Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/280564
Hospitality sales leader Darren Green has been named senior vice president of Sales at the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism), it was announced recently by the organization's president and CEO, Ernest Wooden Jr. In this capacity, he will lead both the citywide convention sales team and the hotel sales team, along with the destination services team. Green has spent his entire career in hospitality sales positions for such top brands as Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Nikko Hotels International, KSL Resorts and, most recently, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide where he was director of Sales for the New York Metro Market Team overseeing the sales efforts for seven hotels including the Westin, St. Regis, W and Sheraton brand. "Darren has a long track record of sales leadership in top destinations such as New York City, Las Vegas, Hawaii and even here in Los Angeles," said Wooden. "He has worked at a wide variety of properties and in various capacities, giving him a unique understanding of working in tandem with a destination, properties and client needs to achieve all goals and objectives. Los Angeles is enjoying exciting momentum with new developments in Downtown LA and throughout the LA region, and I look forward to working with Darren to maximize these opportunities." Green began his career in Detroit, MI as a Guest Services manager at the Westin Renaissance Center. He then moved into sales positions with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts in Buffalo, NY, Hilton Head, SC and Maui, HI. In 1995, he joined the Hilton Hotels Corporation as national sales manager for the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Kamuela, HI and spent seven years at various properties throughout Hawaii for Nikko Hotels, Starwood Hotels and Resorts and KSL Resorts. In 2002, he was named the director of Sales and Marketing for two Starwood Hotels and Resorts proper- ties in Los Angeles, the Westin Century Plaza Hotel and Spa and the St. Regis Los Angeles. He subsequently served as vice president, Hotel Marketing for Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino by Sheraton in Las Vegas; and then complex director of Sales and Marketing for W Hotels of New York City. He will officially join LA Tourism on Jan. 29, 2014. B M & T ••• January/February 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 6 LA TOURISM NAMES DARREN K. GREEN, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Lisa Kershner has been named area general manager for Oakland Marriott hotels. Her responsibilities include management of the Oakland Marriott City Center(eb), Courtyard Oakland Downtown, and Oakland Convention Center. A San Francisco native, Kershner comes to the Oakland area from The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa where she was general manager. She was also previously general manager of the Renaissance San Francisco Stanford Court Hotel, interim executive director of the Hotel Council of San Francisco, and regional vice president of hotel operations for Kimpton Hotels. Throughout her impressive career, Kershner has worked hard to achieve the highest level of service and hospitali- ty, mentor associates, encourage collaboration and team work, and successfully guide her hotel teams through reno- vations and ownership changes. Her unique ability to approach challenges with both strategic thinking and creativity have helped her to excel in a world where only a small percentage of hotels have female general managers. Ms. Kershner aims to change that percentage by inspiring more women to choose hospitality as a career. Kershner is also focused on giving back to the local communities in which she works and has become involved with the Burlingame Community for Education and the San Francisco Food Bank. N E W S M A K E R S LISA KERSHNER NAMED AREA GENERAL MANAGER FOR OAKLAND MARRIOTT HOTELS •pg_3-11__BMT_pg3-58 2/27/14 3:04 PM Page 6