Stephen H. Marcus, Chairman, President 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, the Wisconsin Center District Board, the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, and chairman of the National Association of Theatre Owners.  He has also served as chairman of the Preferred Hotels Association and president of the Greater Milwaukee Hotel & Motel Association and the Wisconsin Innkeepers Association. 

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.

Bill 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.

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.

J. 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, Vice President of Development

Mr. Hoffmann's career in the hospitality industry has spanned more than 18 years.  He has been involved in numerous accounting, finance, administration and IT positions during that time, but most recently has moved into a development role. In his position as VP of Development, he 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 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. His most recent position was with Interstate Hotels as Director of Hotel Accounting, which was preceded by the positions of Controller, Manager of Hotel Accounting, MIS Analyst, and two Assistant Controller positions.

A Wisconsin native, Bruce earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.

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.

Scott 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.

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.

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 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.

Matt Martin, Corporate Director of Recruitment

Matt Martin joined Marcus Hotels and Resorts in August of 2002 as the Human Resource Director of the Hotel Phillips, with additional responsibilities of directing corporate recruitment efforts. In January 2006, Mr. Martin was promoted to the corporate office to direct our recruitment and talent management strategies.

Prior to joining Marcus, Matt worked with HBE Corporation - Adam’s Mark Hotels and Resorts for six and one-half years. He worked in several capacities for Adam’s Mark Hotels and HBE from property human resource directorship to Corporate Director of Human Resources. Immediately prior to joining Marcus, he worked for Swank Audio Visuals and Motion Pictures as Corporate Director of Recruitment.

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.

Marty Jankowiak, Director of Hotel Accounting

Marty Jankowiak joined Marcus Hotels and Resorts in July 2006 as Director of Hotel Accounting.

Mr. Jankowiak is responsible for accounting and financial reporting activities and coordinates the preparation of financial statements with corporate accountants and hotel Controllers. Marty is also actively involved in maximizing the benefits of the PeopleSoft accounting system.

Prior to joining Marcus, Marty served as Manager of Financial Shared Services with Journal Broadcast Group, coordinating accounting & financial reporting activities for over 40 television & radio stations nation-wide. Marty previously held various Accounting Manager and Controller roles in his 12-year career with Browning-Ferris Industries, a global environmental services provider.

Marty received his B.S. degree in Business Administration with a major in accounting from Central Michigan University, subsequently earning his CPA certificate.

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. 

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.

Brian Burton, Regional Director of Sales

Brian Burton joined Marcus Hotels and Resorts in March, 2008 as Regional Director of Sales. Mr. Burton is responsible for reinforcing the Marcus sales strategy and philosophies for its core properties in the Central Midwest.

Mr. Burton brings over 10 years of hospitality and sales leadership with Marriott International where he gained experience in sales processes with downtown, suburban and resort properties. Additionally, he served as a National Account Manager for American Hotel Register, assisting Hotel Chain and Management companies with consolidating National and Regional procurement programs. As a nationally certified trainer, he believes that development of fundamental sales skills, and consistent expectations of execution are the hallmark of any world class sales organization.

Mr. Burton is a graduate from the Hofstra University where he holds a degree in Communications.

Leslie Johnson, Director of Restaurant Sales & Promotions

Leslie Johnson joined The Marcus Corporation in March of 2008 as the Director of Restaurant Sales & Promotions. Leslie is excited about taking on the new position that focuses on promoting the private dining available in many Marcus Restaurants. She will also focus on marketing and promoting our restaurants throughout the city.

Leslie has been in the hospitality industry for 12 years, starting her career at the Grand Geneva Resort. Leslie pursed her education at the University of Wisconsin Stout where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality & Tourism in 1999. Leslie then went on to work with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in the Catering & Sales division. After being with Hyatt of 5 years, Leslie was hired by RARE Hospitality to be the Sales & Marketing Manager for The Capital Grille Minneapolis & The Capital Grille Milwaukee.