Press Release: Wyndham International
January 10, 2002
PALM SPRINGS, CA -- As part of its return to Wyndham management, the Wyndham Palm Springs has assembled a new management
team to redirect the hotel's strategic initiatives and reposition the property as a premier hotel in the Palm Springs
market. In October, Wyndham International converted the hotel's existing 10-year franchise agreement with Apollo
Real Estate Advisors, L.P. to a management contract.
Leading the team at the 410-room property is General Manager, Duane Rohrbaugh, a seasoned veteran in guiding hotel
properties through transitional periods. Supporting Rohrbaugh are: Barbara Solmon, hotel manager; Paul Rigazzi,
area director of sales and marketing; Paula Helm, executive conference manager; Giselle Alcasid, human resources
director; David Folkeson, associate director of sales; Janet Solitario, senior sales manager; and John Sullivan
and Steve Lee, sales managers.
``We have assembled one of the most experienced management and sales teams in Palm Springs, and are confident that
through our relationship with the Palm Springs Convention Center and Visitors Authorities, we can reintroduce the
Wyndham philosophy of business and personalized service to our guests and the community,'' said Rohrbaugh.
Rohrbaugh joins the Wyndham Palm Springs after serving in various senior operations positions for a number Wyndham
properties, including Wyndham Rose Hall Resort & Country Club, where he successfully led the resort through
a $6 million renovation and received Wyndham's Resort of the Year award in 1997. Additionally, based in Miami,
he was instrumental in the conversion of the Westin Miami Beach Resort and Marriott Casa Marina Resort in Key West,
Fla. to the Wyndham brand. Most recently he served as general manager of the Wyndham Miami-Biscayne Bay. Prior
to joining Wyndham, Rohrbaugh served as hotel manager at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City.
As hotel manager, Solmon is responsible for food, beverage, and rooms operations at the hotel. Prior to joining
the Wyndham Palm Springs, she reported directly to the Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations as the Brand Projects
Manager responsible for special projects such as the development of the company's standard operating procedures
(SOP), quality control, and hotel transitions. Barbara is a graduate from the Conrad Hilton College of Hotel and
Restaurant Management and holds a BS in Hotel Management from the University of Houston.
A 14-year industry veteran, Rigazzi was recently promoted to area director of sales and marketing for Wyndham Hotel
& Resorts based in Palm Springs. He is responsible for promoting the property to Palm Springs and the surrounding
areas. Rigazzi joined Wyndham in 1994 as a director of sales, and has held numerous positions with the company.
Helm returns to the Wyndham Palm Springs in her previous capacity as executive conference manager. She will work
directly with the Palm Springs Convention Center, which is adjacent to the hotel, to service and support meetings
and conventions.
Alcasid joins the Wyndham Palm Springs as human resources director. She began her career at the Wyndham Buttes
Resort in Tempe, Ariz. and worked her way up through various front office positions. She has held human resources
positions at a number of Wyndham properties, including the Wyndham Bonaventure Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale,
and the Wyndham Roanoke Airport in Virginia. She was a member of the opening team for the Wyndham Downtown Atlanta
and conversion of the Wyndham Arlington-DFW South in Texas.
A nine-year industry veteran, Folkeson is responsible for the Midwest market as associate director of sales for
the property. He has more than nine years of hotel industry experience in sales and operations. Folkeson graduated
from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a degree in hotel administration.
After more than four years with Wyndham, Solitario returns to the Wyndham Palm Springs as senior sales manager
focusing on the East coast market. She brings more than 10 years of hotel sales experiences, including five years
with the Mid-Atlantic national association market.
Joining the team as sales managers are Lee and Sullivan. Lee brings more than 12 years of hotel experience, including
a background in resort and international hospitality. He is responsible for the Southwest market. Sullivan will
concentrate on the Northwest region, including the California state association market and the Northwest corporate
market. He has nearly 20 years of sales experience, including the Palm Springs Desert Resort Convention and Visitors
Authority. He is a member of a number of meeting and convention associations and previously served as president
of the Minnesota Chapter of Society for Incentive and Travel Executives (SITE).
The Wyndham Palm Springs, with its Spanish-colonial architecture, is the focal point of a 40-acre development offering
scenic views of the San Jacinto mountain range. It features a 60,000-square-foot courtyard with a 5,000-square-foot
pool, spa, and children's pool, sauna and sand volleyball court. Additional features include a Body Spa, car rental
service, concierge and business center, hair and nail salon, gift shop, health club and restaurant. The hotel has
28,000 square feet of meeting space and is connected to the 100,000-square-foot Palm Springs Convention Center.
The Wyndham brand is owned and managed by Wyndham International, Inc. (NYSE:WYN). Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
is an upscale, full-service hotel chain with products located in urban, suburban and select resort markets and
tailored to best serve its core customers, which include business and leisure travelers. For reservations, call
a travel planner, Wyndham Palm Springs at 760/322-6000, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts at 800-Wyndham, or visit www.wyndham.com
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Contact:
Edelman PR Worldwide
Media Contacts:
Emily Callahan, 214/520-3555
emily.callahan@edelman.com
or
Wyndham International
Darcie M. Brossart, 214/863-1335
dbrossart@wyndham.com