New Leadership at Our Four-Season Destination in Minnesota’s Northwoods

Located in northern Minnesota’s Iron Range, Giants Ridge has long been known as a four-season destination shaped by outdoor recreation and a strong connection to its surroundings. From skiing and snowboarding in the winter to golf, biking, and hiking in the summer months, the resort continues to serve guests looking for authentic experiences rooted in the Northwoods.

For Duane Stutzman, the new General Manager at Giants Ridge, that sense of place was evident early on when he arrived at Giants Ridge. Reflecting on the property and its potential, he noted that it is a destination where guests return year after year and feel a strong connection to both the resort and the surrounding landscape.

A Career Shaped by Reinvention and Resort Leadership

Duane’s path to Giants Ridge spans multiple industries and leadership roles, each chapter shaping how he approaches resort management today. “I started my career actually in a development business,” he explained. “I founded a development company where I did land development and grew the company to cover a three-state region… Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.”

That experience eventually evolved into high-end homebuilding before a pivotal shift. “I was one of the lucky ones who sold the company during the real estate crash in 2008,” Duane said. “I decided to reinvent myself and became a ski instructor.”

Duane went on to hold leadership roles across major mountain destinations, including positions with Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company. “I worked my way through supervisor, manager, area director, and general manager roles,” he said. “Each stop taught me something different about people, operations, and leadership.”

That experience now informs his approach at Giants Ridge. “What matters most to me is building strong teams,” Duane shared. “If you take care of your people, they take care of the guest experience.”

Looking Ahead with Purpose and Stewardship

As Giants Ridge continues to move forward, Duane’s focus is on strengthening core operations while expanding offerings that resonate with guests. “We need to grow our summer operations to match what other resorts are doing in the industry… mountain biking needs to have a bigger focus moving ahead,” he said.

Programming and events are also an area of opportunity at Giants Ridge. Duane highlighted the resort’s established Live Music Series, which brings local and regional musicians to perform on Saturdays throughout the winter season in The Burnt Onion Kitchen & Brews, pairing live music with food and beverages for guests.

The live music calendar for early 2026 includes a variety of acts, from eclectic string-driven sets to soulful acoustic performances, that offer guests recurring reasons to gather off the slopes.

Duane noted that expanding these kinds of experiences is part of their thinking for future programming. He spoke to broadening the resort’s entertainment footprint and noted interest in enhancing the kinds of community-oriented events that bring people together throughout the year.

Across all areas of the resort, Duane emphasized the importance of refining the guest experience through consistent attention to detail. “We’ve had meetings about how we want to have an increased focus on the guest experience,” he said. “Just little small detail things to focus on.”

With that approach, Giants Ridge continues to evolve with an eye toward thoughtful growth, operational consistency, and experiences that keep guests coming back.

For more than two decades, Guest Services has celebrated the achievements of extraordinary team members through the prestigious Excellence Award (E-Award). This annual recognition honors individuals who exemplify the highest standards of service, leadership, creativity, and care across our organization.

Congratulations to these remarkable leaders, whose commitment and excellence make a lasting impact on the communities and guests we serve.

 

Kathy Ziegenfuss

2025 E Award Winner

General Manager, Food Service | Operations, Children’s Home of Easton

This year’s E-Award winner, Kathy Ziegenfuss, is celebrated not only by her team but by the Children’s Home of Easton (CHE) community she serves with exceptional devotion. While we gathered notes from direct reports for all nominees, Kathy’s story is best told through a heartfelt message from a longtime CHE staff member and a client who worked alongside her for more than 25 years. Her words capture the essence of Kathy’s impact:

“She is so deserving. I have never met someone who cares so much about the children at CHE. She goes above and beyond for the students AND staff… special meals for homesick kids, birthday celebrations, dietary support, teaching them to cook, beautifully prepared holiday meals, decorations to make the dining hall feel like home. She always finds a way to get the impossible done. Many of the students call her ‘grandma’ because of her love, understanding, and guidance.”

Kathy joined Guest Services in 2014 and has spent 11 years serving CHE with unwavering compassion, organizational excellence, and a deep sense of responsibility for the well-being of every student. She is known for her calm leadership, impeccable standards, and gift for making young people feel cared for and seen. Students and staff alike rely on her as a steady, supportive presence.

A proud wife, mother, and grandmother of six, Sophia, Evan, Carson, Hope, Faith, and Gabriel, Kathy brings warmth and heart to everything she does. Her dedication, humility, and extraordinary service make her a profoundly deserving recipient of the 2025 Excellence Award.

 

Mike Lutz

2025 E Award Finalist

General Manager, Food Service | Hospitality, Doheny State Beach

A visionary culinary leader, Mike Lutz has transformed the Doho Café at Doheny State Beach into a destination for fresh, coastal cuisine and memorable guest experiences. When Guest Services first assumed the contract in 2020, Mike joined as Executive Chef during a period of limited equipment, weekend operations, and significant permitting challenges. Through perseverance, creativity, and unmatched culinary talent, he stabilized the operation and eventually stepped into the General Manager role.

Beyond the kitchen, Mike is an award-winning author, seasoned surfer, guitarist, traveler, and founder of Spicy Rooster Organic Seasonings. His leadership, creativity, and commitment to excellence have made Doho Café a standout venue within the California State Parks system and a shining example of hospitality done right.

 

Jeff Monahan

2025 E Award Finalist

General Ledger Manager | Accounting, Corporate

Since joining Guest Services in 2012, Jeff Monahan has become an indispensable member of the Corporate Accounting team. His journey from Senior Accountant to General Ledger Manager reflects his expertise, reliability, and deep understanding of Guest Services’ financial systems.

Jeff played an instrumental role in Workday implementation, educating field teams on new inventory procedures, configuring system workflows, and developing customized reports that improved transparency and efficiency across the company.

Known for his sharp financial instincts, Jeff routinely identifies questionable charges and legacy fees, recovering savings and ensuring fiscal responsibility. His peers describe him as proactive, collaborative, and highly respected.

Outside the office, Jeff can be found cheering on his children at baseball and cheer competitions or volunteering with the Washington Commanders as a game-day sideline assistant.

 

Ashley Rodriguez

2025 E Award Finalist

General Manager, Food Service | Operations, Boeing National Reconnaissance

A graduate of Johnson & Wales University and a seasoned hospitality professional, Ashley Rodriguez brings more than 20 years of experience across dining, hotels, supermarkets, museums, and business & industry environments.

Ashley joined Guest Services in 2016 and played a central role in launching one of the company’s largest government accounts, CHEFS, overseeing all 11 locations, designing commissary workflows, ensuring recipe consistency, and managing quality control.

He is also known for his technical expertise, having created reference guides for Workday, NextStep POS, inventory systems, and US Foods ordering, resources currently being used company-wide.

A devoted father, Ashley enjoys spending time with his two daughters, traveling, and watching football. His leadership, innovation, and people-first mindset make him an invaluable part of the Guest Services family.

 

Please join us in congratulating Kathy, Mike, Jeff, and Ashley for their remarkable achievements and for inspiring all of us to strive for excellence each day.

Inspiration Rooted in Family and Tradition

When Chanica Massey joined Guest Services, Inc. at Hogan Lovells, one of the first things that stood out to her, aside from weekends off, was the company’s logo and its founding year, 1917. That year held special meaning for her; it was also the year her grandmother was born. “She was the primary influence on my culinary journey,” Chanica shared. “Everything I do in the kitchen ties back to the lessons she taught me about simplicity and focus.”

When this year’s internal Culinary Recipe Contest was announced with pineapple as the theme ingredient, Chanica’s ideas first leaned toward savory dishes. Reflecting on her time in Maui, she thought of the island flavors she had learned there. But her inspiration soon took a sentimental turn.

“I remembered my grandmother’s incredible pineapple upside-down cake,” she said. “At first, I thought it might not have enough of a ‘wow’ factor on its own, so I reimagined it as a cheesecake. Still, I couldn’t let go of the cake idea entirely, so I decided to make both.”

Her final creation, a duo of mini charred pineapple cheesecake and spiced pineapple bundt cake, beautifully captured both refinement and nostalgia. “The cheesecake represents balance and elegance, while the bundt cake pays homage to tradition and comfort, two elements that capture both my grandmother’s spirit and the warmth pineapple represents.”

Crafting the Perfect Combination

Once Chanica decided on her pair of pineapple desserts, she focused on how to elevate the fruit’s natural flavor. “Since it was the fall season, I wanted to incorporate warm spices—but that alone didn’t feel quite special enough,” she explained. “Then it hit me, charring the pineapple would bring out its natural sugars and deepen the flavor.”

She collaborated closely with Pastry Chef Yolanda Escobar, whose precision reminded Chanica of baking with her grandmother. “Yolanda can practically predict measurements by heart,” she said. “Scaling down her large-batch recipes tested my culinary math skills, but once we got it right, adjusting the flavors became much easier.”

For presentation, Chanica designed both desserts to showcase all five key elements of a well-rounded dish while keeping them elegant and efficient for large-scale service. “Since it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we incorporated touches of pink as a tribute to my other grandmother, Nana Herrick, who is a breast cancer survivor,” she added.

A Celebration of Teamwork and Passion

For Chanica, being named the 2025 Culinary Recipe Contest winner is a reflection of teamwork and creativity. “This recognition means the world to me—it’s a reflection of the teamwork, creativity, and support that thrive in my kitchen every day,” she said.

Her advice for next year’s participants: “Be confident, have fun, and involve your team. Culinary creativity is never a solo act—it’s a team effort, and that collaboration often leads to the most meaningful results.”

Chanica’s win is a testament to her talent and dedication, perfectly capturing the spirit of hospitality and warmth that the pineapple represents. “This win encourages me to keep blending nostalgia with innovation—continuing to grow as a chef while honoring where I started.”