Steve Hill has been named president and chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Hill, who comes to the job from his position as executive director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, takes over the president’s slot from Rossi Ralenkotter, who remains as CEO. The move is part of a five-year vision plan put into place by the CVA’s board of directors in January 2016 which called for the hiring of four “C-suite” executives, including a chief operating officer, to support Ralenkotter. Ralenkotter has been with the CVA for more than 40 years and has been president and CEO since 2004.
Effective March 5, Josh D’Amaro, a 20-year Disney veteran and former Disneyland executive, will become president of the Disneyland Resort. He replaces Michael Colglazier, who will become president and managing director, Asia Pacific, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. D’Amaro, 46, most recently served as senior vice president at Walt Disney World Resort where he oversaw marketing strategy, sales and business development. He began his Disney career in 1998 as a senior business planner at the Disneyland Resort. Prior to his role at Walt Disney World, D’Amaro served as senior vice president, Resorts and Transportation, from 2014 to 2017, where he was responsible for the operation of Walt Disney World’s 26 resort hotels and the resort-wide transportation system.
Scott Warren has been appointed as a sales manager at the Virginia Beach CVB. Most recently, he was manager of the Virginia Beach Information Center. Warren has been with the bureau since the summer of 2003.
Tim Croyle, vice president, WestJet Vacations, has been appointed the new chairman of the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) and Brett Walker, General Manager Canada, Collette, has been appointed as vice chair for the 2018-2019 term.
Darren Neylon has been named the new CEO of the Ski Club, the UK-based operator that features ski product in a number of destinations, including many in the U.S., after a “robust” five-month recruitment process. Neylon replaces Frank McCusker who died of a heart attack while on a cycling trip last June. Neylon previously worked as managing director in finance, tourism and retail sectors with companies including Coopers & Lybrand, Macquarie Bank in Australia), SuperBreak and The Original Tour.
Amir Eylon, president of the tour and travel industry research organization Longwoods International, has also become a partner in the organization, which he joined in 2015. Previously, Eylon had been a senior official at Brand USA, as well as state tourism director for Ohio. Longwoods has offices throughout North America; its head office is in Toronto.
Adventure and activity specialist Exodus Travels has appointed a new managing director—Sam Seward, previously managing director of Gullivers Sports Travel and Travelopia’s schools travel business. He’ll take over from Pete Burrell, who retires in the spring after a handover period.
The Mexican airline Aeromar has announced that Dieter Holtz Wedde is joining the company, effective March 1st, as CEO to continue the process of consolidation and internationalization of the airline’s activities. He succeeds Andrés Fabre, who leaves the company after two years. Holtz previously served as president and CEO of Laureate Education Mexico. He has also served as general manager of national brands in the United States of Monsanto. Aeromar operates scheduled domestic services in Mexico and international services to the United States.
John Nixon, a veteran of more than 20 years with Carlson Wagonlit, most recently as global director of the company’s technical service centers, has joined the travel management and events company, ATPI, as global director of operations.
Hugo Lagares is leaving his position as sales manager with the Brazilian tour operator MMTGapnet. Lagares, who had been with the company for 10 years, gave no indication of his next professional stop. Rafael Magalhães has temporarily taken the place of Lagares.
Jane Chang, a long-time fixture in the tour and travel industry in southern California, is joining the Millennium Biltmore hotel in downtown Los Angeles, as executive assistant manager in charge of sales & marketing. Chan, who had with the Best Western International Executive Inn in Rowland Heights, California, and had launched her own consultancy several years ago, Chang is widely known in the industry for her expertise on the Chinese market and is a frequent speaker on the subject at tour and travel industry conferences and events. She starts her new position on March 1st.
Oleg Likhashkin, who had been the general manager for Inbound USA and Canada for G2 Travel, a company founded in 2012 by David Babai the former owner of GTA, returned to GTA last week to take over the position of senior market manager.
