NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (July 31, 2017) – The Duke Hotel Newport Beach has appointed General Manager Brian Keys, Director of Sales & Marketing Lynne Difrancesco and Director of Revenue Management Michelle Norville as its new executive leadership team. The team brings extensive professional experience and relationships in the Newport Beach area to the hotel, which will be rebranded as the Renaissance Newport Beach in 2018.

Brian Keys joins the hotel with more than 20 years of hospitality experience, having worked in hotel management at a number of prominent Southern California properties, including Beverly Hills Marriott, Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills and Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa, Keys has earned several accolades, including 2016 West Coast Jewish Orthodox Union Leadership Award, 2015 Renovation of the Year for the Beverly Marriott, and 2012 IHG Voice Top 50 Hotel.

Lynne Difrancesco’s comes to The Duke Hotel Newport Beach with a well-rounded, hospitality background in strategic, financial and operational management. Previously, Difrancesco held positions within Remington Hotels in Orange County and Marriott International. She has also been a community advocate, helping raise funds for multiple Orange County causes and nonprofits including Talk About Curing Autism, Children’s Miracle Network, and Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Michelle Norville’s diverse hospitality work experience in the Orange County market includes holding a variety of leadership roles for Interstate Hotels & Resorts, in addition to being the director of revenue management for Westin Long Beach and Travel Holdings. She’s been instrumental in developing and implementing pricing strategies that have maximized profits and is an expert in team building, demand analysis, report development and yield management.

For more information on The Duke Hotel Newport Beach visit: www.marriott.com/npbbr