About Us: Meet The Team
Rosen Hotels & Resorts®, Rest Assured®
At Rosen Hotels & Resorts®, our business is not only about hotels, it is also about people. From the person who greets you at the front desk, all the way to the owner, each of our thousands of associates is dedicated to making your stay an exceptional experience. That mission is guided by the vision of our executive team.
Harris Rosen – President and Chief Operating Officer
Background
As President and COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, Harris Rosen is Florida’s largest independent hotelier.
Founded in 1974, Rosen Hotels & Resorts currently features a collection of nine Central Florida hotels providing 6,694 guestrooms—approximately six percent of the Central Florida inventory. The award-winning collection includes six leisure hotels -- the 728-room Rosen Inn International, 1020-room Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando, 315-room Rosen Inn (closest to Universal Orlando® Resorts), 640-room Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista, 134-room Midpointe Hotel and the 224 Clarion Inn and Suites at International Drive. Three luxury convention properties -- the 800-room Rosen Plaza, 1334-room Rosen Centre and 1501-room Rosen Shingle Creek – combined feature 700,000 sq. ft. of versatile meeting and event space.
Frank Santos – Vice President and CFO
Background
- Hospitality career has spanned more than 30 years
- Excelled at various hotels in Operations Positions such as:
- Front Office Manager
- Food & Beverage - Served as Controller for other multi-hotel management corporations
- Past President of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals
- Received the Paragon Award
- Served as Chairman of the HITEC Conference
Jonni Kimberly – Human Resources Director
Background
- Received an Associate of Arts Degree from Valencia Community College.
- Started her career at Rosen Hotels & Resorts® as a Front Desk clerk at the Quality Inn International in 1979.
- Promoted to Assistant Front Desk manager shortly thereafter.
- Became the General Manager of the Rodeway Inn International in 1992.
- Promoted to Human Resources Director in 1994.
Leslie Menichini – VP of Sales and Marketing Convention Hotels
Background
- Pre and opening team member of the Radisson Plaza Operations in Minnesota
- Served as a Catering/Convention Services Manager, National Sales Manager, and Assistant Director of Sales at the Westin Hotel Williams Center (of Westin Hotels & Resorts) in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Pre- and post-opening Director of Sales at the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage, California
- Served as the Assistant Director of Sales at Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin (of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, formerly Sheraton/Westin) in Orlando, Florida
- Opened Paris Las Vegas Hotel
- Director of Sales at Bally’s/Paris Las Vegas Park Place Entertainment Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Lead as the Executive Director of Corporate & Incentive Sales at Park Place Entertainment in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Started at Rosen Hotels & Resorts® in May 2001
- Joined the design team and lead Rosen Shingle Creek®’s pre-opening marketing and sales team in selling 1,501 guestrooms and 490,000 sq. ft. of convention meeting space
- Created a synergistic sales opportunities with Rosen Hotels & Resorts® team of Directors of Sales & Marketing and Sales Managers
- Promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Convention Hotels
Derek Baum – Director of Operations / General Manager
Director of Operations / General Manager
Background
- Derek received his bachelor’s degree in hotel administration from Cornell University
- Between academic semesters at Cornell, he interned with Rosen Hotels & Resorts®
- Derek started his career at Rosen Hotels & Resorts® as Assistant General Manager of the Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista and was promoted to General Manager of the Rosen Inn, closest to Universal, at 24 years of age
- Served as General Manager of the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando and Assistant General Manager of the Rosen Plaza® prior to being promoted to Director of Operations for Rosen Hotels & Resorts® in 1998
- Promoted to General Manager of Rosen Plaza® Hotel in 2016
Jim Bina – Director of Finance
Background
- Jim was awarded an associate degree in accounting and computer science from Oakton Community College
- He began his hospitality career in the finance department at several hotel companies
- Over the course of his career, he became a Certified Hospitality Account Executive (CHAE)
- He’s also been awarded as a Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP)
- Jim has served as president of two chapters of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Association
Daniel Gutierrez – VP of Engineering & Facilities Management
Background
- Daniel received his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Mexico City's Instituto Politecnico Nacional
- Afterward he worked in Mexico City as an Assistant Project Manager and as a Chief Engineer
- He served as Regional Director of Engineering for Americana Hotels in renowned resort destinations such as Acapulco, Jamaica, and Lake Buena Vista
- Daniel started his career with Rosen Hotels & Resorts® in 1990 as the Chief Engineer at the Rosen Plaza® Hotel
- In 2006, he was promoted to Vice President of Engineering & Facilities Management
Dorea Mays – Associate Director of Human Resources
Background
- Bachelor of Arts degree in Organization Communication from the University of Central Florida.
- Worked at Budget Rent a Car for eight years in various Human Resources positions.
- Served as Human Resources Manager for Goodwill Industries of Central Florida and for Argenbright Security.
- Professional Human Resources Certification
- Currently volunteers for Junior Achievement, Great Leaps Reading Program, Community Education Partners E-pal program.
- Oak Ridge High School SAC chair.
Ashley Bacot – Risk Manager
Background
- Received a Bachelor’s degree in Risk Management and Insurance from Florida State University
- Worked in various facets of the risk management and insurance industry since graduating college
- Served as a risk manager for a local municipality, hotel chain, furniture manufacturer, and information technology company
- He has worked in all realms of the insurance industry including, but not limited to, underwriting, marketing, sales, and risk management consultation
- Served as Director of Public Risk Management for the nation’s largest insurer of schools, cities, and counties
- Served as the President of the Public Risk Management Association
Kenneth Aldridge Jr. – RN-BSN, MS-H.S.A. Director of Health Services
Background
- Kenneth received his nursing degree from the University of Central Florida
- He continued his studies and was awarded a master's degree in health services administration from University of Central Florida in 2005
- Kenneth began his career at the Rosen Medical Center as a triage nurse in 1998
- Within two years he was promoted to Medical Staff Manager
- In 2004, Kenneth was promoted to Medical Center Administrator
- Kenneth was promoted to Director of Health Services in 2008
Dr. Ronald Ryan — Medical Director
Background
- Graduate of Oakwood College, Bachelors of Biology
- Graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Doctorate of Medicine
- Received a certificate of added qualification in hospice and palliative medicine
- Served as a staff physician and later Associate Medical Director at the Hospice of the Comforter
- Served at Solantic, Carolinas Heath Care Systems in Urgent Care Medicine, and Florida Hospital Centra Care
- Once owned and operated his own family practice, Total Family Healthcare
- Worked at Clermont Medical Center and served a residency at Florida Hospital in family practice
- Started his career at Rosen Hotels & Resorts® late December of 2012 as the Medical Director
Mark G. Vincent — Chief Information Officer
Background
- Mark received his Bachelor’s Degree from Providence College.
- He began his hospitality career as a tour guide then moved into hotel management.
- Mark founded and ran his own software company from 1996-2006.
- He was also Senior Vice President of R&D for a company developing Property Management Systems.
- Mark served as Director of Financial Development for Special Olympics Alaska.
Jennifer Rice-Palmer — Director of Guest Contact
Background
- Studied Hospitality at the University of New Hampshire
- She started her career at Rosen Hotels & Resorts® in March 1991 as a night manager at the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando
- She was soon promoted to Assistant Front Office Manager
- Her career continued to rise with her promotion to Sales Director at Rosen Inn
- The climb continued with her promotion to Director of Reservations at Rosen Plaza®
- In 2005, Jennifer was promoted to General Manager at the Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista
- Now she serves as the Director of the Guest Contact Center
Dee Dee Baggitt — Director of Engineering & Facilities Management
Background
- Previous to Rosen Hotel & Resorts®, Dee Dee worked in hospitality for twelve year as a front desk agent and manager, Food & Beverage manager, convention services manager, and a human resources manager
- Dee Dee started her career at Rosen Hotels & Resorts® in late 1996
- She served as an employment manager and Human Resources manager
- Promoted to Director of Front Office at Rosen Centre®, Benefits Manager, and Associate Director of Engineering
- Currently serving as Director of Engineering & Facilities
Susan Caronia — Director of Rosen Standards
Background
- Received an Associate Degree in Hospitality Management from the Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake, New York
- Awarded a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from the Florida International University in Miami, Florida
- Worked at the Miami Airport Marriott as the Front Desk Manager
- Moved to the Marriott's' Orlando World Center as part of the opening team as Director of Guest Services and Front Office Manager
- Started her career at Rosen Hotels & Resort in August 2002 as the Hotel Service Manager at Rosen Centre® Hotel
- Served on the Rosen Shingle Creek® pre-opening team as a Project Manager
- Continued as Project Manager for all Rosen Hotels & Resorts® properties
- Promoted to Director of Rosen Standards April of 2012
Kathy Marquardt — Director of Purchasing
Background
- Graduate of Texas A&I University & George Mason University, Public Administration Major
- Corporate Trainer for Ruby Tuesday’s
- Served as a Restaurant Manager at Westfield’s International Conference Center
- Promoted to Beverage Director at Westfield’s International Conference Center
- She started her career with Rosen Hotels & Resorts® in February 1996 as the Café Gauguin Department Head at the Rosen Centre®.
- Moved into a Lead Purchasing Agent position for Central Purchasing at Rosen Hotel & Resorts® in May of 2000
- Promoted to Director of Purchasing in 2009
