Luminary Hotel & Co. Announces Executive Appointments
Management Team Adds New Executive Chef, Director of Food & Beverage,
Director of Rooms Operation, Director of Finance
FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 13, 2020) – Luminary Hotel & Co., the new 243-room waterfront hotel opening next month in downtown Fort Myers, Florida, announced today four key additions to the hotel’s executive team, including Kiel Lombardo, Executive Chef; Steve Adams, Director of Food & Beverage; Robert Nokley, Director of Rooms Operation; and Lindsey Appelget, Director of Finance.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome these four outstanding professionals to the Luminary Hotel & Co. as we prepare for our September opening,” said Bob Megazzini, General Manager. “Each of these leaders brings their own unique perspective and expertise to the property, adding even greater depth and energy to an exceptional team dedicated to the success of the Luminary.”
Executive Chef Kiel Lombardo will direct daily culinary operations at the hotel’s signature Silver King Ocean Brasserie and Ella Mae’s Diner, as well as the Beacon Social Drinkery rooftop lounge. With more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Lombardo was most recently with RL Hospitality Consulting out of Tampa, Florida, where he consulted on restaurant design and concept branding. Lombardo has also held positions as chef owner/creator at Platt Street Borough and Roy’s Restaurant where he trained with James Beard award-winning chef Roy Yamaguchi. Lombardo graduated from the Culinary & Hospitality School (formerly New Hampshire College) in Manchester, New Hampshire.
As the newly appointed Director of Food & Beverage, Steve Adams will oversee all aspects of the hotel’s food and beverage planning and services, including menu development and the preparation and presentation of food and drinks. Adams will also plan, coordinate, and oversee special events in the hotel’s 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. A hospitality veteran of more than 30 years, Adams joins Luminary from Callaway Resort & Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, bringing his extensive experience in operations, and executive budget, sales, and inventory development.
Luminary’s new Director of Rooms Operation Robert Nokley will be responsible for direct supervision of the hotel’s housekeeping, front office, valet parking, loss prevention, and engineering departments. During his 13-year career in hospitality, Nokley has crisscrossed the country as Front Office, Operations, and Housekeeping Manager at several notable properties, including JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort, Spa and Golf; and Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa, and Orlando World Center Marriott in Florida. He received his Hotel Administration degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and was most recently Opening Front Office Manager at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado.
Lindsey Appelget has been appointed Director of Finance and will oversee the areas of finance, project accounting, and hotel operational accounting. With more than a decade of experience, Appelget joins the Luminary team from the Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront, where she worked as Director of Finance. She began her career as Controller at Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club and Resort in Tucson, Arizona, later taking the Opening Controller position at Plunge Beach Hotel in Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida. Before moving to Savannah, the Western Michigan University graduate was Complex Director of Finance at Doubletree by Hilton Convention Complex in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she expertly managed three separate business units.
Luminary Hotel & Co. will be home to the signature Silver King Ocean Brasserie, as well as the Beacon Social Drinkery rooftop lounge, The Workshop culinary theater; an indoor and outdoor fitness facility; Ella Mae’s Diner and retail space at street level; Dean Street Coffee; and a spacious pool area on the fourth floor overlooking the Caloosahatchee River. Luminary offers 8,000 square feet of adaptable indoor and outdoor function space ideal for a variety of events and meetings and is adjacent to the neighboring Caloosa Sound Convention Center, currently being renovated for a September 2020 grand opening. The hotel also offers convenient access to the new riverfront Oxbow Bar & Grill, Oxbow Retail & Rentals, and Caloosa Sound Amphitheater, all located on the Caloosahatchee and scheduled to open in 2021. The Luminary Hotel will be a part of the prestigious Autograph Collection® of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR), and is expected to be the first Autograph hotel in the Fort Myers-Naples area.
