Marriott International shook up its key leadership, naming a new chief commercial officer for the U.S. and Canada, along with other executive roles, on the heels of an organizational restructuring.
Marriott tapped Andy Kauffman as chief commercial officer, the company confirmed to Hotel Dive. Kauffman replaces Julius Robinson, formerly chief sales and marketing officer for the U.S. and Canada, who is now chief operations officer for the U.S. West region, according to Marriott.
Kauffman returns to Marriott after a stint at the NFL. He previously worked at Marriott from 2010 to 2021 under multiple leadership positions, including senior vice president of marketing channels and optimization, per his LinkedIn profile.
Subsequently, Marriott named company veterans Shannon Patterson as senior vice president of global sales and Gail Frazer as senior vice president of sales and distribution for the U.S. and Canada, according to a release obtained by Hotel Dive.
Marriott’s leadership webpage has also changed as of Feb. 6, reflecting executive leadership departures. Bios for Chief Global Officer Erika Alexander, Presidents Jim Connelly and Carla Murray, Global Development Officer Carlton Ervin and Chief Franchise Officer Karen Finberg have all been removed from the website.
Marriott told Hotel Dive that Alexander, Connelly and Finberg retired in January, and noted that Ervin left the company in July.
Also on Marriott’s leadership website are new faces: Frid Edmond, senior vice president of customer engagement centers; Mark Gaber, chief operations officer, U.S. East; and Julius Robinson, in his new role. Marriott confirmed these appointments to Hotel Dive.
The leadership changes come after Marriott announced an organizational restructuring in November that resulted in more than 800 corporate layoffs. An anonymous user in an online forum on TheLayoff.com claimed that the cuts included “forcing high level executives into retirement.”
