Rim Hospitality Welcomes Two Senior Level Hires

Tony Bruno Joins as Vice President of Special Projects and Al Ferrone Becomes Vice President of Food and Beverage

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. May 09, 2013

Newport Beach, CA - May 9, 2013 - Rim Hospitality , one of the leading hotel management companies in North America, has hired Tony Bruno vice president of special projects. Bruno's nearly 25 years of experience in Anaheim's hospitality industry will be instrumental as he embarks on strategic planning for unique assets and independent properties in the growing Rim Hospitality portfolio.

Rim Hospitality has also hired Al Ferrone as vice president of food and beverage. In his new post Ferrone will be responsible for developing restaurant concepts; overseeing training, menu planning and purchasing programs; creating special promotions; executing strategic marketing concepts; and managing the overall food and beverage operations for multiple Rim Hospitality properties.

Tony Brunobr> “We're thrilled that the opportunities afforded by our developing portfolio of properties have lured a high-caliber professional like Tony Bruno out of retirement,” stated Russ Cox, chief operating officer of Rim Hospitality. “Tony's impressive track record in developing teams, programs and relationships will be a valuable resource to Rim Hospitality as we continue to provide hotels and resorts with the necessary means to create unique and memorable guest experiences.”

After retiring last year, Bruno has been seeking compelling opportunities to share his hospitality expertise in the Anaheim area. Currently, Bruno is serving as general manager for the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort, a Rim Hospitality portfolio property. Overseeing the 490-room hotel provides Bruno with an opportunity to experience firsthand Rim Hospitality's innovative and proprietary property management systems as he prepares to take on additional responsibilities and properties in his new role with the company.

Prior to entering retirement in April 2012, Bruno dedicated nearly 25 years to Disneyland Resort properties in California, most recently serving for nine years as vice president, hotels & downtown Disney. He was responsible for leading and executing strategic operations for numerous properties and initiatives, special events and VIP services. During his tenure with Disney he managed the 311,000-square-foot retail, dining and entertainment district better known to guests as Downtown Disney, led renovations and expansions of various Disney properties, and launched several restaurants, including the award-winning Napa Rose.

Previously Bruno worked with the Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth, Tex., and Marriott's Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Bruno is active within the hospitality industry and his community. He serves as chairman of the Orange County Hotel Association and on the executive committee of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau. His previous commitments included chairman of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, and the California Hotel and Lodging Association; member of the board of directors for the American Hotel and Lodging Association; and member of the Resort Committee, Government Affairs Committee and California Hotel and Lodging Association executive committee.

Al Ferrone
“We are delighted to welcome Al, who brings more than 30 years of both hospitality and food and beverage industry experience to the team,” stated Russ Cox, chief operating officer of Rim Hospitality. “His deep, innovative and results-driven food and beverage operations experience coupled with his commitment to excellence makes him the ideal candidate to lead this department within Rim Hospitality.”

Ferrone takes up his new position after serving as corporate vice president of hospitality, ESS Division for Caesars Entertainment Corporation, where he was responsible for overall non-gaming areas of operations for 40 properties. He played a significant role in the hotel and food and beverage strategies for Caesars Palace, Harrah's, Horseshoe Hotel & Casino, Bally's, Paris Hollywood, Rio, Showboat, Grand Biloxi and Flamingo-branded hotels in Las Vegas. Additionally, Ferrone was responsible for programming and designing new projects including Horseshoe Cleveland, Horseshoe Cincinnati, Caesar's Palace Boston, Harrah's Baltimore, and the renovation and reprogramming of Bill's Las Vegas.

Prior to working with Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Ferrone was the principle of AFHS Food and Beverage Business Solutions LLC where he provided consulting services to hotel, restaurant and related industries. Ferrone previously spent 20 years with Hilton Hotels Corporation in food and beverage senior management positions. During his tenure Ferrone grew to being responsible for overall food and beverage revenue for 280 properties, played a key role in creating and implementing companywide food and beverage programs, and was instrumental in blending the food and beverage departments of Hilton, Promus, Doubletree and Red Lion into one cohesive unit.

Ferrone has held a number of senior-level food and beverage operating positions at some of the nation's most prestigious hotels in New York City, including The Waldorf Astoria New York, JW Marriott Essex House New York, Le Parker Meridien, New York Marriott Marquis and New York Marriott East Side.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Ferrone has served on the advisory boards of the Culinary Institute of America, Le Cordon Bleu Schools, Oxford Publishing and Restaurant Marketing Magazine.

For more information on Rim Hospitality, please contact Mark LeBlanc senior vice president of development at [email protected] or 209-602-4432.

About Rim Hospitality
Formed in 1983 to inspire hotel owners and managers to achieve success, Rim Hospitality is one of the top hotel management companies in the U.S. and Canada. Representing full-service, select-service, resort and notable independent boutique hotels such as Hotel Erwin and Hotel Angeleno, Rim Hospitality counts nearly 100 properties―representing more than 12,000 guest rooms―in its portfolio and is a preferred management company for Marriott, Starwood, Hilton and Hyatt. In addition, Rim Hospitality has directed construction of more than one dozen hotels and managed major renovations in scores of other properties. Headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., Rim Hospitality leads clients in creating exceptional hotel experiences. For more information, visit www.rimhospitality.com.