Bill Burruss:
In 1999, William F. Burruss, Jr. co-founded Magna Hospitality Group, L.C. He serves as Magna's Chairman. Mr. Burruss leads the company's operations, which includes overseeing management of specific portfolio properties. Mr. Burruss has been involved in hospitality management for over 20 years. His hotel background started with the Ritz Carlton Washington, D.C. in 1979 where he worked in several mid-level management positions. After leaving the Ritz Carlton, he joined Wisco Diversified, one of the largest grocery store retailers in the Southeast. He became Regional Director of the company's six restaurants in North Carolina and Tennessee with over $8 million in annual revenues.

In 1985, Mr. Burruss joined Potomac Hotel Group in Washington, D.C., one of the largest independent hotel management companies in the mid-Atlantic region.

Starting as the General Manager of a 300-room Sheraton, he soon progressed to Regional Director of Operations. He was responsible for multiple hotel sites, personnel, sales and marketing activity culminating in $15 million in annual revenue. Two years later, Mr. Burruss joined Historic Inns of America as Vice President of Operations for five hotels. After 18 months at the helm, the hotels' operating collective losses of $200,000 annually turned into a positive cash flow of $1.2 million. In 1989, Mr. Burruss co-founded Grand Heritage Hotels, which was dedicated to the revitalization, ownership and management of landmark historic hotel properties. As President, he was credited with bringing an innovative operating philosophy and entrepreneurial business style to the company. He was instrumental in developing one of the hospitality industry's first substantive sales incentive plans, which allowed local and regional employees to sell rooms, meetings, conventions, etc. for all of the company's properties. He used his innate ability to drive up profits and keep operating costs down, while maintaining a superior level of guest satisfaction. Mr. Burruss held equity positions in approximately 15 Grand Heritage-managed hotels.

Mr. Burruss and his partners sold Grand Heritage Hotels, the management company, along with multiple hotels to Patriot American Hospitality in 1997. At the time of the sale, Grand Heritage operated 25 domestic hotels and held management and marketing agreements with over 80 hotels in Europe that carried the Grand Heritage name. Revenues were in excess of $75 million annually. Mr. Burruss holds an equity position in the following Magna-managed hotels: Eastland Park Hotel, Portland Maine; Holiday Inn, Plantation, Florida; Clarion Hotel & Conference Center, Hagerstown, Maryland; Casa Grande Hotel, South Beach, Florida; Hotel Lawrence, Dallas, Texas; Hampton Inn, Bowie, Maryland; Comfort Suites BWI Airport, Linthicum Heights, Maryland; Hampton Inn & Suites, Warwick, Rhode Island; Cartwright Hotel, San Francisco, California; and Days Inn, Ft. Pierce, Florida.

Daniel Doren Hanley:
Born in Washington, D.C, Danny is married to Susan; they have three daughters, Gabrielle, Gillian, and Georgia. The Hanley family is protected by brothers Gus and Pete, two Labrador retrievers.

His great love of the outdoors and traveling would eventually lead him on the path of the hospitality business from which he has garnered much satisfaction and joy for both himself, and his family.

After graduating from The Catholic University of America in 1986, Danny accepted a position at General Electric and reported to their Sales and Management Training program in Atlanta, Georgia. Upon completion, he accepted a management position with GE, in Contract Sales; responsible for Broward, Dade and Palm Beach County Florida, a position he held through 1991.

The entrepreneurial spirit captivated Danny in ’91, returning home to Maryland, as President of Hanley Development Inc. HDI, a family owned and operated business primarily involved in residential land development and rehabilitation and construction of single family homes, quickly reset its goals. Danny’s desire to travel, experience life, and create special events, led Hanley Development into the international markets. Entrepreneurial by blood, Danny has founded many successful businesses, changing the course of his career, and his life.

A memorable visit with his family and friends to Mont-Tremblant, Québec in 1994 would be the inspiration to his vision of acquiring and developing full service resort properties. Three years later in 1997, he founded LGL Resort Company and in 1999 its first property Le Grand Lodge Mont-Tremblant (LGL) opened its doors to the public. LGL Resort Company has managed the operations of this 4 star resort and conference center since its opening in June of 1999. LGL is a market leader, and has been recognized as The Best Hotel in the Laurentians for many years. Subsequent to the opening of LGL, Hanley acquired 25 additional acres of adjacent land and is completing the master plan for the rest of this mixed use community.

In 1998, Danny established Doren Development of Canada, a closely held company primarily focused on the development of luxurious residential resort communities in Mont-Tremblant, Québec. Doren Development successfully developed La Quiétude on lac Mercier, the company’s first lakeside Adirondack Camp. Phase I and II quickly sold out, construction on the first home is underway.

Danny was also the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Doren LLC, a company headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. SureCashATM was created to provide turnkey solutions for the management and operations of Automated Teller Machines throughout the Eastern United States. Danny sold Doren LLC in June 2007.

Michel Garnier:
Born in France from a French father and a German mother, Michel was raised and schooled in Montreal. He is married to Monique and they have 2 children; Philippe-Alexandre and Camille.

Michel studied in architecture before obtaining his degree in Hotel Management for the Institut de Tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec in 1980 all the while working as a front desk agent at the famous Queen Elizabeth Hotel in downtown Montreal.

Fresh out of school, Michel was recruited by Commonwealth Hospitality of Canada and started his management career as Director of Catering in Quebec City. Eventually, he was given the opportunity to manage the Food and Beverage operations for the Delta Ottawa hotel. This posting permitted him to draw up and conceive a new themed restaurant while also approving staff training and supervising the renovations.

The restaurant received rave reviews and was eventually the inspiration for many of the Delta Hotels main food and beverage venues.

Michel’s first move to a General Managers position came in 1988. The downtown Montreal hotel (now a Days Inn) was very busy and the challenge was to increase the Average Daily Rate. Over the course of his near three year tenure, the A.D.R. did improve by close to 18%. The opportunity to open a fresh new hotel presented itself to Michel and he seized the chance to manage the Chateau Cartier in Gatineau, Quebec. The hotel opening process, from start to finish, was achieved in the required 4 months, within the allotted budget and with great success.

His next posting was at Le Plaza de la Chaudière in anticipation of transforming the stately independent hotel into a Crowne Plaza Hotel. Michel managed the renovations and the day to day operations of this major player in the National Capital. The results exceeded the most optimistic expectations. From an annual expected operational loss, the property was turned around to ultimately achieve a respectable profit.

Michel’s family was instrumental in his next move. Rich from his experience in Gatineau, the family decided to accept a move to Puerto Rico at the very successful Crowne Plaza Hotel-Casino Isla Verde, San Juan. The hotel held an occupancy rate of 85% with a high profit margin. The upkeep of such a busy property was paramount as the hotel routinely faced hurricanes.

After 3 years in the Caribbean, Michel created MG Consultants with collaborators in such diverse fields of expertise as accounting and mystery shoppers. The next career move gave Michel the reigns of 2 properties in Mali, West Africa. The local owner required a seasoned hotel manager to oversee the newly built Hotel Salam and the venerable Grand Hotel in Bamako. Both properties had excellent financial results but were lacking in basic skills training. The rationalisation of the operations brought the hotels to new heights with gross operating profits reaching the 70% range. The extensive food and beverage operations included outside catering and Michel was often called upon to arrange State dinners for visiting heads of states and dignitaries from around the globe. The 3 year contract having come to an end, Michel re-opened his consulting firm all the while searching for a permanent position.

Since August of 2006, Michel manages the Grand Lodge in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec and on January 1 2007, he was made Vice-President of Operations for Distinguished Hotels International.

Michael Kucyniak:
Of Ukrainian descendant, Michael was born and raised in the Montreal region. He is married to Jocelyne who is French Canadian and together they have two grown children.

After obtaining his Baccalaureate of Commerce with a major in Finance at Sir Georges Williams University, he would spend the next five years from 1977 to 1982 with the prestigious accounting firm of Coopers Lybrand. It was during these formative years that he would gain valuable experience which would eventually open doors to a career in the hospitality industry.

While assigned to conduct the audit at different resorts in the Mont Tremblant area, Michael realized that this would be the location that one day he would call home. An opportunity presented itself shortly thereafter to work for the Wheeler family, then owners of Auberge Gray Rocks. Michael and Jocelyne left Montreal to embark on this new adventure and setting. Michael served this organisation for 14 years initially as Controller and then as V.P. Finance and Administration.

In 1995, he accepted an offer as Director of Golf for Chateau Montebello, a five-star Canadian Pacific Hotel at the time. This new position would bring Michael in direct contact with the customer and membership base of the hotel, and provide him with an opportunity to hone his interpersonal skills. In his second year with this fine organisation Michael was selected as regional leader of the year an honour bestowed to a manager who exemplifies dedication and commitment to his hotel.

Five years later, a fortuitous phone call from the General Manager of Le Grand Lodge Mont-Tremblant asking him to consider the position of Controller in a then new property, would bring him closer to home and back to Tremblant. A position he happily accepted and would be promoted from no less than a year later to General Manager which he would hold from 2001 to 2005. As General Manager he thrived in his new responsibilities, interacting with the guests and when asked if he was the owner, took pride in saying I feel like I am. This unparalleled sense of integrity has defined Michael throughout his career.

Since 2005, Michael is the Chief Financial Officer for Le Grand Lodge Mont-Tremblant and LGL Resorts Inc.

No matter the position or challenge, his loyal presence on a daily basis is only matched by his strong sense of wanting to know that at the end of each day, he has done what is best for his owners, employees, colleagues, guests, and of course, his family.

Paul Follows:
Paul was born and schooled in Stafford United Kingdom and gained his Final Membership qualification of the now renamed Institute of Hospitality, at Birmingham University for Hospitality and Tourism.

Having trained under a Swiss General Manager and Executive Chef at a top four star spa hotel in Droitwich, Paul embarked on a career in established quality corporate hotels. He joined Thistle Hotels as Banqueting Manager of the Gosforth Park Hotel the top Egon Ronay rated hotel in Northern England. Within two years he was promoted to Deputy General Manager and was later seconded to a newly acquired Thistle Hotel at Gatwick Airport to assist the General Manager in bringing the hotel up to Thistle four star standard.

Later he transferred to Thistle’s Manchester hotel with the objective of raising standards of operation. Within eighteen months he was given the General Manager reigns and during the five years as General Manager he perfected his natural flair for sales and marketing moving the hotel into number one spot as the most profitable hotel within the group.

Moving into London he ran a number of small group of independent hotels including the famous Great Western Hotel at Paddington Station (now Hilton).

He moved to Grim’s Dyke Hotel a country house hotel in Harrow, North/West London as General Manager and after four years left for a similar type establishment in North London being given the job of moving the hotel into a higher quality market sector.

Paul was recruited three years later and persuaded to return to Grim’s Dyke as General Manager and later Director. The historical links of the hotel were perfect for Paul’s creative marketing mind. In ten years Paul made Grim’s Dyke an industry renowned name for quality, winning Visit London Best Small Hotel 2004, London in Bloom winner plus UK Inbound’s UK Hotel of the Year for 2006 and recently Visit London’s Best Tourism Experience 2007. Locally the rosette awarded restaurant is considered one of the best in a very competitive market. His motivation is making an idea work, making it pay and doing it in style.

Paul is involved with the London Development Agency where he is presently Chairman of the West London Tourism Executive and Marketing Group and a member of the Industry Committee for the British Hospitality Association. He is also currently the UK President of Skal International the World Wide Travel and Tourism Association.

His interests include dog showing/judging where he is now an international show judge and booked to judge at Cruft’s the world’s largest and most prestigious show in 2011.

Paul lives in East Sussex and is married to Susan and has two children Amy 26 and Greg 24.