Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1313980
B M & T ••• November/December 2020 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 10 N E W S M A K E R S HYATT REGENCY ATLANTA ANNOUNCES NEW GENERAL MANAGER Derrick Morrow Named Area VP & General Manager of Historic Peachtree Street Hotel, Now Open for Events & Guests Veteran hospitality leader Derrick Morrow has been named Area Vice President & General Manager of Hyatt Regency Atlanta. The landmark hotel reopened to guests and meetings on July 1, 2020. Morrow was most recently Area Vice President & General Manager of Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport. He previously served as General Manager of Hyatt Regency Tampa; Regional Vice President of Sales for Hyatt's Midwest Region; Director of Marketing at Hyatt Regency Chicago; and in other sales leadership positions. Morrow started his Hyatt career at Hyatt Regency Atlanta as Associate Director of Sales in 1991. Morrow rejoins Hyatt Regency Atlanta as the hotel announces it has reopened to guests and customers with a renewed focus on safety and wellbeing. "I couldn't be more excited to come back to Atlanta as General Manager of Hyatt Regency Atlanta," Morrow said. "This hotel is part of the story and soul of Atlanta, and I'm so glad to say that we are once again open for business." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called Hyatt Regency Atlanta his "Hotel of Hope" after the hotel opened its doors to the Civil Rights Movement in 1967. The property was the world's first contemporary atrium hotel and the first Hyatt Regency. The hotel has welcomed major Atlanta events from the Olympics and Super Bowls to Dragon Con. Prior to reopening, Morrow instituted new colleague safety training and hospital-grade cleaning protocols for guestrooms and common areas. He has appointed a Hygiene and Wellbeing Leader whose sole responsibility is ensuring guest safety, comfort and wellbeing. Hyatt recently announced a Global Care and Cleanliness Commitment. The company is collaborating with medical experts from Cleveland Clinic and other trusted industry advisors to upgrade operating procedures for all Hyatt hotels. "The most important element of welcoming back guests is doing it safely, and we are going above and beyond to care for our guests and colleagues in every area of the hotel," Morrow said. Morrow is a native of Washington, D.C., and a graduate of Howard University. He and his wife have two children and they have recently relocated to Atlanta. NECA NAMES LT. GEN. RONALD L. BAILEY, USMC (RET.), AS VICE PRESIDENT OF INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) is pleased to ann-ounce the appointment of Retired Lt. Gen. Ronald L. Bailey, USMC, as Vice President of Industry Develop- ment. Bailey will be working on creating executive training programs, expanding the scope of workforce develop- ment, implementing diversity strategies, creating partner- ships with institutions of high- er learning, and leading the charge on recruitment programs that bring new, skilled workers into the industry. This will include a focus on recruiting ex-military personnel to NECA member compa- nies and various Chapter positions. Lt. Gen. Bailey has had a long and distinguished mili- tary career, beginning as a Second Lieutenant, USMC, in 1977. During his impressive career, Bailey oversaw the Marine Corps Recruiting Command and he served as commanding general of the First Marine Division and as commanding general of the Third Marine Expeditionary Brigade. He was also a Military National Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. After many decades of mil- itary service, in June 2013, Bailey was promoted to Lieutenant General and was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps as Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations, a role he held until his retirement from the United States Marine Corps after 41 years of service in 2017. In 2018, Bailey became Vice President for External Affairs at Austin Peay State University, his alma mater. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Travis Manion Foundation, which develops programs and training opportunities for veterans and their families. He also serves as Chair-Elect/1st Vice Chair, of the Clarksville Chamber of Commerce.