PRESS RELEASE – 21c Museum Hotels is pleased to announce the appointments of Barbara E. Gurren to the position of Director of Sales & Marketing and Jim Swain to the position of Revenue Manager of the 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati property will open in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Barbara E. Gurren, Director of Sales & Marketing
Gurren has over eighteen years of hospitality experience with local and national hotels. In this new role she will be responsible for overseeing all external marketing and sales opportunities within the downtown and greater Cincinnati area. Gurren brings experience in many areas of hotel management to 21c Museum Hotels, including food and beverage management, marketing, sales, and daily operations. Most recently, Gurren was the Field Director of Sales & Marketing for Commonwealth Hotels Inc. Gurren is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, OH with a B.A. in Economics and International Political Science.
21c Museum Hotels President Craig Greenberg says, “Barbara joins our team with deep roots in the Cincinnati area and exceptional hotel experience both in and out of this market. Her knowledge and passion for Cincinnati will help solidify 21c’s relationships with the local business and cultural communities.”
Jim Swain, Revenue Manager
Swain joins the 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati team from the Marriott at RiverCenter property where he was Sales Manager. Swain brings a number of professional skills to the 21c team including market research, budget management, client services, and sales and communications. Swain’s key responsibilities include maintaining an optimal mix of customers while managing competitive rates, pricing strategy, and demand forecasts. Swain has worked in the Ohio Valley area for the past decade for such local companies as Clear Channel Communications, Delta Private Jets, and the Madison Event Center.
Swain holds an M.B.A. from Thomas Moore College and a B.A. in Radio and Television Communications from Northern Kentucky University.
Greenberg notes, “Jim has a strong business background and understanding of the local market that we will utilize to offer our guests the best room rates possible.”
About 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati
21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati, opening in 2012, is a combination boutique hotel, contemporary art museum and restaurant modeled after the award-winning 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Building on its mission of engaging the public with contemporary art and supporting the revitalization of American downtowns, 21c Museum Hotels will renovate the former Metropole Hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, restoring this architectural gem into a beautiful public space while following federal standards for historic rehabilitation. The focal point of the 156 room property will be 8,000 square feet of exhibition, meeting and event space presenting rotating curated exhibitions, dynamic public art installations and exciting cultural programs. Exhibition space will be open to the public free of charge. The property will also feature a restaurant and bar serving modern cuisine that celebrates the region’s sustainable producers and culinary traditions. Guests and locals alike will enjoy a rooftop bar and spa with stunning views of downtown Cincinnati and the surrounding area. The design of the hotel preserves many of the Metropole’s original features, including a sweeping staircase leading to the second floor ballroom and the original mosaic floors.
About 21c Museum Hotels
Founded in 2007, 21c Museum Hotels is a growing company that oversees the expansion and management of 21c Museum Hotel nationally. 21c Museum Hotel was founded in Louisville, Kentucky by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, preservationists and arts patrons, who had a vision for bringing art into people’s daily lives and supporting the revitalization of their hometown. The property combines a 90-room boutique hotel, contemporary art museum, award-winning restaurant, and cultural civic center in the heart of downtown Louisville. With 9,000 square feet of art-filled meeting and event space, 21c guests enjoy authentic Southern hospitality while exploring the work of contemporary artists in North America’s only museum dedicated solely to art of the 21st Century. Voted among the top 10 hotels in the world in 2009, 2010 and 2011 in the Condé Nast Traveler annual Readers’ Choice Awards, 21c Museum Hotel is redefining Southern hospitality. Due to the success of the Louisville property and with strong local partners who share the belief that art can be an economic driver for a community, 21c is expanding outside of Louisville. Hotels are under construction in Bentonville, AR and Cincinnati, OH and the company plans to develop 15 properties over the next five to ten years.
For press information contact:
Biz Ruby
21c Museum Hotels
502.807.2323
bruby@21cHotels.com
