Marcus Hotels & Resorts has announced that longtime hospitality veteran Bob Megazzini has been appointed general manager of The Cornhusker, A Marriott Hotel in Lincoln, Neb. In his new role, Megazzini will oversee all operations of the newly revitalized 300-room property and further strengthen its reputation as the premier downtown hotel in Nebraska’s capital city.
Megazzini began his 30 year career with Marriott in 1984 as a station attendant at the Springfield Marriott in Springfield, Mass. From there, he quickly moved into management positions, including food production manager and later chef at Boston Copley, and executive chef at the Newport Rhode Island Marriott, the Ipswich Country Club, Harvard Business School and Philadelphia Airport Marriott. He also served as executive sous chef and director of restaurant operations for the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown and served as director of food and beverage and director of hotel operations at Lexington’s Griffin Gate Resort. In 2003, Megazzini became the general manager of the Detroit Livonia Marriott and in 2007 he was promoted to his most recent position as general manager of the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center.
“Bob is a highly regarded executive in the hotel industry and will bring exceptional leadership and expertise to The Cornhusker. We are excited to have someone of Bob’s caliber oversee the final stages of our property renovations and promote the significant changes and improvements we have made to one of Nebraska’s most prominent hotels. I have no doubt he will be a great asset to our hotel management team as he continues to position The Cornhusker as a leader in its market,” said Thomas F. Kissinger, interim president, Marcus Hotels & Resorts and senior executive vice president, The Marcus Corporation.
“I am excited to start my new chapter at The Cornhusker,” said Megazzini. “The Cornhusker Hotel has been a part of the Lincoln community for many years, and I look forward to continuing to provide the high-quality hospitality our Marriott guests and other travelers visiting Lincoln have come to expect.”
Megazzini is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant and travel administration. He has held many civic positions in Cleveland, Ohio, and has been recognized for his outstanding leadership. He has served on the Boards of Junior Achievement Cleveland and the Cleveland Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). He has also served on the Cleveland CVB sales committee, Marriott Business Councils, Children’s Miracle Network Advisory Council and Cleveland First Impressions Committee. He was recognized as General Manager of the Year for the Ohio Lodging Association (OHLA) Cleveland in 2010 and General Manager of the Year OHLA Ohio in 2011 and received the Chairman’s Award for Leadership – Marriott Business Councils in 2012.
Marcus Hotels & Resorts and its affiliate, MCS Capital, acquired The Cornhusker hotel in September 2012 as part of a joint venture with a fund affiliate of LEM Capital of Philadelphia. Marcus Hotels & Resorts is the majority owner.