DALLAS (January 15, 2016) – Hyatt House Dallas/Frisco, a 132-room extended stay hotel expected to open in February, announces the appointment of General Manager Michael Donohue and Director of Sales Michelle White. NewcrestImage, a hotel development, construction and management firm based in Lewisville, Texas, owns the hotel.
Donohue, who has an eight-year career with Hyatt, has held positions in a variety of industry segments where he honed his skills with leading hotel brands and management companies. Most recently, he was regional vice president of operations at Hyatt, where he took a lead role in improving the performance of 18 Hyatt Place hotels within a two-year period, during which he also converted 13 new properties into the Hyatt Place brand. He later led a portfolio of 20 Hyatt Place hotels with 2,400 rooms in seven states.
Prior to his career at Hyatt, Donohue served as vice president of operations at Posadas USA Inc. in Dallas from 2001-2005, where he executed two successful million-dollar hotel renovations and received numerous brand awards. In addition, Donohue was regional vice president of operations at Prime Hospitality Corporation in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1996-2000, where he was involved in the successful launch of the purpose built AmeriSuites select service brand, of which he personally lead 16 hotel openings.
Highly proficient in change leadership, building high-performing teams, top line driven profit improvement, growing market share, driving guest satisfaction and developing talent, Donohue has also had fruitful tenures as vice president at Wilson Hotel Management Company, Inc. in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1988-1996, and general manager of Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport from 1984-1988. Donohue received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Great Falls in Great Falls, Montana.
White has more than two decades of experience directing and managing sales teams. She began her career as special events coordinator at the famed Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. More recently, White refined her sales skills working as director of sales for Hilton Homewood Suites in Frisco from 2007 to 2012, where she developed and managed with Fortune 500 accounts to increase overall sales productivity for the hotel. She received two major sales awards for her leadership and gained the hotel’s highest honor as Director of Sales of the Year, two years in a row.
In addition, White served as corporate sales manager at Embassy Suites in Frisco from 2006 to2007, where she maximized revenue and profitability, exceeding annual goals for the hotel’s corporate and preferred business partners. Before returning to Hilton Homewood Suites in 2007, she was sales manager at its Dallas Market Center location from 2004 to 2006. During her time there, she focused on business traveler and corporate business meetings with an emphasis on extended stay business, increasing hotel revenue 27 percent and extended stay revenue by six percent. White received her license and ordination as a minister of the gospel and is a Board Certified Belief Therapist.
Hyatt House Dallas/ Frisco will be located at 2875 Parkwood Blvd., Frisco, Texas, 75034. For more information on Hyatt House Dallas/Frisco, call (972) 668-4500 or visit the website.
The term “Hyatt” is used herein for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.
