Barb Ward Appointed DoSM Renaissance at The Depot
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, July 13, 2009 - The Depot Minneapolis, a Renaissance Hotel, and the Residence Inn by Marriott at The Depot, all located in the historic Milwaukee Road Depot, are pleased to announce Barb Ward as the new director of sales and marketing. Ward's array of knowledge of the hospitality industry will aid The Depot as it expands its presence in the downtown Minneapolis hotel market.
"We are excited about Barb returning to The Depot to guide our sales and marketing efforts," commented Robb Hall, managing director of The Depot complex. "She is an effective and dynamic leader who thoroughly understands the downtown Minneapolis hotel market. Her 16-plus years of experience in the hospitality industry have made her even more passionate about what she does. She is exactly what our hotels need to reenergize in the current economy."
Most recently, Ward lead the area sales and marketing efforts for the Hilton Garden Inn and the Crowne Plaza in downtown St. Paul, MN. Starting in 2007, she assisted in the opening of the downtown Minneapolis Hotel Ivy where she served as the director of sales and marketing and helped create a synergistic sales and marketing approach between the Hotel Ivy and its management company's other hotels in the Minneapolis area. Prior to the Hotel Ivy, Ward gained nationwide exposure as Buca Inc.'s national director of sales. These experiences all followed her five-year tenure at The Depot as the director of group sales where she managed the complex's sales and catering teams.
When explaining her return to The Depot, Ward says, "This hotel and meeting complex is a phenomenal venue, not only for its historic charm but also for its exceptional service and amenities. Working with Robb Hall, the Renaissance brand, and the downtown Minneapolis market drew me back to The Depot, and I am thrilled to be directing the sales, marketing, and catering teams."
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