Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors is comprised of 35 Hoteliers and 16 Allied members, voting members, past chairs and non-voting members. The hoteliers represent Miami, Miami Beach, Downtown Miami, Brickell, Miami Airport, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, South Dade and North West Dade.

Executive Board of Directors

Florencia Tabeni
Board Chair
VP of Operations & Development
MDM Hotel Group

Florencia Tabeni

MDM HOTEL GROUP
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
& DEVELOPMENT

I started as Sales & Marketing Assistant

Being part of the GMBHA Board means I have been entrusted with representing our members interests with regard to the welfare of our industry. An industry that drives significant economic value to the city and region and defines much of what Miami is to the global community. As hoteliers we have enormous responsibility to create an experience that is exceptional for all or our guests and in order to do that we work together to create a business environment conducive to that goal. So it’s exciting to be a Board member where I can be a productive part of insuring the long term health of the tourism industry in Miami.

David Healy
Treasurer
Vice President & General Manager
Shula's Hotel & Golf Club

David Healy

SHULA'S HOTEL & GOLF CLUB,
GENERAL MANAGER
VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER

I was in Jersey and 13 at the time that I had my first experience in the hospitality industry. The parents of a good friend of mine hired me for the summer to work in their Italian restaurant washing dishes. We were paid cash every night and we ate very well, I thought at that time what could be better.

I really appreciate the opportunity to serve on the GMBHA Board of Directors. It affords me the chance to stay in touch on the relevant issues that affect our industry while having access to a pipeline of distinguished professionals with which to collaborate on issues and ideas with. I think the GMBHA does a wonderful job promoting, growing, and being the voice of the hospitality industry for Miami while being at the forefront of exceptional programs such as the Inn Key Awards which honor the best employees in our industry.

Curtis Crider
Secretary
General Manager
Jungle Island

Curtis Crider

JUNGLE ISLAND
GENERAL MANAGER

I have worked for Sonesta Hotels for the past 17 years. I started with this company at the Key Biscayne Hotel where I worked my way up to my present employment as General Manager of the Sonesta Bayfront Hotel Coconut Grove.

I was attracted to the hospitality industry because of the variety in work, dealing with guests and colleagues, and the atmosphere which it brings. Furthermore working in this industry brings freedom, creativity and flexibility with it. Every day is different; there is a large appeal to the flexibility, and the challenge and reward that come from guests who count on one’s professionalism.

I feel honored to serve on the board of The GreaterMiami& the Beaches Hotel Association - an integral and vital part of the tourism industry inMiami. This exceptional Association not only offers the opportunity to bring more awareness to our industry, but also to our destination –Miami. We have a great group of professionals in this Association and I believe that in working together we can create an important synergy that will bring about positive change through new ideas and actions that will ultimately benefit our industry and our community.

Peggy Benua
General Manager
Dream South Beach

Peggy Benua

DREAM SOUTH BEACH,
GENERAL MANAGER
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

After graduating from FIU with a Masters in Hotel and Food Service Administration, my career took me to other markets including San Diego, Los Angeles and Dallas. Ten years after graduation, an opportunity arose to come back to the Miami market to work at the Eden Roc. I now consider Miami my professional and personal home.

The Hotel Association is a big part of why I love this community. Membership in GMBHA is what brings us together as professionals and friends, offering a support system that is rare in other hotel markets. I highly recommend that industry members and partners join the GMBHA to take advantage of the many opportunities to connect with others.

Scott Berman
Principal, Industry Leader Hosp.& Leisure
Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP

Scott Berman

PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS LLPTT
PRINCIPAL, INDUSTRY LEADER
HOSPITALITY & LEISURE

At age 19, I worked in the front office at the Hyatt Regency in Baltimore.

As a hospitality professional who leads a national consulting practice, serving on the GMBHA Board gives me a chance to connect with my fellow hoteliers locally and take the pulse of the lodging industry in my backyard. They say politics is local, and so is hospitality. I am privileged to serve with a core group of dedicated and passionate professionals.

Mildred Riscigno
General Manager
JW Marriott Miami

Mildred Riscigno

Matthias Kammerer
General Manager
Biltmore Hotel

Matthias Kammerer

BILTMORE HOTEL
GENERAL MANAGER

My first job in the hospitality industry sounds like a cliché - washing dishes and doing prep work in the kitchen of a small town restaurant belonging to friends back in Switzerland. I was 12 years old when I started, first only on weekends and then some weekdays. Of course that was only a few years ago! It set the tone for things to come, I never looked back and have no regrets, and I would do it all over again!

Serving on the Board of Directors is an honor and a privilege. We work and live in one of the country's hottest tourism destination and with that comes lots of ups and downs. Serving on the Board has allowed me to guide and influence many different issues, all for the common benefit of the industry at large - a very gratifying experience.

Raj Singh
General Manager
Sea View Hotel

Raj Singh

SEA VIEW HOTEL
GENERAL MANAGER
TREASURER

First job in the hospitality industry was at Hotel Zimmer in Zell Am See, Austria, where I worked in the kitchen as a line cook and a waiter in the evening.

I have enjoyed serving on the GMBHA over 10 years. Our industry has a strong voice to enhance how we conduct business locally, statewide and nationally. It is a pleasure to be involved with all its members.

Suzanne Amaducci-Adams
Real Estate Practice Group Leader
Bilzin Sumberg

Suzanne Amaducci-Adams

BILZIN SUMBERG
REAL ESTATE PRACTICE
GROUP LEADER

What was your first job in hospitality?

My first job in the business was working a summer job at the front desk of a 4 diamond hotel when I was only 16. When I was interviewed for the job the office manager asked what grade I was in -- I said a junior-- she thought college and I was in high school. She did not figure it out until half way through the summer. I worked there all through high school and college.

What does being on the board mean to you?

I want to be on the board to help promote the industry and get to know all the local business people. The hospitality industry is a key driver of the south Florida economy. Working together I think we can d a lot to promote the industry and the economy.

Lucy Martin
General Manager
The Standard, Miami

Lucy Martin

THE STANDARD SPA, MIAMI BEACH
GENERAL MANAGER

My first job in the hospitality industry was when I was a young college student working as a server in a restaurant. It was part-time and I only worked evenings and weekends. The restaurant was in a local British hotel and it truly opened my eyes to the hospitality field.

Being a part of the GMBHA Board means that each day we get the pleasure of providing a memorable Miami experience to all that travel here. We are making lasting impressions on everyone and being a part of the GMBHA adds that extra sparkle to the city of Miami.

Mutlu Kucuk
Managing Director
Loews Miami Beach Hotel

Mutlu Kucuk

Julissa Kepner
General Manager
Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay

Julissa Kepner

Board of Directors

Amir Blattner
General Manager
Hyatt Regency Miami

Amir Blattner

HYATT REGENCY MIAMI
GENERAL MANAGER

Amir is responsible for managing all aspects of the day-to-day operations of this 615-room hotel.

“I am delighted to be back home in Miami, returning to where my Hyatt management career began, and look forward to supporting our community during these unprecedented challenging times."

Amir embarked on his journey in 1995 as a hotel operator at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, where he soon discovered his passion for the hospitality industry. Hyatt soon recognized Amir’s talent for hospitality leadership and recruited him as a Corporate Management Trainee at Hyatt Regency Miami in 1997.

Throughout his career, Amir held several leadership roles in various Hyatt hotels including Director of Rooms position at Hyatt Regency Dearborn, Grand Hyatt Washington, Hyatt Regency Chicago and Hyatt Regency Baltimore, where he earned the Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Director of Rooms Award in 2011. In January of 2017, he was promoted to General Manager for the Hyatt Regency Louisville and soon after promoted as General Manager for the Hyatt Regency Savannah. During his time at Savannah, he was recognized in 2018 as General Manager of the Year with the Georgia Lodging & Hotel Association.

Amir received a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management from Florida International University and a Masters in International Business from Nova Southeastern University. South Florida is home to Amir since relocating from Israel as a small child with his parents. He returns home with his wife, Claudia and their two children.

Allison Dlugatz
General Manager
Trump National Doral Miami

David Feder

Jared Galbut
Managing Principal
MENIN Hospitality

Jared Galbut

Gilberto Garcia-Tunon
Founder
SGT Hospitality Partners

Gilberto Garcia-Tunon

Robert Gaymer-Jones
President
Blue Horse Hotel Management Company

Robert Gaymer-Jones

BLUE HORSE HOTEL
MANAGEMENT COMPANY
PRESIDENT

1-What was your first job in the hospitality industry?

Commis Chef Hotel Suisse Majestic Montreux Switzerland.

2-What does being a part of the GMBHA Board mean to you?

I am delighted to be engaged in one of the most dynamic Hotel markets in the world by supporting members and networking with professionals to bring about tangible change in our industry. Since moving to Miami from Paris where I was the CEO of Sofitel Luxury hotels, I am honored to be part of the board as I launch my new venture of “Blue Horse Hotel Management Company” here in Miami.

Scott Geraghty
COO
Faena Hotels Group

Scott Geraghty

Jacqueline Volkart
General Manager
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach

Jacqueline Volkart

Amy Johnson
General Manager
The Confidante Miami Beach

Amy Johnson

Michael Hooper
General Manager
Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon

Michael Hooper

Ray Valentino
Vice President, Hotel Operations
Hilton Miami Downtown & Resorts World Bimini

Ray Valentino

Julie Grimes
Managing Partner
Doubletree Grand by Hilton/Hilton Bentley

Julie Grimes

Clavel Jacques-Louis
General Manager
Embassy Suites Miami International Airport

Clavel Jacques-Louis

EMBASSY SUITES MIAMI
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
GENERAL MANAGER

My first job in the hospitality industry was being a busser and prep cook at the Melting Pot restaurant right after graduating from high school. I have fallen in love with the industry since.

Being a member of the board grants me the opportunity to make a difference in the community that we are a part of and to make the voice of the Miami Int’l Airport area hotels heard for the betterment of all stakeholders.

Steve Boucher
Owner
Boucher Brothers, Inc.

Steve Boucher

Kristen Garcia
General Manager
Marriott Stanton South Beach

Kristen Garcia

Ericka Nelson
General Manager
EPIC Miami, a Kimpton Hotel

Ericka Nelson

Dan Normandin
General Manager
Four Seasons Hotel Miami

Dan Normandin

Simon Sorpresi
Area Vice President
sbe

Simon Sorpresi

Constantino Papadopulos
Founder
Hygge Hospitality

Constantino Papadopulos

Joe Pasterkiewicz
Regional Vice President
Encore

Joe Pasterkiewicz

Jacqueline Lejart
Vice President of Operations
Highgate Hotels

Jacqueline Lejart

Derek Lescrinier
Director of Rooms
Fontainebleau Resort and Spa

Derek Lescrinier

Florencia Rotemberg
General Manager
JW Marriott Marquis

Florencia Rotemberg

Haydee Blanco
Sales Director
American Airlines

Haydee Blanco

John Sullivan
General Manager
Miami Beach EDITION

John Sullivan

Rick Ueno
General Manager
W South Beach

Rick Ueno

Chris Rollins
Chief Operating Officer
South Beach Hotel Group

Chris Rollins

Brian Vujnovic
VP & Director of Operations
Robert Finvarb Companies

Brian Vujnovic

Grant Friedman
General Manager
Acqualina Resort & Residences

Grant Friedman

Glenn Sampert
General Manager
InterContinental Miami

Glenn Sampert

Past Chairs

Robert Hill
Alex Tonarelli
David Healy
Peggy Benua
Raj Singh
Tim Nardi
Kimberly Wilson
Charlie Hines
Juan Romero
Mike Furcht
Doug Rodibaugh
Eric Jacobs
Rick Hancock

Chair Emeritus
Eric Jacobs, Vice President, On Stream Media

Ex Oficio

David Whitaker
President & CEO
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau

Rolando Aedo
Chief Operating Officer
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau

William D. Talbert III
Past President & CEO
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau

Rocco Angelo
Associate Dean & E.M. Statler Professor
FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Mgt.

Michael Cheng
Dean
FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Mgt.

Gregory Bohan
Instructor/Special Projects
Florida Atlantic University

Freddie Peterson
General Manager
Miami Beach Convention Center

Grisette Roque Marcos
Executive Director
Miami Beach Visitor & Convention Authority

Shelly Fano
Director of Hospitality Mgt Program
Miami-Dade College Hospitality Institute

Ralph Cutie
Director & CEO
Miami-Dade Aviation Department

Hydi Webb
Assistant Director
PortMiami

Ibis Romero
Executive Director
Sunny Isles Beach Tourism & Marketing Council

Board of Directors

Executive Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Past Chairs

Ex Oficio

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