Doug Gehret has been appointed the area vice president of operations for Hilton Worldwide properties in Central Florida and South Carolina, according to Ted Ratcliff, senior vice president operations, Eastern North America. Most recently, Gehret served as general manager of the 1,417-room Hilton Orlando, one of Orlando’s premier hotels connected to the Orange County Convention Center, a position he held since 2008, a year prior to the hotel opening.
In his new capacity, Gehret will assume leadership of hotel operations for 18 of the global company’s owned and managed assets as well as Hilton Grand Vacation properties in the region. He will remain in Orlando and assume his new role effective immediately.
Gehret’s experience encompasses 22 years with Hilton Worldwide. Prior to opening Hilton Orlando, Gehret opened and spent four years as the general manager of the 800-room Hilton Austin in Austin, Texas. He was very involved in the Austin community having served on the Board of Directors of seven businesses and charitable organizations and held a two year term as president of the Austin Hotel and Lodging Association. He also spent nine years at the famed Waldorf Astoria in New York and two years at Hilton Short Hills in New Jersey.
Gehret is actively engaged in the community participating in seven local boards including serving on the Executive Committees of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association and Florida Citrus Sports. He chairs the International Drive Redevelopment Area Advisory committee, serves on the Orange County Tourist Development Council, and is a board member of the International Drive Executive Transportation Committee, International Drive Master Improvement District, and SKAL Orlando.
Gehret holds a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management from Penn State University.
