Teneo Hospitality Group Names Jennifer Milliron Director of Sales for the Southwest Region
Eden Prairie (Minneapolis), MN, February 6, 2018 … Continuing its dynamic growth, Teneo Hospitality Group, the premier global firm representing 300+ independent and luxury branded hotels, resorts and DMCs, adds another seasoned sales professional to its roster with the appointment of Jennifer Milliron as Director of Sales for the Southwest Region. Ms. Milliron will be responsible for markets in Colorado, Utah, Texas and Arizona.
“We’re delighted to welcome Jennifer to Teneo’s expanding sales team for these key Southwestern states,” says Teneo President Mike Schugt. “Her exceptional hotel sales experience on a national and global level and for major brands will be a great advantage to our members in this region and beyond.”
Jennifer Milliron was previously Global Account Director for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., based out of Denver, a position she held for 13 years. In this role, Jennifer managed a portfolio of over 100 key international association, corporate and group accounts in Colorado, Utah and Illinois. She was also responsible for strategically driving business to 11 global Starwood brands.
Ms. Milliron began her 25-year career working in sales and conference management positions for Hyatt Hotels Corporation, including opening the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago. She then worked for Starwood Hotels & Resorts as Senior Sales Manager for the Westin Michigan Avenue, responsible for the national corporate and association group markets in the Midwest and Northeast. She also served as Director of Group Sales at the Westin Chicago River North and the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, where she led the Small Meetings Team for both properties and was responsible for the Northeast Pharmaceutical and Corporate markets.
Jennifer Milliron’s leadership has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including Starwood’s Global Sales Achievement Award and the Shining Star Award for both global and regional sales.
She is active in such professional organizations as the Rocky Mountain Chapters of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Meeting Professionals International (MPI), as well as Meetings Industry Council of Colorado (MIC). Committed to community action, she volunteers at Denver Children’s Hospital and the Denver Food Bank of the Rockies.
Ms. Milliron holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing/Management from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois.
Contact Information:
Jennifer Milliron
Director of Sales
Southwest Region (CO, UT, TX, AZ)
Office Phone # (720) 773-8850
Jennifer.milliron@teneohg.com
Teneo Hospitality Group Adds Legendary Pinehurst Resort to its Expanding Portfolio
$30 Million Renovations to Enhance Resort
Eden Prairie, MN, January 2018 … It’s a landmark and a legend, a luxurious spa and health center, a renowned meetings hub and the place where golf in America was born. The storied Pinehurst Resort is a destination in itself, rising amid 2,000 acres of woodlands, lakes and links in North Carolina. Now, Teneo Hospitality Group, the premier global firm representing 300+ independent and luxury branded hotels, resorts and DMCs, welcomes this iconic resort to its rapidly expanding portfolio. Teneo will drive group sales for the award-winning resort and promote its $30 million Capital Refurbishment Program that will preserve its past and actively build its future.
“As Pinehurst approaches its 125th anniversary, we are looking to ensure its future and mission for another century”, says Eric Kuester, Vice President of Sales for the resort. “Our new partnership with Teneo Hospitality Group will help position Pinehurst as a complete meetings destination with a vivid history, exceptional facilities and a unique and authentic destination experience.”
“We are very proud to be supporting Pinehurst’s group meetings business as the resort engages in a far-reaching capital enhancement program,” said Teneo President Mike Schugt. “The resort enjoys a legendary past and a brilliant future. Pinehurst will offer not just the nation’s best golf, but an array of resort activities, dining options, health and wellness services, top-notch meeting and technical resources and a highly trained meetings support staff.”
Building on a Legendary History for a Brilliant Future
In the late 19th Century, health resorts were rising in popularity along the Eastern Seaboard. Quick to spot a trend, Boston soda fountain magnate, James Walker Tufts, purchased 5,500 acres of pine-filled woodlands in North Carolina. He envisioned a progressive health resort and built the Holly Inn to accommodate guests. Tufts commissioned Frederick Law Olmstead, the storied designer of New York City’s Central Park, to create Pinehurst Village with stores, stables, cottages and fine homes, and the resort has continuously taken shape around the historic village.
Tufts made another decision that changed the course of history at Pinehurst, commissioning Donald Ross to build the resort’s first four golf courses. Thanks to Ross’ work and meticulous commitment to perfection, Pinehurst is rightfully known today as “The Cradle of American Golf”, having played host to the most prominent championships in the game, including the US Open, PGA Championship, and the Ryder Cup. In an effort to preserve and share the wonderful golf pedigree of Pinehurst, the resort recently purchased Dornoch Cottage, the home that Ross built overlooking his masterpiece, Course #2. The home will be made available in 2018 for group functions and events that encapsulate the true spirit of Pinehurst and provide an in-depth look at Ross’ work through the years.
Expanding its golf options, the resort opened “The Cradle” – a nine hole par three course designed by Gil Hanse – in October of last year. The Cradle opens up entirely new possibilities for both beginning players and for groups with more limited time constraints hoping to experience a taste of golf at Pinehurst. The Cradle can be played in less than an hour at the price of $50 per player.
Today, Pinehurst is a nationally recognized destination, resort and conference hub. The new refurbishment and building projects will provide guests with experiences that are not available at any other golf resorts in the United States. With 80,000 square feet of meetings space, Pinehurst Resort hosts over 500 groups per year. Meeting planners will find a professional Event Services Team and Events Concierge who excel in crafting a world-class event from start to finish, as well as facility and technical support needed for a productive and memorable meeting in a spectacular, singular setting.
The Carolina Hotel, or “Queen of the South”, is the largest hotel in Pinehurst and the center of much of the resort’s activity. Built in 1901, its grand cupola rises over the village and its elegant ballrooms set the scene for memorable meetings and events. As part of the refurbishment program, the Cardinal Ballroom in the hotel will be restored to its Belle Époque glamour.
In addition to topnotch catering for events and meetings, Pinehurst offers a wide range of dining options with intimate dining rooms located in the Holly Inn and Carolina Hotel. Casual fare is served at The Deuce, a new restaurant that has already been acclaimed “Best New Golf Restaurant” by Golf Inc. Magazine, overlooking the famed 18th green of Course #2. The Tavern, with its famous bar brought from Scotland, is a guest favorite at The Holly Inn, serving a variety of traditional pub favorites infused with a Southern flair.
Construction has begun on the Village’s original Steam Plant, as it will become a Microbrewery and restaurant, set to open in the summer of 2018. The Microbrewery will feature original craft beers, a unique menu, and outdoor seating perfect for group dining.
Guests can choose from 428 guestrooms, located around Pinehurst. There are three historic properties: The Carolina Hotel – which also offers Villas geared toward golfers, the intimate Holly Inn and the cozy and casual Manor Inn. Popular with families and groups are the spacious condos with fully-equipped kitchens. The resort is in the final stages of room renovations and improvements and will have completed work on every guestroom in The Carolina and Holly Inn by April.
Pinehurst offers much more than golf – there’s tennis, cycling, swimming and workouts, yoga instruction and treatments at the resort’s award-winning spa. Opened in 2002 in a new building that blends seamlessly with the resort’s historic architecture, the 31,000-square foot spa continues Pinehurst’s healing legacy. The spa features 28 treatment rooms and an array of therapies incorporating local ingredients such as pine and honey. Hydrotherapy is available in the Tranquility Room lap pool and Pinehurst recently introduced cryotherapy to soothe aching muscles and rejuvenate the entire body. The spa also includes a Fitness Center that never closes.
Pinehurst is 71 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport and eight carriers provide service from around the US. The resort offers a shuttle service to and from the airport. Moore County Airport, serving corporate and private aircraft, is just five miles from Pinehurst Resort.
Beyond Bricks and Mortar: Teneo Members’ Green Efforts Span Coast to Countryside, Initiatives Preserve Beaches, Woodlands, Wildlife
Three Critical Areas of Sustainable Conservation
Eden Prairie, MN… It started with organic soaps, recycling bottles, water conservation and signs urging guests to turn out the lights before leaving the room. Today, environmentally conscious hoteliers support holistic conservation strategies that reach into every corner of the property. Driven by technology and the demands of environmentally conscious guests, these initiatives have sharply reduced waste, conserved resources, saved money and educated guests to the importance of environmental efforts. The hotel industry has made remarkable progress, but beyond the bricks and mortar of member hotels and resorts lie acres of countryside and coastline that present sustainability challenges and opportunities.
“For many hotels, responsibility for the lands and waterways surrounding the property has become a commitment and an increasingly complex challenge,” says Mike Schugt, president of Teneo Hospitality Group, the premier global firm representing 300+ independent and luxury branded hotels, resorts and DMCs. These responsibilities include woodlands, campgrounds, beachfronts, everglades, mangrove forests, lakes and rivers, as well as marine and wildlife, which has become a priority as rising tides, drought and development encroach upon habitat.
Teneo’s member hotels have spearheaded numerous sustainability projects at every level of operations, according to Mike Schugt. “We are seeing many creative approaches to managing land and water resources, and a trend towards educating guests regarding wildlife and land preservation. Teneo is excited about the sustainability efforts of their member hotels. The meeting planners and groups we partner with are equally enthusiastic!”
Critical Area #1: Land–Preserve It, They’re Not Making Any More
While many of today’s hotels offer impressive programs to save water and conserve energy inside the building, some resorts must find equally effective ways to deal with the great outdoors. The Resort at Paws Up in Montana comprises 37,000 acres of hills, woodlands and rivers, ideal for outdoor activities and an array of team building and special adventure programs. The resort offers luxury safari-style campgrounds on land that must be responsibly managed. Several rivers run through the property including the Blackfoot, an angler’s paradise. Thanks to The Resort at Paws Up uniting efforts with local ranchers, hoteliers, conservationists and state and federal wildlife agencies, the waterways are as clear and brimming with trout as they were when Lewis and Clark passed through.
The staff of Vail’s Sonnenalp Hotel regularly volunteers to clean the nearby Eagle River, local highways and mountain bike trails. The resort helps employees to reduce their carbon footprint by providing bus passes, car pool coordination and housing within walking distance of the hotel. Sonnenalp also works to educate guests, employees and the public by supporting a range of community efforts, including Zero Hero information stations at community venues such as the Vail Farmers Market.
Since 1806, the healing mineral springs at the historic Omni Bedford Springs Resort have drawn a celebrated clientele. Thirteen US presidents from Thomas Jefferson to Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush have visited this bucolic retreat in Southern Pennsylvania’s Allegheny mountains. For 200 years, the hotel has carefully conserved these exceptional natural spring waters. The springs feed the indoor pool at the resort’s Aquatic Center and the natural spring waters are used in treatments at the Springs Eternal Spa.
Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Central California’s wine country is a Tuscan-style villa surrounded by beautiful vineyards that produce fine Allegretto wines served in the resort’s restaurants. Using Old World methods, grapes are harvested by hand versus machine and are grown in small lot vineyards to preserve land. The main villa was designed with the most sophisticated environmental systems available, including those that ensure highest quality of runoff water, preserve natural vegetation, and promote ground water recharge.
The Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Southeastern Wisconsin spans 1,300 acres of ski slopes, lakefront and woodlands. Recently the resort, certified by Travel Green Wisconsin, extended its award-winning environmental efforts to one of its two championship golf courses, restoring tens of thousands of square feet of land surrounding the course by planting native grasses and plants. The Grand Geneva Resort is also home to the Roy Divik-designed Entry Garden, a sustainable meadow of more than 20 vivid flowers and grasses, predominantly native to the Midwest.
Most urban hotels have little acreage to worry about, but New York’s 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge supports the adjacent Brooklyn Bridge Park with funds and an innovative rainwater reclamation system that irrigates the park during the summer months. The system also reduces storm water runoff into neighboring water streams by more than 50 percent. Roughly 5,000 cubic feet of water is projected to be reclaimed each year.
Critical Area #2: Against the Tide
Beach erosion and water pollution are major concerns for oceanfront and lakeside resorts. The situation has grown more urgent following the three devastating hurricanes that pummeled the US and the Caribbean in the Fall of 2017.
Volunteers from The Ranch at Laguna Beach currently maintain a 0.75-mile stretch of the Aliso Creek Channel in Mission Viejo. Since December 2015, the resort’s team has removed over 2,500 pounds of trash and debris from the channel, preventing this damaging refuse from polluting the Pacific Ocean. Using an invention called the GL Sand Machine, the resort recycles glass bottles by pulverizing them into sand that is then used in the golf course sand traps and to help replenish sand on Laguna Beach. The Ranch at Laguna Beach is the first property in the Continental United States to utilize the GL Sand machine and it has found a new use for it. Oyster shells from the hotel’s restaurant are ground up and used on the property’s bocce ball courts.
In South Florida, mangrove forests play a key role in marine ecology, serving as habitat for a variety of marine species and birds and as the first line of defense in the face of hurricanes. Guests of the Naples Grande Beach Resort can explore the adjoining 200-acre mangrove preserve and estuary via canoe and kayak. The hotel’s eco-friendly boardwalk, composed of recycled milk jugs, provides an eco-friendly path to the resort’s three miles of beachfront habitat, under the stewardship of its employees and managers.
Critical Area #3: Walk on the Wild Side
Wildlife preservation and education merge at select Teneo member hotels. They offer interactive programs that bring guests in closer contact with nature and wildlife, often as part of a team building effort. Guests of the Garden of the Gods Collection in Colorado Springs can experience the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, learning about the history, biology and conservation of wolves, coyotes, foxes, and the environmental challenges they face. The program, supervised by a trained wolf handler, can end with a group howl, symbolizing oneness with nature and its preservation.
The Garden of the Gods also offers groups a day of discovery at the 200-acre Elk Glade Ranch. Through the science of equine therapy, participants ride horses and drive cattle, gaining courage and confidence.
Part of Montana’s Resort at Paws Up is a working ranch, offering an equestrian program where guests, led by an experienced cowboy, help with an actual cattle drive. These equestrian programs, situated in nature versus a more mechanized or artificial environment, are growing in popularity as team building efforts and exercises in enhanced communication. For non-expert riders, the exercises are held mostly on the ground, and involve approaching, grooming and walking the horses. Thanks to the high sensitivity of horses, participants can quickly learn how their body language, tone of voice and mannerisms impact interactions and team success.
Virtually all species of sea turtles are threatened and Teneo’s member hotels in Florida and the Arabian Gulf are working to preserve these amphibians that are essential to maintaining marine life. Sea turtles are among the few species that eat sea grass and algae that if not consumed, would grow and threaten the entire ecosystem. And, their nests provide nutrients that help to grow the grass that preserves the dunes.
In Vero Beach, Florida, Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa participates in the community’s annual Turtle Dig. During nesting season, hundreds of turtle eggs are laid and are protected by signs and markers until they hatch. Then, the contents of the nests are dug up and evaluated, helping scientists understand how well the beaches are incubating sea turtle nests. In July, the public is invited to watch nests on the hotel’s beach be examined. They receive a presentation about sea turtle biology, threats to their survival, and ways to help protect turtles.
In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts plays a key role in a comprehensive and sophisticated conservation effort, The Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project. The project is based at the company’s two Dubai hotels, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah and Madinat Jumeirah and is run in collaboration with Dubai’s Wildlife Protection Office.
The public is encouraged to bring sick and injured turtles to the Wildlife Protection Office or to the Aquarium team at Burj Al Arab. Once the condition of the turtles is determined, they are then transferred to the state-of-the-art Turtle Rehabilitation Sanctuary at Jumeirah Al Naseem. When the turtles are deemed ready to return, they are released from the Sanctuary into the waters of the Arabian Gulf as part of the Big Jumeirah Turtle Race. Some of the turtles are fitted with satellite tracking devices. So far, the clear winner is a green sea turtle named Dibba who traveled 8,283 kilometers to a spot off the coast of the Southeast Asian Peninsula. Since 2004, over 1,350 rescued sea turtles have been returned to Dubai’s waters.
New Builds Signal Growing Strength of Independent Hotels, New Entrepreneurial Brands, as a Dozen Teneo Member Hotels Open 2017-2018
Construction Trends Span Independent Properties, Leading Brands, Major Markets, Second Tier Cities, Historic Restoration, Contemporary Design
Eden Prairie, MN, October 2017 … New hotel construction in major markets and second tier cities is signaling the growing strength of independent hotels and smaller entrepreneurial brands. The new properties span urban hotels, resorts, historic restorations, and anchors of major redevelopment programs, emerging business districts and dynamic new sports and entertainment complexes. They are breaking new ground in the areas of sustainability, art and architecture, historic preservation, food and beverage service and design, and using modern technology to create new meetings and guest experiences.
“This year and in 2018, we will see more than a dozen new Teneo-member hotels opening in the US, Mexico and Spain,” says Mike Schugt, president of Teneo Hospitality Group, the premier global firm representing 300+ independent and luxury branded hotels, resorts and DMCs. “These innovative and farsighted entrepreneurial efforts are found across the industry spectrum, in independent properties, in newer boutique brands such as Salamander Hotels & Resorts, Solis Hotels & Resorts, 1 Hotels, Heritage Hotels & Resorts, the Sydell Group, and in major-brand players such as Marriott International, Omni Hotels & Resorts and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.”
1. New builds are part of ambitious redevelopment programs. The InterContinental Washington DC – The Wharf is part of a dynamic new hub of hotels, restaurants, office buildings and residences now rising on the banks of the Potomac River. Omni Hotel at The Battery Atlanta is a cornerstone of the mixed-use area adjacent to SunTrust Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves. At Hartsfield Airport, the recently opened Solis Two Porsche Drive plays a key role in the emerging Atlanta Airport Business District. Frisco, Texas is part of the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex where the new Omni Frisco Hotel is the official hotel of the Dallas Cowboys and located in the team’s new Star Headquarters stadium and office complex. The Omni Louisville Hotel, a 610-room luxury hotel, is rising over the city as part of a new development of offices, clubs, restaurants and residences.
2. Hoteliers continue to see the investment potential in historic properties. Two of Teneo’s recently-opened member hotels occupy historic buildings being revamped and reopened. The LINE Hotel, DC will be reborn in an historic church and the NOPSI Hotel, New Orleans, is now open in the city’s former public utilities building, a National Historic Landmark. Notes Mike Schugt, “While renovating these properties and preserving their ambiance is expensive, the individuality and historic significance of these hotels are a strong marketing advantage. And, the construction of these buildings is far more sound than those built more recently, making them an excellent investment.”
3. Interior and exterior designs are breaking new ground and providing a sense of place. Hoteliers realize that cookie-cutter architecture and predictable guestroom interiors are no longer competitive in today’s environment. 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge boasts a stunning interior design that pays homage to nature and Brooklyn’s nautical history. With a spectacular $115 million redevelopment underway, the ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach features a spectacular 280,000-gallon oceanarium in the lobby. The Hotel Chaco’s stunning design is inspired by the architecture and ancient Native American civilization of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. Located in Albuquerque, the hotel’s interiors are a modern version of the centuries-old pueblos and accented by Native American art and sculpture.
4. Recycled materials enhance construction and design. Recycled materials are being used in both new builds and reconstruction of historic hotels. The new 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge uses recycled local wood and metal to create art and furniture to reinforce the hotel’s nature-inspired design aesthetic. Designers used wood flooring from an old Brooklyn distillery, and artifacts that reflect the legendary borough’s history.
At The LINE Hotel, DC, the wood from the pews in the former church has been used in the lobby and pages from old hymnals have been framed and displayed. NOPSI Hotel, New Orleans began as the city’s public utilities building and its original ironwork, soaring ceilings and majestic windows have been preserved and repurposed.
5. While the farm-to-table trend continues, new restaurant concepts are emerging, including those created by celebrity chefs. ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach boasts two restaurants by celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto. At The LINE Hotel, DC, two award-winning young chefs, Erik Bruner-Yang and Spike Gjerde, are creating three new restaurant concepts, one serving American classics with a Taiwanese twist, one with local Mid-Atlantic fare and another focused on a tasting menu.
6. Hotels are built to create new and unique guest experiences. At the rapidly expanding Atlanta Airport Business District the new Solis Two Porsche Drive overlooks the Porsche Experience Center at Porsche’s North American Headquarters. The Center’s 1.6-mile driver development track is great for teambuilding and just plain fun. Guests can drive with a professional instructor, view cars in the Heritage Gallery, challenge skills in a Simulator Lab and browse in the Porsche Retail Store. Omni Louisville Hotel will include a Speakeasy with a bowling alley and a high-end lifestyle and grocery store. The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando overlooks Lake Austin Nature Preserve where guests can fish, or take to the water aboard a variety of vessels from kayaks to electric boats. In 2018, the resort will open a spectacular Safari Water Park.
7. Local artists and artisans bring a sense of place, history and aesthetics. The Hotel Chaco in Albuquerque features the work of several of New Mexico’s leading Native American artists throughout the hotel, with contemporary painting and sculpture, fabric designs and crafts. In Barcelona, Spain, SOFIA is fresh from a multi-million-dollar renovation with stunning architecture and modern art that reflects the work of Barcelona’s legendary artists, Salvador Dali and Joan Miro. The soaring lobby showcases white and gold mobiles in the modern, geometric shapes they favored.
At 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, local artists and artisans have provided original artworks, textiles and sculpture. All of the artwork in the NOPSI Hotel, New Orleans is inspired by transportation themes reflecting the hotel’s original theme as a transit hub and home of New Orleans’s fabled streetcars. At Omni Louisville Hotel, work by local artists reflects the city’s equestrian heritage and will be displayed in the lobby art gallery.
8. An Emphasis on Wellness. Most of the new build properties offer full service spas. The all-inclusive Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos has a 29,000-square foot spa with 25 treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy facility, and a fitness center with personal trainers and numerous exercise classes. Omni Frisco Hotel offers a Dallas Cowboys Fitness Package based on the same exercise programs used by the legendary football team and its cheerleaders. At 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, the internationally famous Bamford Haybarn Spa is open, offering holistic treatments and organic products.
