Stephen H. Marcus, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Marcus Corporation

Stephen Marcus joined the company in 1962, was named president and chief operating officer in 1980, and became chief executive officer in 1988. He was instrumental in the acquisition of The Pfister Hotel and Marc Plaza (now the Milwaukee Hilton) and construction of the Pfister Tower; the conception and expansion of Baymont Inns & Suites, and Woodfield Suites brands.

Marcus currently serves as a director of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and the Wisconsin Center District Board. He previously served as director of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Past activities also include chairman of the National Association of Theatre Owners, chairman of the Preferred Hotels Association, president of the Greater Milwaukee Hotel & Motel Association and president of the Wisconsin Innkeepers Association.
 
His extensive activities in the Milwaukee community include serving as co-chair of the 2001 United Way campaign, president of Summerfest, chairman of the United Performing Arts Fund campaign, and chairman of the Silver Renaissance campaign for the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
 
In April 2005, Mr. Marcus received the 2004 Wisconsin Business Leader of the Year Award from the Harvard Business School Club of Wisconsin.

Marcus received a B.A. degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1957 and a J.D. Degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1960.

Gregory S. Marcus, President of The Marcus Corporation

Gregory S. Marcus is president of The Marcus Corporation, a Milwaukee-based company that is a leader in lodging and entertainment. The Marcus Corporation has two divisions, Marcus Theatres and Marcus Hotels and Resorts. The company’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Marcus joined the company in 1992 as director of property management/corporate development. His next assignment was in the company’s former limited service lodging business where he ultimately ran both the Woodfield Suites and Baymont Inn and Suites operations. He was promoted to senior vice president – corporate development in 1999 and became an executive officer of the company in July 2005. He was elected to The Marcus Corporation Board of Directors in October 2005. In addition to serving as president of The Marcus Corporation, he also chairs the Corporate Investment Committee, which is responsible for all capital spending decisions.
Gregory Marcus currently serves as a director of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital, Milwaukee Jewish Federation and United Way of Milwaukee. He is also a director and past president of the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum and a trustee of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.

Marcus was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He received a B.A. degree in accounting from Indiana University in 1986 and a J.D. degree from Boston University School of Law in 1989. Prior to joining The Marcus Corporation, he worked for Sudler Marling, a Chicago-based property management and development firm, and in the motion picture industry in California. Marcus resides in Fox Point, Wisconsin, with his wife, Linda, and their three children.

photoBill Otto, President and Chief Operating Officer of Marcus Hotels and Resorts

William (Bill) J. Otto became president and chief operating officer of Marcus Hotels and Resorts, the full-service lodging division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS) in April 2001. Mr. Otto joined Marcus Hotels and Resorts in 1993 as Senior Vice President of Operations and was promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 1996.

Prior to joining Marcus Hotels and Resorts, Mr. Otto worked for the Stouffer Group of hotels for 15 years in positions including serving as general manager of the Stouffer Nashville hotel. He began his career with Hyatt Hotels in Chicago in 1978.

A highly recognized leader in the Wisconsin hospitality industry, Mr. Otto currently serves on the board of Visit Milwaukee, IAHI- Intercontinental Hotel Group Brand Committee, Spirit of Milwaukee, Junior Achievement of Greater Milwaukee, and The Preferred Hotel Group.  He is the past Chair of the Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau (now known as Visit Milwaukee), Wisconsin Innkeepers Association and the Governor's Council on Tourism, and was an appointed Wisconsin delegate to the 1995 White House Conference on Travel and Tourism.
 
Known for his ability to envision what a hotel can be while embracing its past, Mr. Otto has a proven track record in and passion for historic hotels. The highly successful Pfister Hotel, Hilton Milwaukee City Center, and Hotel Phillips showcase how he helped breathe new life into classic hotels. These grand dames were restored to their former glory and creatively injected with new concepts, leading to new levels of sustainable profitability.  And, while not historic in nature, the company's Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, WI is truly a renaissance hotel in which Mr. Otto has played a key role in reinventing.

Mr. Otto received a bachelor's degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and has earned the Certified Hotel Administrator designation from the American Hotel and Motel Association.

photoJ. David Merritt, Senior Vice President of Development

David Merritt joined Marcus Hotels & Resorts in 2005 as Senior Vice President of Development.

Mr. Merritt is responsible for all development-related activities, including ground up projects, acquisition and reposition opportunities as well as sliver investment with existing owners and third-party management.

Prior to joining Marcus Hotels , Merritt served as Sr. Vice President of Development for Lane Hospitality, a Chicago based hotel owner and operator. His prior hotel industry experience includes senior positions with Interstate Hotels Corporation, FFC Hospitality, Westmont Hospitality and Laventhol & Horwath.

Merritt received a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University School of Administration.

Bruce Hoffmann, Senior Vice President of Finance, Strategy & Planning

Mr. Hoffmann's career in the hospitality industry has spanned more than 20 years, including more than 10 years with Marcus Hotels and Resorts. During his career, Bruce has been involved in numerous development, finance, accounting, purchasing and IT positions. As Senior Vice President of Finance, Strategy & Planning, he oversees finance and participates in development related activities including ground up, acquisition and reposition opportunities from an equity investment and management perspective. In addition, Bruce assists the company in developing and executing strategic initiatives and long term planning for the company’s growth, infrastructure and management initiatives.

Prior to joining Marcus Hotels and Resorts in 1998, Bruce gained valuable experience with the well-respected hotel management companies of Hyatt Hotels and Interstate Hotels. During his six-year career with Interstate Hotels he worked at both the property and corporate levels.

A Wisconsin native, Bruce earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. In addition, Bruce is an active member in Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals (HFTP), is a  Certified Hotel Accounting Executive (CHAE), and was named the CHAE of the Year in 2004. 

Steve Magnuson, Vice President of Operations
 
Mr. Magnuson oversees all aspects of the 1300-acre Grand Geneva Resort & Spa complex, including all hotel and resort operations.  He also manages the operations for other Marcus Hotels and Resort properties.  As a Vice President of Operations, he is a member of Marcus Hotels & Resorts executive committee.

A University of Wisconsin-Stout graduate, he holds a Bachelor of Science Degree, with a major in Hotel & Restaurant Management, and a minor in Business Administration and Accounting. He also holds the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) designation from the American Hotel & Motel Association. A recognized community leader, he currently holds several senior positions within the hospitality and tourism industry.

Mr. Magnuson joined Marcus Hotels and Resorts in July 1994 as General Manager of Grand Geneva Resort and Spa, and was promoted to Vice President and Managing Director of Grand Geneva Resort and Spa in June of 1998. His has also held regional responsibilities for other Marcus properties including Hilton Milwaukee City Center, Crown Plaza Northstar and Hotel Mead & Convention Center.

Prior to joining Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Mr. Magnuson spent 15 Years with Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, holding numerous management positions, including Assistant General Manager at Renaissance Orlando Resort at Sea World.

photoScott Shoenberger, Vice President of Operations

Scott Shoenberger joined Marcus Hotels and Resorts in November of 2005 as the Vice President of Operations. Mr. Shoenberger is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the hotel operations for many of the Marcus Hotels & Resorts properties.

Prior to joining Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Mr. Shoenberger was employed by various hotels and hospitality companies around the country including The Irvine Company, Noble House & Resorts, RockResorts and Dusit Hotels & Resorts. His management positions have included Vice President of Operations, General Manager and Director of Food & Beverage. At his most recent position of Managing Director for LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort he was also involved with such renowned properties as Little Palm Island on Little Torch Key.

Scott has achieved much success throughout his tenure in the industry. He was appointed to and serves on various boards and has received numerous awards from the hospitality companies for his work at their hotels.

A University of Denver graduate, Mr. Shoenberger holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, with a major in Hotel and Resort Management and a dual minor in Finance and History.

 photoAlan Stegman, Vice President of Operations

Alan Stegman joined Marcus Hotels & Resorts in May of 2007 as Vice President of Operations. He is responsible for overseeing the hotel operations for a number of the Marcus Hotels & Resorts owned and managed properties.

Mr. Stegman’s career in the hospitality industry has spanned more than 25 years and includes individual property operations, multi unit operations and corporate operations and support. Early in his career Alan served as a General Manager for Hilton Hotels. During his almost twenty years with Hilton Hotels, he held various positions including Director of Operations, Hilton Inns Inc, Director of Operations and Development for Conrad Hotels, Vice President of Hotel Support and Franchise Administration, and Senior Vice President, Western Region. Returning home to the Midwest he assumed responsibility for all hotel operations for Allgauer Hotels/Newtel Management Group. Prior to joining Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Alan’s most recent position was Vice President of Operations for TPG Hospitality, a division of The Procaccianti Group.

Throughout his career Mr. Stegman has been active in the American Hotel & Motel Association and served on the Board of Directors of the State Associations in Ohio, Illinois and California.

An Ohio native, Mr. Stegman attended Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.

photoJori Hartwig, Vice President of Marketing

Jori Hartwig joined Marcus Hotels and Resorts in May 2007 as the Vice President of Marketing.  In this newly created position, she is responsible for developing and implementing marketing and branding strategies for Marcus hotels, restaurants and spas. She will also assist with corporate strategic planning initiatives. 

Ms. Hartwig brings to Marcus over 20 years of Consumer Products Marketing experience with well recognized companies such as SC Johnson Wax, Pillsbury and Fiskars. She is looking forward to applying her diverse background to the hospitality industry.  Jori received her Undergraduate degreein Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a Masters in Business Administration from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

Chris Anderson, Vice President of Sales

Chris Anderson joined Marcus Hotels and Resorts in October 2007 as Vice President of Sales. Mr. Anderson is responsible for ensuring the Marcus sales strategy and philosophies are in line with overall growth and profit objectives. 

Mr. Anderson brings over 15 years of hospitality and sales leadership with Marriott International where he gained experience from integrated involvement in the sales process with large resorts, downtown, pre-opening and large convention hotels. 

Chris has received numerous awards throughout his tenure and has chaired and co-chaired many industry-related boards, committees and panels.  Chris has a belief that hotels do not sell products, but rather experiences through exceptional service and strong, lasting relationships with their customers.

Mr. Anderson is a graduate from the University of Missouri where he holds a degree in Political Science with minors in Economics and Marketing.
 

Karen Spindler, Corporate Director of Human Resources

Ms. Spindler leads the Human Resources department for both Marcus Hotels and Resorts and Marcus Corporation. She joined Marcus Hotels and Resorts in 2001 as Division Director of Human Resources after spending 15 years with Hyatt Hotels in positions including Senior Director of Human Resources. Karen’s human resources experience includes recruitment, retention, benefits administration, training, labor relations, affirmative action and compliance.

Ms. Spindler received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management from the University of Wisconsin - Stout. She is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management and a past president of the National Human Resources Association. Karen was President and founder of the Hospitality Training Partnership and received several awards throughout her professional career, including the Outstanding Achievement Award from Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and an Outstanding Leadership Award from the YMCA.

 

Christine Beuchert, Director of E-Commerce

Ms. Beuchert brings 13 years of travel marketing experience to Marcus Hotels and Resorts. She is responsible for electronic distribution strategies, development of hotel and restaurant websites, management of online intermediary channels, as well as online advertising and email marketing.
 
Prior to joining Marcus, she held a number of marketing positions at Mark Travel Corporation, beginning as an Associate Manager and rising to Senior Marketing Manager for Funjet Vacations, overseeing operations and marketing of the southern U.S. markets.

Ms. Beuchert received a B.S. degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin- Madison in 1991.  She later earned an M.S. degree in Management, with an eBusiness concentration, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

 

Lawrence Flam, Director of Restaurant Operations

Larry Flam has had a long and rich career of over 25 years in the hospitality industry. Larry lives by the idea that restaurants are guest driven, and that the hospitality industry should aim to make the Guest experience memorable.

Mr. Flam has worked as an executive for some of the great Hospitality organizations including Lettuce Entertain You, The Kimpton Hotel and Group, Rainforest Café and The N9NE Group. He has been involved in the management, development, construction and cultural oversight of over 25 distinct concepts and twice that many individual properties. Flam’s work for those companies, and many successful independents, both as an executive and a consultant, has been marked by a strong commitment to staff and management training and development, high service standards, attention to operational and environmental detail, operationally and financially effective openings, great food, and maximum return for the investor.

Larry believes that part of being a successful professional is being involved with his community. Flam has been active in many charities, most notably Share Our Strength, and The Y-Me Breast Cancer Foundation.

“It is all about creating a connection between the guest and our restaurant. We want that guest to feel our passion for food, wine, service and environment and to know as soon as they walk through our doors that we are there to make their experience a memorable one.”

Peter Engel, Director of Technology

Peter manages strategy and implementation of hotel, food & beverage, electronic distribution, and guest experience technologies. In addition, Peter is responsible for technology evaluations of acquisition candidates, IT support of hotel openings, and business opportunity development.

A 30-year veteran of the information technology industry, Peter comes from both a consulting and technology operations background.  Most recently, Peter was President of Aperias Management Services, a consulting firm specializing in information technology and strategic management consulting services. Peter has over 8 years of travel and leisure industry experience including serving as Chief Operating Officer for Trisept Solutions, and Senior Vice President at The Mark Travel Corporation, managing customer support, software development and technology operations for leading travel distribution companies.

Prior to joining the travel industry, Peter gained broad technology experience at Tandem Computers (now Hewlett Packard), providing hardware, software and IT consulting services for retail, insurance, telecommunications and travel related companies.

 

Jeannette Grayson, Manager of Corporate Training

Ms. Grayson joined Marcus Hotels & Resorts in July of 2007.  As a member of the Human Resources team, she oversees training initiatives across all Marcus  properties.  She is responsible for management and leadership development programming, succession planning, and organizational development.

Jeannette brings over 13 years of Human Resources and Organizational Development experience from health care and non-profit industries, such as Aurora Health Care, The Blood Center of Wisconsin, and Goodwill Industries of Southeastern WI. 

Ms. Grayson received her undergraduate degree of Industrial/Organizational Psychology from UW Parkside and her Master’s degree in Human Resources from Marquette University. A certified facilitator for Franklin Covey and Achieveglobal, Jeannette also holds a Certificate in Training from UW Milwaukee.

Keith Halfmann, Assistant to the President

Keith Halfmann returned to the Marcus Hotels & Resorts team in March 2008 as Assistant to the President, where he will manage various corporate initiatives, and serve as operational liaison for new developments and acquisitions. Prior to his return, he served as the VP of Food & Beverage for Sage Hospitality Resources.

Mr. Halfmann initially joined Marcus Hotels & Resorts in July 1999 and served in numerous capacities; including Food and Beverage Director, Director of Operations, Corporate Director of Food and Beverage and Special Projects before moving into his final role as General Manager of the Pfister Hotel.

An instrumental part in the opening of the Sheraton Four Points, along with the Mason Street Grill and the WELL Spa at the Pfister, Mr. Halfmann demonstrated great skill in working with a wide variety of projects during his previous tenure with Marcus. Additionally, Mr. Halfmann was involved in introducing Starbucks at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center, the purchase of the Wyndham, the brand creation of the Milwaukee ChopHouse and planning for the Platinum Resort Hotel & Spa and the Skirvin Hilton.

Kent Duncan, Corporate Director of Revenue Strategy

Kent joined Marcus in August 2008 as Corporate Director of Revenue Strategy and provides overall revenue management leadership and strategic guidance for our properties.

Kent brings over 19 years of hotel experience from Marriott International, including department leadership positions in Conference Services, Sales, and Revenue Management. Most recently, Kent was Director of Market Strategy for Marriott International overseeing revenue management for several Hotels’ in the Atlanta area representing the J.W. Marriott, Marquis, Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard and Residence Inn brands.

In addition to his leadership experience, Kent has gained valuable knowledge through his time spent in all various types of properties including major convention, luxury, resort, downtown, and suburban hotels.


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