Author Archives: Quinn Pochekailo

Musical Instrument Museum Wins 2023 Q Award

Leave a reply

Congratulations to Thomas Painter and the Guest Services team members at the Musical Instrument Museum (“MIM”) in Phoenix, Arizona! The Q Award is presented to the unit that receives the highest Quality Assurance score in the Company. The MIM operations received an outstanding total score of 96.3%.

MIM is only 14 years old, but rates as one of the most unique and most visited attractions in Arizona. At over 200,000 square feet and a collection of more than 13,400 instruments and associated objects, MIM is the largest museum devoted to the art of the musical instrument.

To highlight the success achieved this past year at MIM, our Insider team met with Joe Van Hooser, Managing Director of Food & Beverage to discuss how the MIM team does such an excellent job keeping their quality assurance scores high.

Joe also discussed his confidence in Thomas Painter, the General Manager of F&B at MIM. “Thomas has been a breath of fresh air since his hire in early 2022. He is a true professional, extremely knowledgeable, and has a vast amount of experience. A golden shoo-in for MIM,” says Joe.

We also met with Thomas, who added, “Achieving the score was a goal from the outset of my tenure here. As a matter of fact, in early 2022, when Joe Van Hooser shared the Q Award parameters with me, I boasted that we would win that award in 2024. Typically, I am not so boastful, but I am constantly trying to set high standards for our team and felt that we were onto something with a very strong core.”

When asked if there is anything he is looking forward to in 2024, Thomas said, “Yes! More growth in all outlets and more creative GSI-initiated events like our Wine Dinner. This year we will explore Dinner Shows on the Main Courtyard at MIM and Seasonal Jazz Brunches.”

We’d also like to list the Honorable mentions of units below which scored 95% and above in 2023. In addition, there were a total of 48 units that scored 93% or above.

Callville Bay Food and Beverage, NV
Cottonwood Cove Retail, AZ
Willow Beach Recreation, AZ
Echo Bay RV Village, NV
Fletchers Cove Boathouse, D.C.
Cottonwood Cove Recreation, AZ
Cottonwood Cove Dining, AZ
Lincoln Memorial Retail South, D.C.
Callville Bay Retail, NV
Weeki Wachee State Park Rentals, FL
Lincoln Memorial Retail North, D.C.
Willow Beach Retail, AZ
Temple Bar Retail, AZ
Rainbow Springs State Park Boat Rentals, FL
Watkins Glen State Park Lower Café, NY
Rainbow Springs State Park Tube Rentals, FL

Congratulations to all properties on a great year!

Flamingo Restaurant Grand Opening

Leave a reply

In October 2023, the National Park Service and Guest Services, Inc. celebrated the opening of the Flamingo Lodge and Guy Bradley Visitor Center, a landmark event attended by key figures and covered extensively by media outlets. This new development, featuring the environmentally innovative Flamingo Lodge and the historically significant Guy Bradley Visitor Center, offers visitors unique experiences through its modern amenities and breathtaking views. 

Now, we are excited to highlight the grand opening of the Flamingo Restaurant that took place on December 29th, 2023.

The restaurant was created with the same innovative environmentally friendly construction as the Lodge and is located on the same block with identical awe-inspiring views. Guests can now indulge in an exquisite, modern culinary journey as part of their unforgettable Everglades National Park experience. Fresh seafood, tasty cocktails, and an immersive historic ambiance make this a truly unforgettable dining experience, and only a few feet from the Lodge rooms.

“The menu is reflective of all the different places I’ve been, what I’ve learned as a professional, and what I’ve come to understand guests enjoy,” says Margaret McCarthy, Food & Beverage Manager and Chef at Everglades Flamingo Adventures.

“We’ve been open now for a little over a month, and things are going very well. We are looking forward to developing the restaurant into a gathering place by featuring a big-screen TV, board games, and other fun things to engage guests. Hopefully, it will start to serve as a comfortable lobby because there is no real lobby for the rest of the Lodge,” says Margaret.

The menu features a wide variety of awesome locally sourced dishes that use fresh ingredients and according to one guest, ‘the best Cubana in Florida.’ The team makes their salsas and sauces from scratch, smokes their pork onsite, and offers an experience unlike any other restaurant in the park system. Thank you to the entire team and everyone that makes this destination exceptional!

Welcoming Rod Taylor as Vice President of Hospitality

Leave a reply

Congratulations to Rod Taylor, the new Guest Services Vice President of Hospitality! Rod’s career in hospitality began in 1980 as a mechanic in marinas, setting the stage for his growth in the industry. During his tenure with Forever Resorts, the previous concessionaire at our Lake Mead units, his role involved managing operations where they rented houseboats, dining operations, and much more, showcasing his ability to handle large-scale hospitality services.

 

Recently, Nico Foris, CEO, congratulated him by saying, “I am very excited to announce the promotion of Rod Taylor to Vice President of Hospitality, effective January 1, 2024. His dedication, commitment, and expertise have truly set Rod apart to join our executive leadership team at Guest Services. Rod’s four decades of operational experience, large-scale problem-solving of complicated matters with the National Park Service, and effective team management and leadership align so well with Guest Services’ core values, and he will continue to build upon the success of the division. In his new role, Rod will be responsible for overseeing the five properties at Lake Mead, Lake Roosevelt, Stehekin, Mount Rainier, and Big Sur. Please join me in congratulating Rod on this well-deserved promotion!”

 

Honoring Barry Trice: Celebrating 27 Years of Excellence as He Transitions into Retirement

We would also like to celebrate Barry Trice, our esteemed Senior Vice President of Hospitality, who is transitioning toward retirement. Barry’s 27 years of dedicated service have been a cornerstone of our success, setting a high standard of excellence and fostering key partnerships that have greatly benefitted Guest Services.

Nico said, “Barry Trice, our Senior Vice President of Hospitality, is now embarking on a separate transition toward retirement. Barry’s twenty-seven years of service to the Company has been invaluable.  He has established a standard of excellence and cultivated so many key partnerships and relationships, which we still maintain today. Barry will remain part of Guest Services to support Rod during the transition efforts over the next year and continue to be involved with our existing units on a lesser scale, notably at Florida Southern, Musical Instrument Museum, The Doubletree, and the Condominium & Property Management division. We are all extremely grateful for Barry’s contributions past, present, and into the future during this exciting time.”