HOTELS/TOURISM

The Radisson Plaza Hotel in Irvine has named two top executives who will oversee operations when the hotel reopens later this year.

Aref Haffar of Corona del Mar has been named general manager, in charge of overseeing the hotel’s management and executive staff. He was vice president of the western division for Servico, one of the country’s largest hotel owners and operators.

Sher L. Pasquini has been named resident manager, overseeing rooms divisions, operations, budget and guest services. She has worked in management positions with the Hyatt Hotel Corp. and was resident manager for the Sheraton Atlanta Airport Hotel.

The appointments come three months after the 293-room hotel was bought by a group of Orange County investors for $26 million in late June. At the time of the purchase, the property was a closed, bankrupt Registry Hotel.

GMY Investment Co., a Newport Beach limited partnership of five investors, bought the hotel from Homestead Savings & Loan. The group has been engaged in a multimillion-dollar renovation and has scheduled a reopening for November.

The Registry fell on hard times as a result of intense competition in the airport area.