Liko Smith

At 27, Liko Smith is the youngest general manager in the Great Western Hotel chain. Prior to being recruited by Great Western, Smith worked for Stardust, Circus Circus and MGM Grand hotel/casinos in Las Vegas, starting in hotel operations before moving into sales. Eventually, he was negotiating and implementing overseas and domestic wholesale room contracts with major tour operators, building a reputation of integrity, follow through and knowledge of the marketplace.

An aspiring lawyer, Liko Smith has been enticed by the challenges of managing quality hotels like the Heritage Inn and expects a long, fruitful career in the hotel business. In fact, because of the business climate in Rancho Cucamonga, the new airport and Heritage Inn's strategic sales and marketing plans, he expects sales to increase more than 160% from last year.

On the private side, Liko Smith lives in Rancho Cucamonga and with his wife Rachelle, enjoys his 4 month old son, Reynaldo.

Ted Weggeland

Ted Weggeland is President of Entrepreneurial Hospitality Corporation, which manages both the Riverside Convention Center and the Riverside Convention Bureau. His operative words are: involved with good ideas and making them better. The Convention Center recently completed a $2 million renovation that makes it one of the preeminent meeting facilities in Southern California. He organized the Convention Bureau which was recently awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor Society National Convention and the American Legion Convention.

Weggeland is also Executive Vice President of the Historic Mission Inn Corporation, which owns and operates the National Historic Landmark Mission Inn in Riverside, and is President of Entrepreneurial Restaurants Corporation, which is developing Riverside area restaurant ventures. A member of the Board of Directors of the Riverside Downtown Partnership, the Inland Empire Tourism Council, and the Orange Blossom Festival, he was recently appointed to the California Travel and Tourism Commission by Governor Pete Wilson.

Weggeland previously represented the 64th Assembly District in the California State Legislature and served as Republican Party Whip and Chairman of the Banking and Finance Committee (improving the status quo is one of his priorities). While in the Assembly, Weggeland authored numerous bills including measures to redevelop March Air Force Base, deter frivolous lawsuits, and maximize the efficiency of California's foreign trade offices.

Weggeland earned his B.A. in political science at U.C.L.A., and his juris doctorate from the Pepperdine University School of Law, where he was a Margaret Brock Scholar. He lives in Riverside with his wife Jennifer and their two children, Will, age 4, and Katherine, age 2.

Adam Bondeson & Terilynn Keegan

Lodestone Adventures, Inc. is located in the beautiful mountains of Big Bear Lake, California. The two partners, Adam Bondeson and Terilynn Keegan, facilitate team-building programs. The main focus of the company is on corporate development and innovative approaches to effective teamwork.

Lodestone was originally structured as only a team-building component to the executive retreat but quickly discovered that the corporations they served needed "one stop shopping." Adam and Terrilyn decided to build partnerships with outside organizations such as Meeting Sites Unlimited, a corporate retreat destinations company based in Palm Springs, California, and Northwoods Resort in Big Bear Lake.

With the partnerships that Lodestone has built, they are able to place corporate retreats throughout the Inland Empire while offering the perfect extension to any organization's retreat, corporate development and team-building projects.

Both Bondeson and Keegan have over 10 years experience in outdoor and experiential education. They also have backgrounds working with many organizations, assisting them in the development of effective teamwork and leadership. Adam has facilitated programs throughout the United States and Europe. His expertise is in designing of effective programs to meet the specific needs of each client, whether in the classroom or in the wilderness.

Adam began his career when, as an Eagle Scout, he designed and built a rope course for a camp in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri. Later, he received a bachelor's degree from Prescott College in "Therapeutic Use of the Wilderness Experience". For several years afterward, he facilitated and managed outdoor programs for various rope course companies, assisting many of them in the area of modification. In addition, Adam has participated in extensive long term projects for several California aerospace companies.

Terilynn began her career with Carol Anderson Dresses where she used her communication skills enabled her to implement effective programs and increase sales.

Today, Adam and Kerilynn run and operate Lodestone Adventures, Inc. together. Through their love of experiential education, they continue to design and implement programs for corporations throughout America.

David Lurie

David Lurie, the new general manager of the Givenchy Hotel & Spa, a Merv Griffin resort, is reaching out to the desert community. Appointed to his position in March, Lurie has been actively involving himself and the luxury destination in numerous civic and charitable endeavors.

The La Quinta Arts Foundation, which sponsors the annual La Quinta Arts Festival, is one of those charities. He has also extended a hand to the McCallum Theatre, Mixell Senior Center and the Palm Springs Desert Museum. Under Lurie's direction, the Gevenchy Hotel & Spa has been generous with in-kind donations to nonprofit organizations throughout Southern California.

Lurie is proud to continue his participation in charitable causes on behalf of the Givenchy Hotel & Spa. He says, "My wife, Melissa, and I have always been active in the communities in which we live, and look forward to staying busy here on behalf of the hotel."

The Givenchy Hotel & Spa is striving to embrace the community, as evidenced by the hotel's open house, which will be held on October 15 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., at which time the hotel will announce and celebrate its name change.

Steven S. Goldman

Steven S. Goldman, General Manager of the Ontario Airport Marriott hotel, has over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Previously, he worked with San Jose Radisson Plaza Hotel and Marriott Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

Since arriving in the Inland Empire last September, Goldman has become involved in the Greater Ontario Hotel/Motel Association and Ontario Chamber of Commerce. He is CEO of the Advisory Board of the Ontario Convention Center, and is on the Board of Directors of the Chaffey College Foundation.

For Goldman, the hospitality business is very fulfilling because everyday is spent with people. He enjoys discussing not only business matters with folks but also their travels and experiences. He has found that his interest in people helps him excel at customer service, which is the name of the game in the hospitality business. According to Goldman, all of this put together with the financial success of the property is the fuel that drives him.

Steven Goldman looks forward to the growth of the Inland Empire in the area of hospitality and tourism, and he expects to play a vital role in that success.

Steve Heitzner

Steve Heitzner, area director of marketing for California's Premier Desert Resorts, is responsible for direct sales, marketing, positioning, advertising and public relations efforts for Marriott's Desert Springs Resort & Spa, Palm Desert, and Marriott's Rancho Las Palmas Resort, Rancho Mirage, and the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort, Indian Wells. Heitzner has held the position for three years, and had extensive experience in the hospitality industry previous to this position.

Before making his home in Palm Desert, Heitzner was director of marketing at Marriott's 1500 room San Francisco Marriott, and before that, director of marketing at the Overland Park Marriott in Kansas. He began his career with Marriott International in 1985 at Marriott's Chicago National Sales Office.

Among his merits, Heitzner is the winner of Marriott's 1996 Sales Leadership Award and is a member of Meeting Planners International.

Heitzner is originally from Flint, Michigan and holds a bachelor of arts degree in marketing from Michigan State University. Currently Heitzner lives with his wife, Linda, and two small children in Palm Desert, California.

Marriott's Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, celebrated its 10th anniversary last year with a $14 million renovation. Covering over 400 acres of lush grounds and lakes, Marriott's Desert Springs Resort & Spa is one of the largest resort complexes in the South western United States. This Mobil Four Star and AAA Four Diamond award winner opened in 1987, and features 884 guest rooms and suites. The resort boasts a 30,000-square-foot spa, two championship golf courses, 20 tennis courts, nine swimming and whirlpools, ten restaurants and 51,300-square-feet of conference space.

Cindy Espinoza

As a leader in our local hospitality industry, Cindy has excelled in expanding the future for the city of Ontario. Currently the director of sales for the Residence Inn by Marriott in Ontario, she faces the every day challenge of selling the community to corporate clients, groups and travelers.

Ontario has seen extensive changes recently such as an influx of new company headquarters, relocation of regional and division offices and major attractions. Cindy and her sales team received a bronze award from Marriott International for achieving 110% of budget this first quarter. Ontario was one of the 5 that qualified out of 267.

Cindy has been active in community events and programs since 1990, beginning with her participation on the Ontario Centennial executive committee. When asked what she cherished most about this experience she said, "creating the Ontario Fourth of July fireworks show at Westwind Park, an event that has sparked enthusiasm in the local citizens who come out and show pride in the city and celebrate freedom!" Ontario now holds this event annually.

Along with being and ambassador to Ontario's Chamber of Commerce, she has won the community "Hero" award and has the honor of sitting on many local organizations and committee boards. She is most proud of her seven-year involvement in Crime Stoppers, the last two as chairperson.

Cindy Espinoza will continue to contribute time and energy to the hospitality industry to further the development of the city of Ontario.