The general manager of the Elbow Beach Hotel, Frank Stocek, has been appointed the new president of the Hotel Employers of Bermuda (HEB).

Canadian Mr. Stocek, 45, worked with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group for 21 years before joining Elbow Beach in 2001. He and his wife Lisa have one son, four-year-old Ryan.

Teri Seymour, director of operations at the Wyndham Bermuda Resort, was named president elect.

John Harvey, HEB's chief executive officer, said he was delighted that Ms Seymour and Mr. Stocek had taken up their posts, adding that they would bring a wealth of knowledge to the organisation.

Meanwhile, formal negotiations between HEB and the Bermuda Industrial Union began this week.

BIU president Derrick Burgess said yesterday that they met on Tuesday for the first time and expects to resume talks later this month.

Mr. Burgess would not go into detail about the meeting, except to say that it went "okay".

HEB represents the Fairmont Hamilton Princess and Fairmont Southampton Hotels, Sonesta Beach Hotel, Elbow Beach and the Harmony Club and four years ago, for the first time in decades, negotiations between the sides were concluded without the help of outside mediators.

Management and unions hailed it as a new era of co-operation.