Thompson Savannah, located in the city’s Eastern Wharf district, has added new team members, including Hyatt Hotels & Resorts veteran Keith Butz as general manager; hospitality expert Olivia Williams as director of culture and programming; and Georgia native Victoria Shore, as executive chef. Additionally, the hotel’s lead concierge, Amanda Marks, has become the only concierge in Savannah to be named a member of Les Clefs d’Or.
With more than 26 years of Savannah-based hospitality experience, Thompson Savannah marks the 13th Hyatt Hotel that General Manager Keith Butz has worked with, and the sixth where he has served as GM. Prior to Thompson Savannah, Butz held the same role at Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf, Hyatt Regency Calgary, Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, Grand Hyatt Kaua`i, and The Confidante.
Newly appointed Executive Chef Victoria Shore brings more than 10 years of experience. She oversees all four concepts at the hotel—the seasonally focused Fleeting, where she will work alongside Creative Culinary Director Rob Newton; the Mediterranean-inspired rooftop oasis Bar Julian; the newly revamped Bar by Fleeting; and the ingredient-driven Stevedore Bakery. With family roots in Georgia, Chef Shore developed a passion for cooking from her Lebanese family history. After cooking in kitchens along the East Coast, she returned home to Atlanta, joining the Castellucci Hospitality Group at Cooks & Soldiers as a pastry chef, and then as a sous chef at Double Zero and food stall, Recess, in the Krog Street Market development.
Olivia Williams, Thompson Savannah’s first-ever director of culture and programming, brings over a decade of hospitality experience to this newly created role. From highlighting the works of visual artist Marcus Kenney in partnership with Culture Shifter Susan Laney from Laney Contemporary, to partnering with SAFE Shelter on a number of causes guests can participate in throughout the hotel, to programming the pool deck, hotel and F&B spaces, Williams brings her passion and knowledge of Savannah’s culture and rich history to her new role.
Lead Concierge Amanda Marks, who has been with the hotel since the opening, was recently accepted into the Les Clefs d’Or (Keys of Gold), an elite international network of concierge professionals. As the only Les Clefs d’Or concierge in the city, Marks brings her 20 years of hospitality experience and expertise to the property, offering a wealth of knowledge around the city’s dining, museums and historical sites for guests to enjoy. Prior to Thompson Savannah, Marks worked as a concierge with The Desoto Savannah, The Alida Hotel, The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, and with Old Savannah Tours.
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