Polsinelli Welcomes Attorney Isabella Leavitt

Isabella Leavitt has joined national law firm Polsinelli as an associate in the firm’s Phoenix office.  Ms. Leavitt is a litigation attorney who practices in the area of products liability and toxic tort.  Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Leavitt served as a summer extern for the Honorable Cindy K. Jorgenson, U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.  Ms. Leavitt earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Gila River Gaming Enterprises names new directors

Gila River Gaming Enterprises, Inc., recently named Blake Katsnelson and Justin Sullivan to serve as the Directors of Casino Marketing for the three gaming and hotel properties in the Phoenix valley area. Sullivan will serve as Director of Casino Marketing for Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino and Katsnelson will serve as the Director of Casino Marketing for Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino and Lone Butte Casino.

Both Katsnelson and Sullivan will work under Vice President of Marketing Dominic Orozco who oversees marketing operations at all three Gila River properties.

Katsnelson began his career with Gila River Gaming Enterprises, Inc. in 2008 as the Lone Butte Players Club Supervisor and then took on the role of Lone Butte Marketing Coordinator. Most recently, he has worked as the Lone Butte Marketing Manager. Katsnelson received his associate’s degree in Business from Chandler-Gilbert Community and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication and Media Studies from Arizona State University.

Sullivan began his career at GRGE nine years ago in the Public Relations Department as the Public Relations Coordinator and has also served as Guest Service Manager for the enterprise. Most recently, he has worked as the Marketing Manager for Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino. Sullivan received a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications and Political Science from Arizona State University and a Certificate of Casino Management from San Diego State.

Tempe Mission Palms Names New Executive Chef

Tempe Mission Palms, A Destination Hotel, has appointed John du Toit as its new Chef.

Chef du Toit will lead the AAA Four Diamond-rated hotel’s culinary operations; oversee the iconic hotel’s restaurants, banquets, and in-room dining; and manage its 30-member team. He will also develop new dining concepts, as well as add his signature touch to the menus at Tempe’s only full-service hotel. 

“Chef du Toit has a reputation for being an innovative culinary master,” said Eric Sather, General Manager of Tempe Mission Palms Hotel. “He is upping the culinary ante at Tempe Mission Palms with exciting new ideas and elevated flavors to deliver a sophisticated culinary journey that will surprise and delight guests.” 

Chef du Toit honed his culinary skills in some of the world’s most renowned establishments, including Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, Hong Kong Hilton, the London NYC Hotel, Indigo Bistro, Wrigley Mansion, and Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort.

Prisma Announces New Vice President

Full-service marketing solutions provider, Prisma, announced the hiring of Julie Volz as Vice President of Sales. The announcement was made by Bob Anderson, CEO, and Rob Nawfel, President, earlier in November.

“Julie truly embodies our company culture at Prisma,” Rob explains. “She has a great reputation in our community, and her consultative approach with customers is a natural fit for us. Her ability to understand client pain points ensures our customers’ needs and wants are always the first priority.” 

As industry leaders in web-to-print solutions, Bob details how vital her technological edge is to Prisma. “When it comes to digital storefronts and online marketing solutions, Julie’s expertise is invaluable to our company, and to our clients.”

Volz has extensive industry know-how and brings 25 years of print and sales experience to Prisma. She has a deep understanding of restaurants and retail – two verticals Prisma excels in – which is a priceless asset to every department. Volz offers an outside perspective to Prisma’s already excelling sales team, and provides them with growth opportunities ranging from increasing sales to managing long-lasting client relationships. Her previous roles varied from customer service and operations, to sales leadership. Volz has mastered the ability to partner with clients, earning wide-reaching industry trust.