Wequassett Faculty 

At Wequassett Academy, our professors possess a rich and diverse background with an abundance of business and hospitality skills.  The benefits of working with and being taught by them offers you the unique opportunity to learn both on-the-job and in a classroom setting.  The added benefit of learning from a group of professionals who are genuinely familiar with real world experience ensures that the knowledge you gain will be both useful and relevant.  

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Mark J. Novota, Chairman of the Board,  Professor – With nearly twenty-five years of experience, Mark’s passion for the industry is as fresh today as when he began his hospitality career.  As the founding member of the academy, his commitment to establishing a meaningful learning institution with a combined emphasis on both the passion of service and the technical proficiency is a key priority.  Mark has been with Wequassett Resort and Golf Club for twenty years and is the managing partner.  He worked with his team to transform the resort into a world-class destination along with the implementation of the customer intimate operating philosophy.  His educational background includes an emphasis on accounting, business, and sales and marketing along with some graduate work at Boston University in communications.

ACADEMY PRESIDENT
Josette Cristalli Willis, President of the Academy, Dean – School of Management and Professor – Josette has enjoyed a successful career at the resort since 1991 where she has contributed in a variety of different positions including reservations, sales, and human resources where she currently serves as the director of this department.  Her well-rounded skills make her an excellent educator in a variety of different areas.  She is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology where she holds a degree in Hotel and Resort Management.  She has been a key advocate of the resort’s operating philosophy and has developed an outstanding human resources program, which in part helped to recruit and develop an outstanding team. In 2007, Josette has the assumed the role of the resort’s Director of Training to lead the Academy.

DEANS

SCHOOL OF CUSTOMER INTIMACY

Florence Kiernan, Dean and Professor – As a key member of the Wequassett management team, Florence led the sales and marketing efforts for over sixteen years.  She was responsible for tripling room revenues during her tenure while establishing the resort as a key destination on the east coast.  Prior to her career at Wequassett she worked as director of sales for the Colonnade Hotel in Boston.  Florence is a graduate of Wheaton College with a degree in Art History.  She recently was promoted to the director of quality where she will continue her pursuit to ensure qualitative excellence for the resort.

SCHOOL OF TECHNICAL TRAINING

René Votteler, Dean and Professor – As the General Manager of Twenty-Eight Atlantic, René has produced amazing results since he joined Wequassett Inn in 1998.  His shrewd fiscal skills complemented by his modest leadership style are the foundation for his success.  René successfully opened Twenty-Eight Atlantic, which rapidly became one of the Cape’s finest restaurants.  He more than doubled the aggregate food and beverage revenues during his tenure with the resort.  His extensive wine knowledge is clearly an asset and both a personal and professional passion.  Earlier in his career, René gained valuable training while working a variety of management posts for Swissôtel Boston.   René is a graduate of the Lausanne Hotel Management School in Switzerland.

SCHOOL OF INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY

Jonathan Slomba, Dean and Professor – His affable personality is perfectly suited for teaching and his diverse background provides a wide range of knowledge from which to draw.  Jonathon joined Wequassett in 1994 and has contributed in a variety of critical positions including the controller and in his current position as our manager of information systems.  His extensive exposure to industry systems makes him the perfect instructor for the School of Information and Technology.  Jonathan’s background prior to joining the resort includes a controllership with Innkeepers, Inc., director of management information systems with Iyanough Management, support representative with Computerized Lodging Systems (CLS) and senior systems analyst with Howard Johnson’s corporate office.  Jonathon is a graduate of Northeastern University with a BS degree in Business Administration.

PROFESSORS

Tim Vickers, Professor – Serving as the chief financial officer for Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, Tim joined the resort in 1998 bringing a wealth of knowledge from both his educational and professional experience.  He is a proud graduate of Cornell University and has enjoyed an outstanding career including a regional post at the Boston Harbor Hotel for the DoubleTree Hotel Company.

Tony Guthrie, Professor – Tony joined Wequassett Inn Resort and Golf Club in 1999 as the director of operations and rapidly gained the position of assistant general manager.  His vast hotel experience includes a nine-year post at Chatham Bars Inn where he held multiple positions including director of sales and assistant general manager.  He also enjoyed a two-year stint as general manager for the Regatta Restaurant.  Tony studied at Niagara University.

Andy Ross, Professor – As Director of Sales and Marketing for Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, Andy brings both experience and southern charm to the resort. After attending the College of Charleston and the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, Andy began his hospitality career in Guest Services.  Passionate about the hospitality industry and committed to elevating the guest service experience, Andy took the next logical step and accepted a position in Sales. A career changing opportunity moved him from his native Carolinas to the greater Philadelphia market where we became a regional Director of Sales for Interstate Hotels and Resorts. His most recent opportunities included the boutique property, Bishop’s Lodge Resort and Spa in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club in Brewster, Massachusetts.

Bill Brodsky, Professor – A high honors graduate from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Bill joined Wequassett in 2001.  After gaining experience from an extremely successful independent restaurant in Dallas, he moved to the critically acclaimed Charleston Place in South Carolina where he rounded out his experience earning the position of executive chef.  As our executive chef, Bill opened Twenty-Eight Atlantic in 2001 along with managing the extensive responsibilities for all of the resort’s culinary programs.  Bill has been invited to cook at the James Beard House on three separate occasions.  In 2006, Bill assumed the additional responsibility of Food and Beverage Director.

Jim Janusas, Professor – As a member of the resort’s management team since 1997; Jim has led the front office operation with his skillful leadership style.  His emphasis on customer service is apparent at every turn and is supported by industry leading guest satisfaction scores in virtually every discipline of his operation. His background includes a rooms division post with Hilton and front office management experience with the Seacrest Resort.  Jim holds a degree in Hotel/ Restaurant Management from Cape Cod Community College where he graduated with honors.

Bibi Charran, Professor – Bibi joined us in 2004 as our executive housekeeper from New York City where her career flourished working for the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel group.  She later joined the Plaza Hotel and most recently worked at the Shoreham Hotel before joining Wequassett.  She brings a high level of enthusiasm along with her commitment to offer the best possible product for our guest rooms.  Bibi helped to establish the proper protocol for our recently renovated guest rooms that enjoy earning some of the highest average rates in the country.  

Steve Slishman, Professor - Steve is one of the most recent professionals to join the resort's executive team.  We are delighted to have Steve as the resort's Chief Engineer as he brings over 25 years of expertise in the engineering field.  His most recent positions have included the post of Chief Engineer at The Sheraton Boston Hotel, Facility Manager with the Residences at Ritz Carlton in Boston and finally Manager of Portfolio Engineering with Equity Office.  Steve's wealth of knowledge varies from implementing Energy Star savings programs at three different facilities to earning a Six Sigma Black Belt in quality assurance.  Steve earned an A.S. Degree at Bunker Hill Community College and has studied at Northeastern University.

John Collins, Professor - As our new Director of Human Resources, John offers a tremendous amount of high-end hospitality experience to the team.  John graduated Magna Cum Laude at Tufts University earning a Bachelor's of Arts in Economics.  John began his hospitality career with the Ritz Carlton in Boston which eventually flourished into a 27 year career with this fine organization.  While with the Ritz. John held various positions such as Director of Food & Beverage, Director of Catering, Director of Quality and most recently Area Director of Human Resources.  In addition to the Boston properties, John had the opportunity to work at other Ritz properties including Laguna Niguel, Philadelphia and Kansas City.  John participated in the process which earned the Ritz Carlton the prestigious Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award and is also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources.