Two Chicago hotels, The Gwen and the Godfrey Hotel Chicago, have added new managers to their teams.
Kim Corrigan has been appointed general manager of The Gwen, a luxury collection hotel, Chicago. She will oversee all aspects of the hotel such as operations, revenue strategy, sales and marketing.
“Kim’s extensive expertise and leadership, combined with her personal commitment to excellence, will guide her in achieving high levels of success for the newly rebranded Luxury Collection hotel,” said Michael George, CEO of Crescent Hotels & Resorts. “Her creative mindset makes her the perfect addition to bring The Gwen’s art, and 1930s-themed branding, to life.”
Corrigan was most recently the general manager of the Blackstone Renaissance Hotel in Chicago for three years. Corrigan spent eight years in Denver as general manager for several Hilton properties, including The Curtis in downtown. She spent nearly a decade in Atlantic City serving operations for properties such as Trump Taj Mahal, Merv Griffin’s Casino Hotel, and Bally’s Grand Casino Hotel. Corrigan graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
The Gwen is the first hotel in Chicago for Luxury Collection Hotel & Resorts, Starwood Hotel & Resort’s brand. Crescent Hotels & Resorts operates hotels for Starwood Hotel & Resorts. Diamond Rock Hospitality, a self-advised real estate investment trust, owns The Gwen.
Randy Gardner has been appointed hotel manager for the Godfrey Hotel Chicago, a 16-story, 221-room, upscale lifestyle hotel in the River North neighborhood.
“Randy brings nearly 25 years of experience to his role at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago. His focus on positive culture not only improves guests’ quality of service, but also the relationships among staff members,” says George Jordan, senior vice president of operations, Oxford Hotels & Resorts and Chicago area hotel general manager.
“I believe in a company culture in which all staff are empowered to do what they need to do to make sure guests are completely satisfied,” said Gardner. “My management style is to train staff to handle any issue quickly and take care of every guest – a philosophy that fits well with the Godfrey brand.”
Gardner started in a front-desk position at the Red Roof Inn in 1991, working his way up in the industry. He worked in management and operations roles at hotels across the country. Gardner opened four hotels in Las Vegas as general manager, helped rebrand a hotel in Myrtle Beach, and opened an Extended Stay America in Downers Grove, IL. He served as opening manager at Hotel Cass in Chicago and won Manager of the Year from Hotel Felix in Chicago.
