The Hilton Orlando has announced the appointment of Dawn Walzak as director of sales of the full service resort hotel minutes from Orlando’s main attractions, close proximity to International Drive shopping and dining and connected to the Orange County Convention Center.
“With more than 25 years of extensive sales experience coupled with visionary leadership and expansive relationships, Walzak is a strategic addition to Hilton Orlando” said Doug Gehret, general manager of Hilton Orlando.
As director of sales, Walzak will oversee all group sales activities including the development of and business transactions for the 1,400-room equal parts business and leisure hotel which encompasses more than 250,000 square feet of meeting and event space including a 50,000 square foot outdoor Promenade. Most recently at Tishman Hotel Corporation, she was directly involved in the sales, marketing and revenue strategy of the hotel and resort portfolio of multiple brands including Westin, Sheraton, InterContinental, Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard, Four Points, Radisson, Doubletree, Ramada, among other boutique and independent properties.
“I’m looking forward to working with the crown jewel of the Hilton portfolio,” said Walzak. “As Hilton Orlando is already the preferred hotel by numerous major accounts because of the innovative layout, I’m excited to further our existing relationships with Visit Orlando and Orlando Convention Center along with exploring new opportunities internally.”
Prior to her 17 year tenure with Tishman, Walzak held senior sales roles with Westin and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. She is currently a board member of the Florida International University (FIU) Hospitality Real Estate and Financial Management Task Force and FIU Industry Advisory along with being an editorial board member and contributing writer of Hotel Business Journal. During her career, Walzak has been named as one of the Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing by HSMAI and one of the Top 40 Industry Executives Under 40 by Travel Weekly.
Walzak graduated magna cum laude with a Master’s Degree in Business & Hospitality Management and received her undergraduate degree from Florida International University in Miami, Florida.
