach Condominiums is a vacation resort complex on the gulf-front beach of Sanibel Island, Fla., near the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The 64 unique and brand-new condos are distinctly furnished and accessorized by individual owners from across the country. Rentals are available, and the condos are just 19 steps to the beach. For more information, visit www.oceansreach.com.

Cypress Hotel & Spa, the leading designer and manufacturer of luxurious bathrobes, towels, slippers and sheets for the hospitality and spa industry for over 25 years, has announced the introduction of MicroCotton® Green Earth™ towels, the newest innovation in eco-friendly towels for the hotel and spa market. Green Earth Towels by Cypress are made from super-fine, extra-long staple (ELS) cotton, which is known for contributing to the sustainable consumption of cotton. ELS cotton is also recognized worldwide for its superior softness, absorbency, durability and luxurious feel. Green Earth towels are 300 to 400 percent bulkier than traditional combed cotton towels of the same weight while having 50 percent less mass than traditional combed towels. Due to the higher ratio of surface area to towel weight, they absorb 15 times the amount of water. Due to their lower mass, however, Green Earth towels cost significantly less to launder, saving 50 percent in water consumption, using less detergent and taking 10 to 15 percent less drying time. This reduces hotel operational costs while also reducing environmental impact. For more information, contact Gene Faul at 413/229-3012 or ichief@aol.com or visit www.cypressbathrobes.com.

Originating more than 2,000 years ago, the neem tree has been trusted for centuries for its natural antiseptic, antiviral and antifungal properties. Today, leading bedding manufacturer and marketer United Feather & Down has partnered with the PRONEEM® company to bring the benefits of this ancient plant to luxury bedding for the first time. Unlike many other treatments, which are chemical pesticides, PRONEEM is nontoxic, is dermatologist-tested to be hypoallergenic and is long-lasting, a perfect solution for those looking for powerful, all-natural protection from bacteria and dust mites. Its power comes from neem extract, which has been recognized for years for its medical and organic insecticide properties, and its unique design is based on neem microcapsules, specially developed for use on United Feather & Down’s bedding, filling and fabrics. Additionally, PRONEEM is based on biodegradable active components so it’s completely safe for the environment. For more information, log on to www.ufandd.com, email info@ufandd.com or phone 847/296-6500.

Frymaster LLC’s new Protector™ fryer is made of stainless steel, but its heart is green. The Protector is an environmentally friendly fryer, offering green benefits that range from reduced oil waste to using less energy to operate than manual-fill 50-lb fryers. And it can even help operators meet customers’ demands for great-tasting, more healthful foods by generating cost-savings that can offset the higher cost of trans-fat-free oils. The 30-lb Protector offers the same production capacity as its 50-pound competitors yet takes 40 percent less oil to fill—meaning less oil to dispose of. Savings are compounded by high-technology features that take the guesswork out of oil management, protecting oil quality and maximizing oil life to up to four weeks. Those features include automatic oil replenishment technology aptly named Oil Attendant™ as well as Frymaster’s renowned, patented FootPrint PRO® filtration system and patented swing-up heating elements. When compared to manual-fill 50-lb fryers, Frymaster estimates that the Protector’s smaller fry pot and auto fill features that maximize oil life can reduce oil use over 50 percent annually, thereby saving operators a significant amount in oil costs. The Protector is also in an elite class of energy efficient fryers, having earned the industry’s top federal Energy Star rating of 85.6 percent energy efficiency. For more information, visit www.frymaster.com or call 800/221-4583.