Benchmark Appoints Executives to Senior Leader-Ship Team at French Lick Springs Resort and Casino

• 
  SAVE
• 
  SHARE
• 
  TEXT SIZE
• 
  PRINT
• 
  COMMENT
• 
  PDF

. October 14, 2008

HOUSTON, TX, August 17, 2005. Benchmark Hospitality International has announced the appointment of four key executives to the Senior Leadership Team at the historic French Lick Springs Resort and Casino, located in French Lick, Indiana.

Benchmark assumed management of the resort in April of this year. French Lick Springs Resort and Casino is part of a $240 million restoration and development program, which includes the historic resort, the equally historic West Baden Resort located nearby and the addition of a casino.

Appointed to the senior Leadership team at French Lick Springs Resort and Casino:

Scott Spurlock, General Manager

Scott Spurlock has been appointed general manager for French Lick Springs Resort and Casino. Mr. Spurlock was previously general manager at Benchmark's Virginia Crossings Resort, located near Richmond, Virginia, where he led a remarkable turnaround in revenue generation and profitability. During his tenure at the resort, it achieved the coveted AAA Four Diamond rating for the first time in its history.

An experienced hotelier, Spurlock brings two decades of professional hospitality management experience to his new position at French Lick. Prior to his tenure as general manager for Virginia Crossings Resort, Spurlock was assistant general manager for the Cheyenne Mountain Resort and The Country Club of Colorado, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He also served for a time as director of marketing for Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

Early in his career, Scott Spurlock served as resident manager at Cheyenne's sister resort, Scottsdale Conference Resort, located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Spurlock has also been previously employed at the renowned Graylyn International Conference Center of Winston Salem, North Carolina, the Westfields International Conference Center of Chantilly, Virginia, and at the Hastings International Conference Center, located in Hartford, Connecticut.

Mr. Spurlock is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University of San Marcos, Texas, where he received a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and Political Science. He and his family have relocated to French Lick.

Eric Whitson, Director of Sales & Marketing

Eric Whitson has been appointed director of sales & marketing for French Lick Springs Resort and Casino. A long-time Benchmark sales executive, Whitson was previously director of sales & marketing at The Chattanoogan, located in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was part of the pre-opening team for The Chattanoogan and was instrumental in its successful positioning within local and regional markets, including the key feeder market of Atlanta, Georgia.

Mr. Whitson has been honored by Benchmark with the company's "Director of Sales & Marketing of the Year" designation and the annual "Marketing Award." His remarkable career with Benchmark spans nearly 20 years and includes successful positions at The Founder's Inn (Virginia Beach, Virginia), Lansdowne Resort (Lansdowne, Virginia) and The Northland Inn (Minneapolis, Minnesota). A native of Minnesota, Whitson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Business Administration. He and his wife have relocated to French Lick.

Michael Cicutto, Director of Resort Services

Michael Cicutto has been appointed director of resort services for the historic property. Mr. Cicutto was also a member of the Benchmark transition team at French Lick. He served previously as director of operations for Benchmark Hospitality at The Georgian Terrace Hotel in Atlanta.

Mr. Cicutto brings considerable operations experience to French Lick Springs Resort and Casino, having served for 15 years in positions of increasing responsibility with International Conference Resorts, a company Benchmark purchased in 2001. This included serving as resident manager at the Ocean Place Conference Resort of Long Branch, New Jersey, assistant general manager at the Graylyn International Conference Center of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and in diverse operational positions at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Cicutto is a graduate of The University of Colorado. He and his family have relocated to French Lick.

Keith Schnulle, Director of Human Resources

Keith Schnulle is the new director of human resources for the resort. Mr. Schnulle brings over two decades of experience in Human Resources management within a resort environment to French Lick. Recently he was director of human resources at the Bay Point Marriott in Panama City Beach, Florida. He has also served as corporate director of human resources for Wesley Hospitality of Atlanta. Early in his career, Schnulle was employed by Marriott Hotels and Resorts, serving at the Marriott Orlando World Center, Marriott Lincolnshire Resort in suburban Chicago, and Chateau Elan Resort in Braselton, Georgia. He is a graduate of Elgin Community College, located in Elgin, Illinois, and is the recipient of the professional designation of SPHR. He and his wife have relocated to Orange County.