21c Museum Hotels is pleased to announce the appointment of Gerry Link to the position of General Manager and Cathy Shaffer to the position of Associate Director of Sales and Marketing of 21c Museum Hotel Durham, opening the first quarter of 2015. A 25-year hospitality industry veteran and previously General Manager at 21c Cincinnati, Link has experience with both branded luxury and independent boutique properties. Shaffer joins the 21c team with over 25 years of extensive experience in hospitality sales and management.
Link’s experience spans all areas of hotel management including food and beverage, marketing, development, finance and sales. As General Manager of 21c Cincinnati, he oversaw both the pre-opening and opening phases of the hotel and was responsible for all hotel operations, sales, and community and guest relations. Under his management, 21c Cincinnati was named the #1 Hotel in the U.S. by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. Prior to joining 21c, Link spent 13 years with Hilton Hotels and nine years with Renaissance Hotels.
Link notes, “The 21c brand of genuine hospitality combined with an engaging and ever-changing contemporary art museum, collaborations with local arts organizations and delicious food and drink make 21c a place for locals and travelers alike. After seeing the community of Cincinnati embrace 21c, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring this engaging and inclusive cultural resource to the city of Durham.”
Shaffer brings an intimate knowledge of the Triangle area and experience in sales, marketing, account management and business development to 21c Museum Hotels. She began her career at Marriot Hotels and has held sales positions at a number of national hotel brands. Most recently, Shaffer was the Mid Market Account Executive of the Mid-Atlantic Region at Marriot Hotels International. There she was responsible for a number of corporate and university accounts in the Raleigh/Durham area.
Craig Greenberg, President of 21c Museum Hotels adds, “As 21c continues its rapid expansion, we are focused on creating strong leaders within the company. Gerry and Cathy are seasoned veterans who bring a wealth of knowledge to the table while simultaneously offering a forward-thinking approach that fits with the 21c philosophy. I look forward to watching their success in Durham.”
About 21c Museum Hotel Durham
21c Museum Hotel Durham, opening first quarter of 2015, is a combination boutique hotel, contemporary art museum and chef-driven restaurant. Building on its mission of engaging the public with contemporary art and supporting the revitalization of American downtowns, 21c is rehabilitating the historic Hill Building in downtown Durham. The 125-room property will feature a contemporary art museum open to the public free of charge 24/7 and offering curated exhibitions, interactive site specific installations and a full roster of cultural programming; a ballroom in the historic banking hall; three suites with private terraces and a spa. 21c Durham will also be home to an as-yet-unnamed restaurant that will draw on local influences and ingredients, focusing on new techniques for roasting, rotisserie, and slow-cooking, as well as celebrating North Carolina’s rich history of fresh seafood by way of a raw bar.
