Meet our new Chef

Chef Dan Leefhoff has been cooking his entire life. professionally for over 10 years. He grew up in a family that loves to cook. He mastered his culinary skills at two colleges including Le Cordon Bleu in Minneapolis. Dan has brought his passion for food to the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Omaha and looks forward to sharing his love and life experiences to our guests through food! Welcome Dan!

General Manager Kyle Highberg

The Doubletree Guest Suites Omaha has had the pleasure of welcoming a new General Manager this month. Kyle Highberg has been in hospitality for 10 years, and started out as a front desk agent at a Hilton in Maryland. He joined the Doubletree team in order to be part of a full service hotel and focus on his passion: servicing the guest. Kyle, along with his wife and three kids, enjoy the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the outdoors.

450th Bomb Group Association

The Doubletree Guest Suites was host to the 450^th Bombardment Group Association’s last reunion in October. The Group served in Italy from 1943-1945, defending our country in World War II. The five-day reunion included a banquet with ‘The Noteables’ band from Offutt Air Force Base, a memorial ceremony, a business meeting, a wine and cheese reception, and a lot of socializing, laughing, and reminiscing. The reunion was planned by Mr. Alvin Goodman. More photos to come!

Welcome, Michael Steele!

In late September the Doubletree Guest Suites Omaha was honored with a very special guest, Michael Steele! Steele is the 64^th Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Our Revenue Analyst, Anne Foutz, was lucky enough to snap a photo with him.

The Friendliest Face at the Doubletree

If you’ve ever been our guest at the Doubletree Guest Suites, chances are you’ve spoken to Lorenza Diaz, our lobby attendant. Since starting her career as a room attendant 10 years ago, Lorenza has won the Employee of the Month award more than 5 times and has broken our record for Above and Beyond the Call of Duty awards given. Housekeeping Manager Jami Farris said about Lorenza, “Her attitude is fun and playful. She is a delight to everyone she meets!" Lorenza was born in Ensenada, Mexico and has one son.

Meet Amanda!

Amanda Sampino has recently been promoted to the Director of Operations. She will oversee the Food and Beverage, Front Desk, and Housekeeping departments. She started at the Doubletree in 2007 as a front desk agent. Amanda grew up in Poughkieepsie, New York (No, she doesn’t know Snookie from the Jersey Shore!), rides a motorcycle, and holds a degree in culinary arts and food service management from Johnson & Wales University.

Amanda’s Doubletree Fast Fact: When the hotel was originally built, it was a Granada Royale ‘Hometel’ – one of the first all-suite concepts in the hotel industry!

When I walked into the hotel on Wednesday morning it looked like a scene from “The Princess and the Pea”. Piles… and piles… and piles… of mattresses!

I headed down one of the hallways to get some coffee and the walls lined with mattresses made me think, “Have I gone insane? Was I fired months ago, and I just think I’m at work, when in reality I’m in an institution with padded walls??”

No… the smiling faces of the housekeepers carrying the mattresses out to a big truck in the parking lot confirmed that I hadn’t been committed. We were, in fact, donating 186 mattresses to the Open Door Mission, an organization and shelter that strives to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty. Our recent sleeper-sofa upgrades have allowed us to give to this great organization.

During my time volunteering at the Open Door Mission and other shelters in the Omaha area one issue has always been prevalent: There just aren’t enough beds. I feel lucky to work in a place that gives back to the community – one good night’s sleep at a time!

Pictured above is Darren Timberlake, the Community Relations Coordinator at the Open Door Mission.

-Kristin Nielsen, Event Services Manager