MIDDLEBURG, VA – Salamander Hotels & Resorts, the luxury hotel management company founded by Sheila C. Johnson, has appointed Eric Gavin as its new chief sales & marketing officer.

Gavin joins Salamander, which is based outside Washington, D.C., from Benchmark Hospitality International, where he served as regional director of sales and marketing.

He will oversee Salamander’s corporate strategic sales, marketing and revenue management initiatives for the company’s growing portfolio, which includes three grand golf resorts in Florida: Innisbrook in Tampa Bay, Reunion in Orlando and Hammock Beach in Palm Coast; and the highly acclaimed Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, VA. A fourth Florida resort, The Henderson in Destin, is scheduled to open on Memorial Day Weekend in 2016. There are also several new hotel and resort projects in the pipeline which will be announced this year.

“This is a tremendous and exciting opportunity for me to work with a great team led by a driven, highly principled owner in Sheila Johnson,” said Gavin. “I look forward to helping further develop Salamander’s luxury identity, while supporting the company’s collection of resorts by continuing to enhance Salamander’s strategic positioning and optimizing revenue.”

Gavin has also previously served as vice president of marketing for Noble House Hotels & Resorts, regional director of sales and marketing for Morgans Hotel Group, and director of sales and marketing for Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

“Eric is a very talented and creative sales and marketing executive,” said Prem Devadas, president of Salamander Hotels & Resorts. “We’re thrilled to welcome him into the Salamander family, and know he will further elevate our company’s brand awareness while continuing to drive revenue growth.”

Gavin began his two-decade hospitality career working in front office operations in Hilton Head, S.C. He is relocating to Northern Virginia with his wife Jenn and their three children: Riley, Jamieson and Addison.

Salamander Hotels & Resorts delivers accessible luxury through holistic diversity, signature services, authentic senses of place, and immersive experiences that encourage guests to evolve on a personal level.