Le Méridien Names New Manager of Europe

LONDON-Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts has named its new regional managing director of Europe. Karyn Marasco, heretofore the hotel company’s manager for the Americas and the Caribbean, now will oversee hotel operations of 47 Le Méridien properties in the UK and the rest of the continent. Marasco joined Le Méridien in December 2001 as regional managing director, Americas/Caribbean, and was promoted in March 2003 to regional managing director of the Americas/Caribbean, UK and Ireland. She now will be based in the company’s London corporate headquarters, traveling extensively throughout the UK and European region.The appointment fills a hole created by Malcom Ross, who has left the company and could not be reached for comment. Marasco’s appointment to his post has sparked a domino effect of appointments to fill in the blanks. Lisa Impagliazzo has been appointed area general manager East Coast, Americas, as well as general manager of Le Royal Méridien King Edward Toronto, where she will be based. Impagliazzo joined the global hotel group in 2002 as vice president of operations, Americas in Le Méridien’s New York Regional Office. Prior to that, she has been a general manager for both Marriott and Hilton Hotels and a regional director of operations for Starwood Hotels and Resorts. In addition to the Toronto property, Impagliazzo will be responsible for hotels in Montreal, Miami, St. Martin, Guadeloupe, Rio de Janeiro and Guyana. She will be based in Toronto.In a new hire, John Strozdas has been appointed area general manager of West Coast, Americas as well as general manager of Le Méridien at Beverly Hills, where he will be based. His purview will include properties in New York, Minneapolis, Chicago, Palm Springs and Cancun. Immediately prior to joining Le Méridien, Strozdas worked with ResidenSea and others through his own private management consulting service. Prior to that, he did stints as vice president of operations, Americas with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; as general manager of Westwood Marquis Hotel and Gardens; and as general manager of Beverly Prescott Hotel.In another promotion, Brian Jones has been appointed vice president of global sales. As such, he is responsible for all of the global hotel group’s corporate sales efforts. Jones joined Le Méridien in July 2002 as vice president of sales, Americas. He will be based in New York.