MONTVALE, NJ— Dolce International has revamped its executive line-up in order to strengthen its operations and continue on its growth path. According to Andy Dolce, chairman/CEO, these executive changes, which included appointing five new executives and continuing its search for a chief development officer “make Dolce International a stronger operating company… We want to hold onto to what we have, and not lose sight of what we have as we grow, because it’s a tough market out there.” One of the first changes the executive made to bolster Dolce International’s operating team was to put COO Andy MacLellan in charge of the company’s European operations. “As you know we have a lot of money to invest in Europe, so it was important to have a senior guy to oversee that growth. Andy is now spearheading that growth,” said Dolce. As COO and president/European operations, MacLellan will now oversee development and operations in Europe and will be based at the company’s Paris office. In addition to overseeing Dolce International’s five European properties, he will provide strategic direction for the company’s growth throughout Europe. The company, said Dolce, also has a property in Barcelona whose construction got underway last month, plus five more properties in some stage of development or acquisition. “We’re in negotiations for a property in Dusseldorf, Germany. That’s an acquisition. And we laid the first stone in Sitges in Barcelona two weeks ago… We are predevelopment in Amsterdam, which we expect to close at the end of this year. And we are also in predevelopment in Rome and Milan,” Dolce told HOTEL BUSINESS®. With MacLellan positioned in Europe now, Dolce said the move freed up a spot to bring in Steve Giblin. He joins Dolce’s headquarters team in New Jersey as president/the Americas. “Steve’s focus will be on improving our market share in our core business, which is group, and increase our productivity by taking advantage of the technology out there,” Dolce explained. Prior to his appointment, Giblin served as president/CEO of Newmarket International, the developers of a Windows-based sales automation system. He has also held key management positions with Marriott International, Red Lion Hotels and Inns and Omni Hotels. In his new capacity Giblin will oversee operations of all Dolce International properties in the United States and Canada, as well as the expansion of new properties, including upcoming additions in the Western and Southwestern U.S. For example, the company just took over the management of the Warwick Hotel in Houston, effective Oct. 1, 2002. It marks the company’s first urban conference center. As Giblin settled into his new role, Dolce also brought back Senior VP/Operations Mark DePiero to company headquarters. In that position DePiero has overseen European operations since 1999, and now he returns to the U.S. in the same role to oversee all Dolce-owned and -partnered properties stateside. “It was always intended that Mark would be coming back, so the timing worked out. Mark was on a three-year visa to work in Europe. Now we’ve positioned him to head up one of our most important areas: our owned and partnered assets,” explained Dolce. DePiero’s goal now is “to create value for our partnerships [by]making sure the properties achieve their goals, building up their [staff]and making sure the properties are updated,” added Dolce. Completing the new line-up will be a chief development officer, said Dolce. The search for someone to fill that spot is in progress at presstime, he added. Additionally, Robin Steiner has been appointed corporate director/marketing for the Americas, and James Mahon has been promoted to corporate director/public relations. A 19-year hospitality industry veteran, Steiner has held various senior-level management positions with Summit International Hotels, Grand Bay Hotels and Resorts, L’Ermitage Hotels and Renaissance Hotels. Most recently she had her own marketing consulting
Andy Dolce