Ken D. Dittrich has been appointed area vice president of Gran Melia Hotels and Resorts in the Americas and Caribbean, it was announced by Gran Melia parent Sol Melia Hotels and Resorts.
Dittrich, who will be based in Puerto Rico, is responsible for directing all aspects of the Gran Melia hotel operations in his region, as well as assisting with and overseeing openings and conversions. Prior to his promotion, Dittrich was managing director of Paradisus Puerto Rico, which was reflagged as Gran Melia Puerto Rico Golf Resort & Villas in May. He was also the managing director of Paradisus Rivera Cancun in Mexico, a deluxe all-inclusive. Dittrich’s 28 years of international hotel experience includes the position of opening general manager of the 320-room Blue Tree Park Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and managing director of Gran Meliá Sao Paulo, Brazil. Dittrich graduated in Hotel Management from the Hotel and Catering School in Germany. He obtained a hotel business administration degree at the Frankfurt and Heidelberg Hotel School in Germany. He is a member of the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association. Visit www.solmelia.com.