The resort welcomes Doug Gennardo as General Manager; Clarissa Cervantes returns to lead the property’s Catering Sales Department; and Nina Shokrian is promoted to Director of Marketing and Public Relations.
SAN ANTONIO – JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa introduce the resort’s new General Manager, new Director of Catering Sales, and the promotion of an existing team member to Director of Marketing and Public Relations, all of which are dedicated to leading the premier resort to continued success.
Doug Gennardo joins JW Marriott San Antonio as General Manager, following the retirement of Doug Ridge. Formerly Hotel Manager at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, Doug’s leadership has consistently delivered record-setting results within Marriott International. With a 35-year career spanning various strategic roles at several of Marriott’s leading luxury brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott and EDITION Hotels, Doug most recently achieved record setting results at the Gaylord Texan with Events and Catering revenue exceeding $100 million and record-breaking ticket sales for ICE!, the Resort’s signature holiday experience. Since graduating from Cornell University and establishing a successful career in senior leadership positions within Marriott International, Doug has achieved remarkable professional milestones and remained dedicated to initiatives that positively impact communities. One such passion project is Project SEARCH, a workforce program for children with intellectual disabilities, which he championed and helped establish during his previous role. In his new role as General Manager of JW Marriott San Antonio, Gennardo will lead the hotel’s overall strategy and oversee all hotel operations, including guest and employee satisfaction, human resources, financial performance, sales, and revenue generation.
Clarissa Cervantes returns to the resort as Director of Catering Sales, where she will lead the resort’s Catering Sales Department and manage its social catering associates and sales efforts. She first joined JW Marriott San Antonio in 2012, where she honed her skills in Front Office Operations as a Front Desk Agenda and Rooms Controller. With extensive experience in the hospitality industry, Cervantes will now oversee a team working with small social and business groups of less than 20 people up to large conferences with over 6,000 guests. In a previous position at Marriott Marquis Houston, Cervantes became Director of Catering Sales and led her team to secure the fifth position in the U.S. for local catering sales and was also ranked number one in sales in the South-Central region for two consecutive years.
Clarissa Cervantes (left) and Nina Shokrian.
JW Marriott San Antonio also announce the promotion of Nina Shokrian to the position of Director of Marketing and Public Relations from her prior role as Senior Marketing Manager. In this role, Shokrian will lead the strategy and execution of the resort’s marketing and public relations efforts as well as the resort’s growing marketing department. Nina joined JW Marriott San Antonio in 2021, and quickly became a key leader, partner and contributor at the resort, as well as for the Field Marketing Team within Marriott International. During her tenure, Shokrian has been recognized by Marriott International as a Top Performer for her success in digital marketing and in 2023 was recognized by the Property Leadership team as “Leader of the Quarter” for her contributions in launching the resort’s first ever Global Distribution System advertising campaign, strengthening collaboration efforts with social media influencers, and developing unique, experiential guest packages. Shokrian earned her degree in Advertising from The University of Texas at Austin and brings more than 20 years of marketing and advertising experience to the position. Prior to joining JW Marriott San Antonio, Nina cultivated her marketing expertise with advertising agencies working with large national retail brands.
The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is one of the largest JW Marriott resorts in the world, situated among 600 picturesque acres and boasting 1,002 guest rooms with expansive views of the Texas Hill Country terrain. Premier amenities distinguishing this property include TPC San Antonio, two 18-hole golf courses; 9-acre River Bluff Water Experience; 26,000 square-foot world-class Lantana Spa; more than 265,000 square-feet of customizable and newly renovated meetings and event space; and eight restaurant and lounge options.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
