Hyatt Herald Square New York Appoints Key Management Roles
Candice Cancino Named GM, Gunnar Steden and Nina Jones Join as F&B Director and DoSM
NEW YORK - August 28, 2014 - Hyatt Herald Square New York, set to open October 2014, is pleased to announce the appointment of three senior management positions. Candice Cancino will take on the role of General Manager, responsible for overseeing all operations of the hotel; Gunnar Steden will become the Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director, responsible for developing the food and beverage concept and overseeing the daily dining operations; and Nina Jones will serve as the Director of Sales & Marketing, responsible for overseeing Sales & Marketing and generating hotel revenue.
A veteran of the hospitality industry, Candice Cancino comes to the hotel with over 20 years of experience ranging from boutique hotels to major luxury hotel brands. Prior to joining Hyatt Herald Square New York, Candice most recently served as the General Manager of The High Line Hotel in New York where she oversaw the opening of the property. Cancino started her hotel career at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and from there, went on to hold leadership roles at The Milford New York, the Normandy Hotel in Washington D.C., Tribeca Grand hotel in New York and W Hotels. In her new role, Candice will be responsible for all the pre-opening stages of development and for running the fashion and publishing-themed hotel as well as overall, day-to-day operations following the property's opening.
Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director Gunnar Steden joins Hyatt Herald Square New York with over 14 years of experience working for Hyatt Hotels. Most recently, Gunnar worked with Park Hyatt Washington in Washington D.C., where he served as Chef de Cuisine - Banquet Kitchen and was mentored by former Michelin star holder Sebastian Archambault. Before coming to the U.S., Gunnar held chef positions at several Hyatt hotels including Royal Perth Yacht Club at Hyatt Regency Perth in Australia, Hyatt Regency Cologne and Grand Hyatt Berlin, Germany. Steden holds a degree in Culinary Arts from his home country Germany. In his new dual position as both Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director, Gunnar will be responsible for developing the vision, plan and menu for the food & beverage concept and overseeing all culinary operations at the hotel.
The new Director of Sales and Marketing for Hyatt Herald Square New York, Nina Jones comes to the property with over 12 years of experience as a sales and marketing professional in the New York City hotel industry, holding management positions at the Radisson Lexington Hotel, Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel, Highgate Independent Cluster and most recently the Park Central Hotel. In this position, Nina won the Highest Achieving Sales Professional award for 2012. In her new role at Hyatt Herald Square New York, Jones will be responsible for overseeing sales and marketing as well as generating revenue for the hotel through room bookings, meetings and conventions and catering events.
"We are thrilled to have Candice, Nina and Gunnar heading up the operations for the new Hyatt Herald Square New York," said Ben Seidel, President and CEO of Real Hospitality Group, the hotel's management company. "Candice's invaluable hotel management experience, Nina's excellent sales skills and Gunnar's outstanding food & beverage experience and loyal Hyatt background will be huge assets for the property. With ideal leadership backgrounds, all three individuals bring their expertise, passion and creativity to their respective positions. We are delighted to welcome them to the hotel and wish them continued success."
About Hyatt Herald Square New York
With its proximate location to both Herald Square and the Garment District, Hyatt Herald Square New York celebrates two of New York City's most important industries - fashion and publishing. This theme is incorporated in every aspect of the hotel from the interior design by Paul Vega of VLDG INC to the guestrooms, dining concept, lobby lounge, partnerships and other amenities. A fusion of industrial sophistication and fashion-forward flare, Hyatt Herald Square New York features 122 rooms and one grand suite as well as a free-flowing lobby lounge with a living-room type feel (Library Lounge); a restaurant and bar (The Den); an espresso bar (Espresso); and a stunning rooftop bar (Up on 20) with views of the Empire State Building and surrounding midtown skyline, all of which offer local cuisine and seasonal menus of creative cocktails and market fresh dishes. A neighborhood gem, Hyatt Herald Square New York caters to both leisure guests and locals, and is conveniently located just steps away from word-class dining, shopping and entertainment, including the Empire State Building, Broadway Theater District, Madison Square Garden, flagship Macy's department store and Times Square.
About Hyatt Brand
Hyatt hotels are smaller-sized properties conveniently located in diverse business and leisure areas. With hotels typically ranging from 150 to 350 rooms, Hyatt hotels offer guests the opportunity to experience our hospitality in a vibrant environment. Customers include individual business and leisure travelers, and Hyatt hotels can accommodate smaller scale business meetings and social gatherings.
About Chesapeake Lodging Trust (Ownership)
Chesapeake Lodging Trust is a self-advised lodging real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investments primarily in upper-upscale hotels in major business and convention markets and, on a selective basis, premium select-service hotels in urban settings or unique locations in the United States. The Trust owns 20 hotels with an aggregate of 5,932 rooms in eight states and the District of Columbia. Additional information can be found on the Trust's website at www.chesapeakelodgingtrust.com.
About Real Hospitality Group
Real Hospitality Group (RHG) is headquartered in Ocean City, MD with a regional office in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, and comprises a team with more than 400 years of combined hospitality and travel industry experience. The Real Hospitality Group portfolio includes 51 hotel properties with an inventory of more than 6,715 rooms in gateway cities that include New York, Philadelphia and locations in Morgantown, West Virginia as well as Glens Falls, Montauk, New York and Ocean City, MD. The company is a recognized service provider for Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Hyatt, Wyndham, IHG, and the Choice Hotels brands as well as a collection of unique independent hotels. RHG focuses on total service property management, revenue performance, guest satisfaction and business development for hotels, resorts and investment ownership groups. For more information, please visit the company website at www.realhospitalitygroup.com.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
