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Pyramid Hotel Group
Jim Merrill
Senior Vice President, Operations East
Jim Merrill brings more than 25 years of hospitality experience to his position as Senior Vice President of Operations. Early career experience includes history with the Sonesta and Hyatt Corporations. He joined Guest Quarters Hotels (later Doubletree, Promus and Hilton Hotels) in 1988 and remained with the system until joining Pyramid in 2004. Prior experience includes several General Manager and multi-unit/regional responsibilities. Prior experience with Pyramid includes Vice President Southeast Region and Vice President of Asset Management in the Pyramid Hotel Group’s Resort Division overseeing the Marriott and Ritz Carlton Resort portfolio.
Larry Vitagliano
Senior Vice President, Operations West
Larry Vitagliano spent 20 years with Doubletree, Hilton, and Promus Hotel companies as a general manager for hotels throughout the country. Property experience includes general manager positions at Doubletree Hotels in Seattle, Tyson’s Corner, Dallas, and Kansas City. He led the Antlers Doubletree Hotel in Colorado Springs from 1989 to 1995, and has now returned to the property under Pyramid's management. In addition to his general manager position at the Antlers Hilton Colorado Springs, Mr. Vitagliano oversees Pyramid's San Antonio, Texas hotel, the Crowne Plaza San Antonio Riverwalk.
Alan Bednowitz
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Alan Bednowitz is an accomplished sales and marketing executive with a track record of success at both the property- and corporate-level of hospitality organizations. For more than a decade he was affiliated with Promus Hotel Corporation (and its predecessor companies Doubletree and Guest Quarters), where he rose to the position of senior director, national sales. Prior to joining Pyramid Hotel Group, Mr. Bednowitz was vice president, sales and relationship management for StarCite, Inc., a meeting industry technology company.
Edgar Nugent
Vice President, Hotel Accounting
Ed Nugent is a senior hospitality executive with more than 25 years of financial management experience. His 20-year tenure with Marriott Corporation took him from Texas to Panama to Saudi Arabia and Germany. Prior to joining Pyramid Hotel Group he was a partner in his own hospitality consulting firm, where he counseled hotel owners and investors seeking development support.
Chuck Freije
Vice President Operations - Northeast
Chuck brings over 25 years of hospitality experience to Pyramid. He has been a General Manager with Doubletree hotels and both an Area Managing Director and an Area Vice President with Doubletree and Promus Hotels. He was General Manager of Colorado’s largest hotel and convention facility, Area Manager for Hilton Hotels and most recently with Pyramid Hotel Group as Area Managing Director of a multi branded region including Renaissance, Westin, Hilton, Sheraton and Doubletree properties. Chuck is a past President of the Denver Hotel and Lodging Association, served on the Board of Directors for the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau and was on the Executive Board of the Denver Urban League. Currently Vice President of Operations-North East, Freije is responsible for the sales and operational effectiveness of eight Pyramid owned or managed properties in the New England area.
Bert James
Vice President Operations - Northeast
Bert James is a Certified Hotel Administrator with a significant portfolio of experience across the Hilton Family of Brands spanning his 31 years with that company. Bert held GM positions in both Pasadena and San Diego before becoming Area GM for the Hiltons of Boston from 1997 to 2002. In that position he opened the new build 600 room Hilton at Logan Airport and re-positioned the Hilton Back Bay into the company’s portfolio. From 2002 to 2008 he served as Area Vice President for Hilton’s Mid Atlantic Region while based as GM of their luxury property in Short Hills NJ. Bert’s extensive experience covers hotels ranging from Resorts to Airport properties and Convention hotels to Luxury properties at the 5 Diamond level. He currently serves as Vice President for Pyramid’s Northeast region based at their corporate offices in Boston.
Robert DiDuca
Vice President, Managing Director
Robert DiDuca has 24 years experience in independent and franchised hotel operations including Marriott, Hilton, Doubletree, and Sheraton. He has also successfully transitioned more than 30 properties to new ownership and management including brand conversions. Renovation responsibilities consisting of over $40 million in project improvement have been executed. Mr. DiDuca, based in Boston, oversees hotels in the Northeast and Michigan and continues with Hotel Transitions.
Harry Greenblatt
Vice President, Managing Director
Harry Greenblatt's nearly 30-year career began as a management trainee with Hyatt Hotel Corporation. Following a decade of food and beverage management experience, he switched to operations and began a lengthy association with Doubletree Hotels. During his 17 years with Doubletree Mr. Greenblatt was GM of the Doubletree Hotel Allen Center and Hotel Post Oak, both in Houston. Today he is general manager of the Houston Marriott Westchase with regional operations responsibility for Pyramid's additional Texas properties.
George McGann
Vice President, Managing Director
George McGann has over 25 years experience in the hotel industry, with over 10 years of this experience as a General Manager. He started his career in the food and beverage discipline, as a trainee for the Hyatt Corporation. Presently, Mr. McGann is General Manager of the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel with regional responsibility for the Pleasanton Marriott and the Sonoma County Hilton. He joined Pyramid as the General Manger of the Crowne Plaza San Antonio Riverwalk Hotel. Prior to joining Pyramid Hotels, Mr. McGann was the General Manager/Complex General Manager for Starwood Hotels for over 7 years.
Bruce Carlton
Area Managing Director
Bruce Carlton has over 30 years of hotel experience holding various positions with Hyatt Hotels, Doubletree Hotels and Hilton Hotels. After receiving his BSBA Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Denver, he completed the Corporate Management Trainee program with Hyatt. Bruce also served as Vice-President for an independent hotel/country club firm and has served as General Manager at six hotels. He is a past President of the San Mateo County Visitor and Convention Bureau and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Oakland Visitors and Convention Bureau. Bruce is currently General Manager of the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa and is responsible for the sales and operational effectiveness of two other Pyramid owned San Francisco Bay Area hotels.
John Wagner
Area Managing Director
John Wagner is a graduate of Michigan State University's hotel program, earned a Masters Degree from Regis University and has been an Adjunct Professor for Johnson and Wales University. He has had a unique career path that includes three years with Pyramid Hotel Group as Area Managing Director at Doubletree Oakbrook, two years developing a custom automotive business, three years with Destination Hotels/Resorts, nine years as Area General Manager with Warwick International Hotels, and twelve years with AIRCOA Corporation. Mr. Wagner recently relocated to Denver region and is based at the Renaissance Denver Hotel and Executive Meeting Center.
Michael Hirsch
Area Managing Director
Michael Hirsch is a 26-year veteran of hotel management and has held a variety of sales and operational positions at hotels in Washington, DC; Alexandria, VA; Houston, TX; Santa Monica, CA; and New York City. Presently, Michael is the Area Managing Director for the Washington, DC area with operational responsibility for the Doubletree Rockville and Westin Embassy Row. Prior to joining Pyramid, Mr. Hirsch was based in Washington DC where he served as Area Vice President for Hilton Hotels Corporation since 2004.
Keith Hess
Area Managing Director
Keith Hess has 26 years in hotel operations and management, 23 years with Doubletree / Hilton Hotels Corporation working in operations in Orlando, Jacksonville, Charlotte, St. Louis, Omaha and currently in Chicago. Opened and converted hotels from 150 to 900 rooms. Keith has been a General Manager since 1995 and currently is Area Managing Director based in Chicago, IL. He is currently responsible for 4 hotels in the Midwest, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Detroit. Keith is a Board Member on the IHLA (Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association).
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