John A. Mann
John A. Mann serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for the company. He received a B.S. degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and a J.D. degree from the University of Illinois, College of Law. He had extensive civil litigation and labor law experience, prior to entering the hospitality business with his brother.
James L. Mann
James L. Mann serves as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the company. He is the brother of John A. Mann and is a graduate of the University of Illinois and the University of Illinois, College of Law. In addition, James L. Mann became a CPA in 1972. He has extensive tax and business planning experience.
Angela Mann
Angela Mann serves as Vice President of Operations. Ms. Mann oversees the Michigan field office, supervises the operations department and has company-wide responsibility for sales & marketing, human resources, revenue management, company programs, training, and pre-opening responsibilities for new hotels, specifically sales and marketing and operations. She previously held other company positions, including General Manager, Director of Operations/Training, Regional Director of Operations, and Sr. Director of Operations & Revenue Enhancement. She has multi-unit, multi-brand, area management, task force and sales experience. Ms. Mann graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in English and Rhetoric and a minor in Spanish.
Rae Richardson
Rae Richardson serves as Vice President of Construction and Renovation. Mrs. Richardson has extensive experience in hotel construction and new hotel openings. She is one of the company’s consultants to owners, architects, engineers, contractors, and vendors for new development projects; and she serves as liaison between project associates and franchisor representatives during the development and construction process. She is responsible for all aspects of hotel construction for Hospitality Specialists, Inc., including site planning, internal layouts, architectural review, mechanical system review, procurement and installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment, and the selection and implementation of operating systems. In addition, Mrs. Richardson is responsible for all renovations and FF&E replacements that are completed at Hospitality Specialists, Inc. hotels.
Patrick Tepen
Patrick Tepen serves as a Controller for the company. Mr. Tepen has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Illinois College. He currently oversees the accounting department and Financial Statement preparation for all Hospitality Specialists, Inc. hotels. He is also responsible for all end of month reporting.
Robb Carter
Robb Carter serves as Sr. Director of Operations/Human Resources for the company. He has on-going operational responsibilities as well as provides support specifically designed for the needs of each property. Mr. Carter specializes in training, customer service, team-building, sales, company programs, human resources and management. He also directs the pre-opening activities of new build properties in relation to operations and sales and marketing. He previously served the company as General Manager, Regional Director of Operations and Director of Property Support. Mr. Carter has multi-unit, multi-brand, area management, task force and sales experience. Mr. Carter studied Hospitality Management at San Jose State University.
Elijah Steinmetz
Elijah Steinmetz serves as Director of Operations/F&B & Strategies for the company. After beginning his career in the industry at the age of fifteen, Mr. Steinmetz has worked from line level positions to roles as Property Support, Assistant General Manager, Area Director of Sales, General Manager, and Regional Manager. He has multi-unit, multi-brand, area management, task force, pre-opening, renovation, sales and F&B experience. As a General Manager, he and his properties received numerous awards, ranging from Hotel of the Year in the management company to being recognized by Experience Grand Rapids as Kent County, MI’s General Manager of the year. He previously served the company as general manager and regional director of operations. Mr. Steinmetz studied Hospitality Management at Tiffin University.
Mackenzie Carlin
Mackenzie Carlin serves as Director of Operations/Sales & Sustainability for the company. Ms. Carlin’s role within the company includes bench management, pre-opening and opening support, special projects, training, property auditing, marketing, revenue analysis and overall operations of each property within the Hospitality Specialists portfolio. She started her employment with Hospitality Specialists at the Courtyard Milwaukee Airport, and has several years of management experience in the hotel industry. She also served the company as a traveling task force specialist for two years. Ms. Carlin studied at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Wayne Burgher
Wayne Burgher serves as Director of Operations/Product Enhancement for the company. Mr. Burgher has held various positions within the company from Property Support, Assistant General Manager, and General Manager. He has multi-brand, area management, task force, pre-opening, and renovation experience. Mr. Burgher holds a Certified Guest Service Professional designation from the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Wayne graduated with a degree in Hotel Management from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and serves as a professional mentor for students and graduates of the program.
Danette Howarter
Danette Howarter serves as Human Resources Specialist for Hospitality Specialists. Ms. Howarter has held positions in the accounting and operations departments over the last eleven years. Her experience in payroll and accounting lead her to her current position in human resources. She supports the daily operations of the human resources department, including payroll, unemployment, garnishments and benefits. Other duties include ACA, worker’s compensation, & Cobra. She assists the Sr. Director of Operations/Human Resources in the day-to-day activities in the HR Department and aids in training, tracking, trouble-shooting, reviewing, and reporting functions. She also handles office administration duties.
Dave Mathews
Dave Mathews serves as Maintenance Specialist for Hospitality Specialists. Mr. Mathews has several years of hotel engineering experience, and construction superintendent experience. His current position supports the teams with providing bench maintenance duties, training new maintenance personnel, assisting on-site with renovation projects, and taking on special hotel maintenance projects. He also handles trouble-shooting, technical assistance, proposal review, general maintenance support, and he is CPO certified to support pool operations.
Vicky Barnett
Vicky Barnett serves as a Staff Accountant for the company. Mrs. Barnett oversees invoice posting, invoice entry, and handles credit applications for the company.
Jay Mann
Jay Mann serves as a Staff Accountant for the company. Mr. Mann has an Associates Certification from Wyoming Technical Institute. He currently handles daily report verifications and reconciliations, state hotel and visitor bureau tax liabilities, payroll processing, and annual business renewals. He has prior hotel operations experience with the company.