Robert Steele III, general manager of the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay is succeeding Roy Kennington as president and COO of the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation. Kennington is retiring at year's end, after 18 years at EI, the last two as president/COO. Steele is the immediate past chairman of AH&LA.

Tony Aslanian has been named director of sales and marketing for The Peabody Orlando. Aslanian has more than 25 years of experience with Hilton Hotels Corporation and Marriott International, 13 of those in New York City. The Peabody Orlando is undergoing a $450-million expansion with completion projected for late 2010.

Hilton Hotels appointed Thomas Kennedy executive vice president and chief financial officer. He joins Hilton from Vanguard Car Rental, the holding company of the National Car Rental and Alamo Rent-A-Car brands, where he served as executive vice president and CFO. In other news at Hilton, Ellen Gonda was named senior vice president, global communications and public relations. Gonda joins Hilton from the global private equity firm, The Carlyle Group, where she was director of communications for the Americas.

New York-based Denihan Hospitality Group has a new senior vice president, operations Pamela A. Suhr. Suhr, who brings more than 24 years of hospitality experience, oversees day-to-day operations of DHG's portfolio of 12 properties across three brands: Affinia Hotels, The Benjamin and The James.

Giles Pelisson, director and CEO of Accor Worldwide, announced the addition of four executives to the Accor Executive Committee. Olivier Poirot, one of the four, assumes these duties in addition to his current responsibilities as CEO of Accor North America and Motel 6/Studio 6. The other appointees are Oswaldo Melantonio Filho, COO, Accor Services Brazil; Jean-Luc Chrétien, executive vice president, hotel distribution; and Pascal Quint, corporate secretary and secretary of the board of directors.

WORLDHOTELS named Robert Hornman to serve as vice president Europe, Middle East and Africa & worldwide sales and distribution. Hornman joins the company from Accor, where he served in a number of sales positions.

Michael Murray is the new chief operating officer of Hersha Hospitality Management. A 27-year hospitality veteran, Murray has in-depth operations expertise in the U.S. and Caribbean markets. He was previously operations leader at Sage Hospitality Resources.

Sage Hospitality announced Brian Throne has joined the company as vice president financial services. Prior to joining Sage Hospitality, Throne was VP of finance for First Data Corporation.

Philip Silberstein, the newly appointed executive vice president of development for the Sonesta Collection is responsible for developing Sonesta's domestic franchise business with a focus on projects in the U.S. and the Caribbean. Silberstein has more than 30 years of lodging industry experience.

Hersha Hospitality Trust named Thomas Hutchison to its board of trustees. Hutchison, with more than 35 years of real estate and capital markets experience, currently serves as a senior advisor to KSL Hotels and Resorts. He had been CEO of CNL Hotels & Resorts and CEO of CNL Retirement Properties Inc.

Miriam Hammond has been promoted to senior vice president of human resources for MGM Mirage. Hammond recently served as SVP of human resources for MGM Grand Las Vegas and The Signature at MGM Grand.

HEI Hotels & Resorts announced the appointment of Anthony R. Rutledge to chief financial officer. A senior partner at HEI and member of the executive and investment committees, Rutledge retains his general counsel title.

Isaac Gerstenzang has been named corporate director of e-commerce for Destination Hotels. Gerstenzang spearheads the company's Internet marketing and development of next-generation Web sites.

Industry veteran Dean Andrews is the new president of JRK Hotel Group. Andrews spent 12 of his 30 years in the hospitality industry with Orient-Express Hotels, Ltd.

The Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade has a new general manager:Robert Kallmeyer.

Hyatt veteran Fred Hoffmann was named general manager of the Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa. He has held executive f&b and hospitality positions within Hyatt for 18 years.