Danny Hughes
Executive Vice President and President
Americas
Danny Hughes,
Danny Hughes
Executive Vice President and President
Americas

Danny Hughes is President of the Americas for Hilton and is based out of the company’s global headquarters in McLean, Virginia.

In this role, Mr. Hughes is responsible for Hilton’s interests in the company’s largest region, spanning 5,929 hotels, 18 brands, and 31 countries and territories across North, Central and South America. He is directly responsible for hotel operations and the coordination of functional leaders across development, brand management, revenue generation, human resources, communications, finance and owner relations in the region.

A 35-year hospitality industry veteran, Mr. Hughes has developed a deep knowledge of the region and the business functions supporting it. His most recent role was SVP and Commercial Director in the Americas, where he led more than 4,000 Team Members and drove growth for Hilton’s portfolio of industry-leading brands. His leadership was central to strengthening the company’s revenue and distribution strategies, while delivering outstanding experiences for Hilton’s guests.

Mr. Hughes also previously served as SVP, Caribbean and Latin America, where he was responsible for the operations of all Hilton-managed properties throughout the region. He has previously held the role of Area Vice President, Caribbean, Central America and Cancun, and worked in several management positions with Hilton across the globe.

He currently serves on the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Board of Directors and HotelPAC Advisory Committee, the D.C. Policy Center’s Board of Directors, and is a Corporate Board Member for Jobs for America’s Graduates.

Mr. Hughes received a degree in Hotel and Food Services Management from Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom. He currently resides in Vienna, Virginia.

Randy Gaines
SVP Operations &
New Openings
Randy Gaines,
Randy Gaines
SVP Operations &
New Openings

Randy Gaines is the Senior Vice President Operations and New Project Development at Hilton. Randy Gaines has a wealth of experience in hospitality and worked as a Vice President Engineering, Housekeeping, and Laundry operations, Leasing and Retail, before taking on his current role. Randy has also worked at Host Hotels and Resorts as Vice President Engineering Technical Services and has held many positions with Marriott and White Lodging Services over the past 30 years.

Keith Clampet
SVP Operations
Keith Clampet,
Keith Clampet
SVP Operations

Keith Clampet is the Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations at Hilton. In his 8-year tenure, he has been responsible for the operation of major owned assets in a variety of markets including New York, Hawaii, San Francisco and Miami. Clampet has previously worked within the Interstate Hotel and Resorts group, which manages a portfolio of hotels under brands such as Westin, Hilton and Marriott. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the New York Institute of Technology.

Jorge Giannattasio
SVP Operations
Jorge Giannattasio,
Jorge Giannattasio
SVP Operations

Jorge Giannattasio joined Hilton from SBE Entertainment Group, where he held the role of chief operating officer. His career spans three decades of operations and finance with global organizations, including more than a decade in the hospitality industry with Starwood Hotels & Resorts where, latterly, he served as senior vice president and chief of Latin America operations and global initiatives, overseeing more than 100 hotels, across eight brands in nearly 20 countries.

Paul Ades
SVP Labor Relations & Operations
Paul Ades,
Paul Ades
SVP Labor Relations & Operations

Since 2009, Paul Ades has served as Senior Vice President, Labor Relations and Operations for Hilton, with global responsibility over Hilton’s labor relations. Ades brings over 25 years of labor relations experience to his role with HMS. Prior to joining Hilton, Ades held senior labor relations positions at both MGM Mirage and Caesars Entertainment, and served as outside labor counsel to Fortune 500 companies during his tenure as an attorney at a national law firm. Ades holds a JD in Law from the University of California, Berkeley, and a BA in Political Science from Williams College.

Rachel Russell
SVP Human Resources
Rachel Russell,
Rachel Russell
SVP Human Resources

Rachel is Senior Vice President, Human Resources and is responsible for the HR Operations of our managed portfolio of hotels in the Americas. Rachel’s scope also includes global Team Member Relations & Compliance and Americas Recruitment Operations teams. In her role, Rachel leads, in partnership with Operations leaders, organizational design and talent strategies that will best support Hilton’s business priorities and meet the ever-changing needs of today’s evolving workforce. Rachel has over 20 years of diverse HR experience and holds a degree in Communications from the University of South Florida.

Tom Walters
SVP F&B Operations
Tom Walters,
Tom Walters
SVP F&B Operations

Tom Walters is Senior Vice President Food and Beverage – Americas at Hilton. Prior to taking up this role in 2010, he was Vice President of Premium Catering and National Accounts at Aramark. Walters also has experience working with luxury hotel brands, such as Ritz-Carlton. He holds a BS in Hotel, Restaurants and Travel Admin from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Todd Arviso
SVP Commercial Dir & Hotel Ops Americas
Americas
Todd Arviso,
Todd Arviso
SVP Commercial Dir & Hotel Ops Americas
Americas

Todd Arviso is Vice President Commercial Director – Americas. Before joining Hilton in 2014, Arviso worked with some of the world’s most well-known brands, from Accor to Hyatt. He studied at Washington State University and in 2012, he picked up the Rising Star Award from the Arizona Chapter of HSMAI.

Clint Woodlock
SVP Ops Finance Americas
Americas
Clint Woodlock,
Clint Woodlock
SVP Ops Finance Americas
Americas

Clint joined Hilton in 2003 and took on a number of important roles, before assuming the position of Vice President, Global Brands & Commercial Services (GBCS) Finance in 2015. Clint stepped in as Vice President, Americas Operations Finance in January 2020.

John Parkinson
AVP Operations
John Parkinson,
John Parkinson
AVP Operations
Doug Gehret
AVP Operations
Doug Gehret,
Doug Gehret
AVP Operations

Doug Gehret serves as Hilton’s Area Vice President of Operations, East. Previously he held the position of Area Vice President for Central Florida and South Carolina. His career with Hilton began in 1994, when he worked as Director of Rooms at Waldorf Astoria New York. After 8 years in that role, he became General Manager of Hilton Austin and subsequently of Hilton Orlando. Gehret holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Management from Penn State University.

Kristen Stampe
AVP Operations
Kristen Stampe,
Kristen Stampe
AVP Operations

Kristen is a veteran of the hospitality industry with more than 25 years of experience, including nearly eight years with the Hilton family. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Finance Operations where she oversaw Hilton’s luxury-branded hotels throughout the U.S. and Canada, including oversight of new hotel openings, conversions, area controllers and F&B Americas financial support. Kristen’s background includes senior leadership positions at Marriott and an MBA from the University of Southern California.

Michael Dunne
AVP Operations
Michael Dunne,
Michael Dunne
AVP Operations

Michael Dunne serves as Hilton’s Area Vice President of Operations, West. Most recently he held the position of Area Vice President – California. Prior to taking on this role in 2016, Dunne was San Francisco Area General Manager and served as General Manager of Hilton San Francisco Union Square for eight years. Dunne has a BS in Hospitality from Florida International University, and an Associate’s degree in Business from St. John’s University.

Tom Loughlin
AVP Operations
Tom Loughlin,
Tom Loughlin
AVP Operations

Tom Loughlin is the Area Vice President of Operations, West for Hilton. Prior to this appointment he served as Area Vice President Operations – Midwest since 2007. Tom was also the General Manager of Hilton Chicago for over seven years.

Tracy Walker
AVP Operations
Tracy Walker,
Tracy Walker
AVP Operations

Tracy’s career at Hilton spans 15 years, with her most recent role as Area General Manager, San Diego and previously she successfully ran the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Valeria Nowotny
AVP Operations CALA
Valeria Nowotny,
Valeria Nowotny
AVP Operations CALA

Valeria Nowotny oversees and leads the company’s operations strategy for the portfolio of managed hotels in the Caribbean and Central America. Nowotny was most recently with Sbe Lifestyle Hospitality, where she acted as Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations, responsible for the successful operation of 30 hotels, across six brands globally. Prior to Sbe, Nowotny formed part of Marriott International as Director of Operations for the Caribbean and Latin America, preceded by two decades with Starwood Hotels and Resorts in senior operations and quality assurance roles for the company’s Latin America division. During her time with Starwood, Nowotny held General Manager positions managing highly recognized hotels in Argentina and Uruguay.

Pablo Torres
AVP Operations CALA
Pablo Torres,
Pablo Torres
AVP Operations CALA
Vasco Baselli
AVP Operations South America
Vasco Baselli,
Vasco Baselli
AVP Operations South America

Vasco Baselli is Area Vice President – Operations, South America for Hilton. Recently stepping into this role in 2023, Baselli oversees operations for the region where Hilton currently welcomes guests at more than 65 hotels and resorts, while directly leading the talented operations teams and fostering owner relations at Hilton’s managed properties.

Most recently and since 2019, Baselli served as General Manager of Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort and Casino. His time in Aruba proved fruitful, as he managed a renovation project, enhanced the resort experience, and drove positive guest feedback. Prior to this, he was General Manager of Hilton Lima Miraflores in Peru.

A more than 35-year hospitality industry veteran, Baselli began his career in food and beverage when he took a role as cook apprentice at a hotel in Düsseldorf in 1987. In 1993, he joined Hilton as Director of Food and Beverage at a former Hilton resort in South America, and since then, his career has taken him to lead diverse teams across eight countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Baselli is a chef at heart who obtained degrees in culinary arts and hotel administration in Germany. He is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, German, and English.

Matthew Brockway
AVP Operations
Focused Service
Matthew Brockway,
Matthew Brockway
AVP Operations
Focused Service

Matt Brockway has served as Area Vice President of Operations for Hilton Focused Service Division since 2006. In this capacity, he oversees the operation of managed hotels primarily on the East Coast of the U.S. for Focused Service and select Embassy Suites and Doubletree hotels. Prior to this, Matt served as Director Brand Performance Homewood Suites Brand, Area Director for the Florida/Alabama Region and General Manager at properties primarily in the Baltimore and Washington, DC area. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Towson University in Baltimore.

Rick Gabrielsen
AVP Operations
Focused Service
Rick Gabrielsen,
Rick Gabrielsen
AVP Operations
Focused Service

Rick Gabrielsen is the Area Vice President of Operations for Hilton Focused Service Division primarily in the Western U.S. and Canada. In addition to his remarkable 21-year career at Hilton, his prior experience includes multi-unit management of both full and focused service hotels under the Hilton umbrella as well as other prominent competing hotel brands. He is well versed in Food & Beverage and for 3 years owned his own management company inclusive of managing west coast hotels, feasibility studies and due diligence for owners.

Paul Tomasetti
AVP Operations Focused Service
Paul Tomasetti,
Paul Tomasetti
AVP Operations Focused Service
Chris LaRose
VP Revenue Management
Americas
Chris LaRose,
Chris LaRose
VP Revenue Management
Americas

Chris LaRose is Vice President, Revenue Management, at Hilton. Prior to this role, LaRose was responsible for creating, promoting and managing delivery for Digital eCommerce Services for the Hilton Americas portfolio across all brands, management types and service levels. He has worked in various sectors from website strategy and testing, to revenue management systems. He speaks Spanish and is a member of HSMAI Digital Marketing Council.

Jeff Patton
VP Sales
Americas
Jeff Patton,
Jeff Patton
VP Sales
Americas

Jeff Patton has served 28 Years in the hotel industry, all of which have been spent in Sales & Marketing ranging from Focus Service, Branded Full Service, Destination Resorts and Luxury hotels.  Jeff currently serves as the Vice President of Sales for the Americas for Hilton overseeing the managed estate of hotels and resorts. Prior to accepting this role Jeff oversaw Hilton Direct for 2 years in Dallas which is the business unit inside of Hilton Worldwide Sales that provides managed account support for small events as well as Business Development.  Life before Hilton had Jeff serving as the Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Remington Hotels, one of the largest hotel management companies in the United States.  Jeff specialized in the Hilton Family of Brands Portfolio of Hotels for Remington overseeing Sales & Revenue Strategy.

Vito Curalli
VP HSM Americas Sales & Services
Vito Curalli ,
Vito Curalli
VP HSM Americas Sales & Services

As the Vice President, Sales and Services, Vito oversees several teams who are responsible for the development and growth of HSM accounts across the enterprise.   With a strong international sales background, his focus is to provide account support and service for HSM’s growing portfolio of hotels and brands in the region.  Prior to joining HSM, Vito was the Executive Director, International Sales and Industry Relations with Hilton Worldwide Sales.  He oversaw several teams with responsibilities for Group, Business Travel and Leisure Sales within Canada, the US and Latin America.  In addition, he was responsible for Hilton’s industry relations with key strategy partners throughout the Americas.  Prior to joining Hilton Worldwide, Vito was the Vice President of Development for AFM Hospitality based in Toronto as well other roles within AFM including Sales and Marketing responsibilities for key brands under AFM.

Vito is a graduate of Ryerson University’s Hospitality and Tourism School (BComm.), University of Wales (Finance) and the University of Guelph’s Hospitality and Tourism Management School (MBA).  He received his CHA designation in 2016.  Vito has taught Sales and Marketing Courses at Ryerson University’s Hospitality and Tourism School and currently sits on several boards including the Hotel Association of Canada, Ryerson’s Ted Rogers School’s Dean Council and Humber’s School of Hospitality Advisory Board.

Dianne Jaskulske
VP Management Contract Services
& Owner Relations, Americas
Dianne Jaskulske,
Dianne Jaskulske
VP Management Contract Services
& Owner Relations, Americas

Dianne Jaskulske is a 28-year Hilton veteran and currently serves as Vice President of Management Contract Services and Owner Relations – Americas. In this role, Jaskulske oversees the renewal and retention of all hotel management contracts, and assists developers in contract execution. Jaskulske holds a Certified Hotel Administrator certification from the American Hotel and Motel Association, and a degree in Business Administration from Purdue University.

Frank Connolly
VP Legal
Operations
Frank Connolly,
Frank Connolly
VP Legal
Operations

Frank Connolly joined the Hilton Legal Department in 2010. He currently serves as Vice President and Senior Counsel, Operations. In this capacity, he advises hotel management on the various legal issues that arise in the context of operating hotels. Before joining Hilton, Connolly practiced law for 20 years in various in-house and outside counsel roles as a litigator and counselor. He holds a BA from the University of Chicago and a JD from Georgetown University.

Kush Minhas
VP Regional Operations Finance
Kush Minhas,
Kush Minhas
VP Regional Operations Finance

Kush started his career as a management trainee at Marriott in 2000 and after different roles at Aramark and Sheraton, began his career with Hilton in 2005 as a financial analyst at the Hilton New York.  Kush took on roles of increasing responsibility at the Waldorf Astoria New York, Conrad New York – Downtown, and Hilton New Orleans – Riverside before being promoted to Regional Director of Finance in 2017.  During his time as RFD, Kush has led or partnered on many critical and impactful projects and has proven to be a trusted and strategic partner across the enterprise working on key service delivery plans such as Recruitment Operations Center, Sales and Marketing Benchmarking, and Operations (Workforce) Standardization.

Rafael Velazquez
Senior Director of Culinary
Rafael Velazquez ,
Rafael Velazquez
Senior Director of Culinary

Since 2019, Velazquez has brought his culinary passion, industry knowledge, and training expertise to life as the Executive Chef at the Hilton Orlando. Prior to the Hilton Orlando, he served as Executive Chef for James Beard Award-Honored Restauranteur Stephen Starr at Makoto in Miami Beach. Over the years, Rafael has held Executive Chef positions at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach and Hilton Westchester. He has also been part of hotel and restaurant openings, including the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, DB Bistro Moderne New York City, SW Steakhouse at Wynn Las Vegas, Steak 954 at W Fort Lauderdale, and Fern by Jean George Vongerichten at St Regis Bahia Beach. Chef Rafael played a star role in the South Beach Wine & Food Festival for over eight years; planning, hosting, and cooking alongside over sixty celebrities such as Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, José Andrés, Juan Mari Arzak, Morimoto and Bobby Flay to name a few.

 

Jorge Ramos
Director of Culinary
Jorge Ramos ,
Jorge Ramos
Director of Culinary

With nearly twenty years of luxury hospitality experience, Ramos has supported the culinary teams at several Hilton properties from Aruba to Las Vegas. In his almost six-year tenure at the Conrad Fort Lauderdale, Jorge established the resort’s footprint in Fort Lauderdale’s luxury market while focusing heavily on developing local relationships with artisans, farmers, and growers to showcase each season’s best products at the resort’s multiple restaurants and catering venues. Chef Jorge has been part of the openings of renowned hotels such as W Fort Lauderdale, Loews Atlanta, Viceroy Miami, and Ritz-Carlton South Beach. Chef Jorge was most recently Director of Culinary for the rapidly expanding Bodega Taqueria y Tequila family where he developed his skills in multi-unit management and team development.

Diarmuid Dwyer
Area Managing Director, New York City Market
Diarmuid Dwyer,
Diarmuid Dwyer
Area Managing Director, New York City Market

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