Our Team

Harris Rosen – President & COO – Rosen Hotels & Resorts

Our Company is Born…
“Understand that back then [1974] the Middle East had essentially shut off the United States in terms of oil supply. The vast majority of hotels in Orlando were bankrupt or closed, and here I was buying a hotel in the midst of this chaos, and getting guests to stay at the hotel was very difficult. I remember I used to stand right at the entrance ramp to the hotel and literally pray that somebody would turn in and come on to our property. Just try to draw them in with my mental powers that I might have possessed. It was very difficult to do that, and so very early on after I had acquired the property for a week, I knew that standing there begging for business was not the appropriate thing to do. So I packed a little bag, got out on I-4 and said that I was going to hitch hike to New England where I knew there were dozens and dozens of motor coach operators who came to Orlando. And so we got a ride almost all the way up to New England, kept hitch-hiking until finally we got to meet with motor coach companies. I would strike a deal with the president or the chief operating officer of the company. I would ask what rate do they want to stay with us. They would say $8 or $9 or $7; I would write the rate down, the name of the company on my business card or a cocktail napkin, sign my name and that was the contract. And I probably signed 11 or 12 contracts that way. Some of these guys were so kind—they felt so sorry for me—that they would actually drive me to my next appointment in their buses. So I didn’t hitch-hike much around New England because I had all of these wonderful Motor Coach guys who were getting these terrific rates at my hotel, and they were really very generous and gracious in showing me around New England in these Motor Coaches. When I finished, what was probably around 5 days, I literally had enough business to sustain us for that first year. I did not hitchhike back—I flew back—so excited and thrilled that I had accomplished my mission. And the truth is that many of those New England Motor Coach operators remain today as our clients. And of course they have expanded tremendously, from 1 or 2 buses to Orlando—some are now up to 20 or 30 buses to Orlando. It was one of those quirks of faith that led me to do what I did. Clearly a ridiculous attempt to market the hotel, but at that moment the only opportunity I thought that presented itself for me to get off my chair, go to where the business was, and try to convince people to use our hotel. And it worked very well.”

View Harris Rosen Biography.

Leslie Menichini – VP of Sales & Marketing Rosen Hotels & Resorts

Building on a dream and watching it turn into a reality is something Menichini likes best about her job, and as the leader of the hotel’s pre-opening sales and marketing team, she certainly was helpful to do just that at Shingle Creek. In addition to opening Shingle Creek, Menichini’s responsibilities include synergy sales partnering with the director of sales for the Rosen Centre and Rosen Plaza Hotels, both bordering the Orange County Convention Center.

From Orlando to Las Vegas, Leslie Anne Menichini has worked in some of the best places that this country’s entertainment capitals have to offer.

In Las Vegas, she was Director of Sales for Bally’s/Paris Las Vegas and also was instrumental in the opening of Paris Las Vegas. Menichini worked as the corporate liaison for Park Place Entertainment’s corporate sales office, concentrating on efforts to synergize the five Las Vegas hotels. Menichini’s Orlando travels have taken her to the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, where she was Assistant Director of Sales. To complete her well-rounded experience, the Madison, Wis. native held the position and was the pre and post opening Director of Sales at the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage, Calif. The Westin Hotel, Tulsa, Okla and the opening team for the Radisson Plaza, St. Paul, Minn.

Travers Johnson – Associate Director Sales

Travers Johnson recently returned home to Rosen Centre to become Associate Director of Midwest Sales. Johnson began his hospitality career at Rosen Centre 11 years ago working in banquet set-up and was quickly promoted to Convention Services & Catering Manager. He began his career in sales with a move to Rosen Plaza as Conference Center Sales Manager, where he spent three years before moving to Rosen Shingle Creek, where he was promoted to National Sales Manager. In 2006, Johnson was once again promoted and moved back to Rosen Plaza as Associate Director of Sales/Northeast Markets.

Julie Ryczak – Associate Director Sales

Ryczak has been with Rosen Hotels & Resorts since 1995, working her way up from Conference Center Sales Manager, then Southeast Sales Manager at Rosen Plaza. She moved to Rosen Centre in 2001, when she was promoted to National Sales Manager/Southeast Market, then Senior National Sales Manager/Southeast Market in 2006. From 2004-2007, Ryczak was named the Top-Producing Sales Manager each year, generating an average yearly room revenue of $10 million. Prior to working for Rosen Hotels & Resorts, Ryczak worked in hotel sales for Holiday Inn and other properties in Binghamton, New York.

Andrew Halsey – National Sales Manager

Andrew Halsey has joined Rosen Centre’s sales team as the newest National Sales Manager. Halsey enjoyed a distinguished career in hotel sales, with nearly 20 years as a National Sales Manager, Senior Sales Manager and Director of Group Sales for properties including Hyatt Regency hotels in three cities, The Peabody Orlando, Walt Disney World Resort, and most recently, the Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa in Fort Myers.