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Kara Franker
Visit Florida Keys & Key West has named Kara Franker, CDME, as its new president and CEO. Franker has served as chief executive officer for Colorado’s Visit Estes Park since 2021 and is slated to begin her new position on Sept. 9. Franker is the co-author of two tourism white papers on artificial intelligence and holds an executive certificate in artificial intelligence and business strategy from the MIT Sloan School of Management. She is an at-large board delegate to the U.S. Travel Association and a member of Destinations International’s CDME board, its foundation, and its global leadership and governance and nomination committees.
Kurt Schwan
Kurt Schwan has been appointed director of sales and marketing of InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta. Schwan has 20 years of experience working in the Atlanta hospitality market, including his most recent, 16-year tenure within The Ritz-Carlton brand serving in a variety of group sales roles. In his new role, Schwan will oversee and manage all aspects of group, catering, and transient business segments for the property. He also will lead sales strategies and establish market deployment for special corporate, leisure sales, association, citywide, social, sports, and entertainment markets.
Janice Middlestadt
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront has named Janice Middlestadt as senior sales manager. In her new position, Middlestadt will work with the hotel’s meeting and events team to build experiences for groups, develop new business opportunities, and execute strategic sales plans. Most recently, she worked as regional sales manager at AD1 Global, a hospitality investment and development company.
David Ruiz
The Overland Park Convention Center has appointed David Ruiz as its new executive chef. Ruiz, a James Beard Foundation competition winner who has worked in award-winning restaurants in Aspen, San Jose, Yosemite, and Albuquerque, will be responsible for elevating the menu and introducing new culinary concepts to high-profile banquets and catering events, ranging from small meetings to large galas.