Quirk Hotel Appoints New General Manager and Director of Sales and Marketing
Richmond, Va. - June 10, 2015. Quirk Hotel, A Destination Hotel, hires dynamic hospitality experts Sherry Abedi and Kate McDonald Brown as their new General Manager and Area Director of Sales and Marketing. Sherry comes to Quirk Hotel with more than 16 years of hotel and restaurant management experience, of which four of those years were with Destination Hotels. Likewise, Kate comes to Richmond's first ever design-driven boutique hotel with more than 15 years of hotel sales experience and has worked with Destination Hotels for the past year.
"We are proud to welcome two remarkable hospitality veterans to the Quirk Hotel team," said Ted Ukrop, co-owner and developer of Quirk Hotel, A Destination Hotel. "Both executives bring a diverse set of skills and experience from around the country to our property, and we are looking forward to the future development and growth of Quirk Hotel under Sherry and Kate's leadership."
Sherry Abedi joins the Quirk Hotel team with a distinguished career managing hotels and resorts, in addition to restaurants, and is recognized as an award-winning professional in the hotel industry. Before accepting the position at Quirk Hotel, Abedi was the Resort Manager at Lansdowne Resort, a Destination Resort, which is a AAA Four Diamond resort in Leesburg, Virginia. Under her leadership, Lansdowne Resort won numerous awards including: Virginia Living's "Best Resort, Spa and Golf" of 2014, Meeting Focus's "Best of the East" for 2014 and voted by The Knot as "Best of DC Weddings."
Prior to Lansdowne Resort, Abedi was the Food and Beverage Director at Madison Hotel, a Destination Hotel and a consultant for several resorts and clubs in California, including: Hotel Casa Del Mar, Terranea Resort, Ace Hotel and Swim Club, Atwater Restaurant, Shutters on the Beach, Jonathan Club and Viceroy Palm Springs.
Subsequently, Kate McDonald Brown comes to Quirk Hotel from her previous position as Director of Sales and Marketing at MileNorth Hotel, A Destination Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Before Destination Hotels, Kate was the Director of Sales and Hotel Marketing at Grand Sierra Resort; Director of Online Sales and Distribution and the Director of Sales and Leisure Marketing at John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel Resort; Cluster Director of Transient Sales for Starwood Hotels and Resorts.
Quirk hotel will feature a carefully curated, artistic experience that showcases distinctive art throughout the property's 75 guestrooms and suites and the adjacent Quirk Gallery. Quirk Hotel will offer 2,000 sq. ft. of unique meeting and event spaces, as well as food and beverage options available through the hotels convivial spaces such as a lobby coffee bar and rooftop bar and lounge. Additionally, there will be an on-site fitness center and a gourmet restaurant serving both lunch and dinner.
About Quirk Hotel, A Destination Hotel
Quirk Hotel is a boutique, design-driven hotel opening in September 2015 in Richmond, Va. The hotel offers a carefully curated, artistic experience that showcases distinctive art throughout the property's 75 guest rooms and suites, artisan restaurant, bar, rooftop terrace and conference rooms. Located in an Italian Renaissance building originally built in 1916 as the J.B. Mosby Dry Goods Store and created by the renowned New York architectural firm of Starret and Van Vleck, the 60,000 sq. ft. property is owned by Quirk Hospitality, LLC. Quirk Hotel is the first hotel to open under the development of owners Ted and Katie Ukrop and Quirk Hospitality, LLC, based in Richmond, Va.
About Destination Hotels
Destination Hotels (Destination) is the largest owner and operator of independent hotels, resorts and residences in the United States. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Destination is an industry leader with more than 40 years of hospitality management and development experience. Located in premier destinations, the portfolio is continuously growing with more than 40 luxury and upscale properties from coast to coast. The award-winning company operates 20 golf courses, 19 full-service spas, six IACC-certified conference centers and 105 bars and restaurants. The privately-owned company is a subsidiary of Lowe Enterprises, a Los Angeles-based investment, development and real estate firm. For more information on Destination Hotels, visit www.destinationhotels.com.
Media Contact:
DKC Public Relations
[email protected]
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 
