As the Senior Vice President of Operations for John Q. Hammons Hotels, Joe Morrissey is responsible for improving both the guest and employee experience at each hotel while ensuring a steady growth in revenue. Joe manages change within the company as new properties are added and as the company once again became privately owned. With his new infrastructure in place to eliminate unnecessary tasks and refocus effort on what’s truly important, Joe has ensured that John Q. Hammons Hotels will remain a profitable company well into the future.
 

With extensive experience in the hospitality industry, Joe is a valuable resource to the company. Joe received an Associate of Occupational Science degree from the Culinary Institute of America and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Massachusetts. Before joining the company in 1999, Joe worked in a variety of positions with other upscale hotel companies, including as a general manager with Ocean Properties, Davidson Hotels, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Joe began his tenure with John Q. Hammons Hotels as a regional vice president and was promoted to his current role in the fall of 2005.

With more than 30 years of multi-unit hotel sales, marketing, operations and development experience, award-winning Scott Tarwater has a history of conducting profitable sales initiatives and implementing innovative ideas and marketing concepts that impact the hotel industry.

As executive vice president of development for John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, the nation’s leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale full-service hotels, resorts and suites, Tarwater is responsible for overall strategic direction of the company’s hotel developments. With more than $500 million of new construction in the ground and $1.5 billion in the pipeline, Tarwater directs a strategic hotel and convention center development strategy in tertiary markets with significant demand generators. Ensuring the highest standards continue to be met, Tarwater’s expertise has contributed greatly to the success of the $700 million annual volume of the company’s 76-hotel portfolio. The growing portfolio spans 40 states, includes 4 million in meeting space, and dominates awards from hotel brands represented (e.g. Embassy Suites Hotels, Holiday Inn, Marriott). Prior, he served as senior vice president of development and senior vice president of sales and marketing for the company.

Steve Minton is in charge of overseeing the design and development of each new John Q. Hammons property, from initial feasibility studies through construction and post-occupancy. Steve is a driving force within the company and has been responsible for the completion of more than 70 projects during his 21-year tenure.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas’ School of Architecture and Urban Design in 1975, Steve worked for several architectural and engineering firms. He became a licensed architect in 1980 and has served as the corporate architect for John Q. Hammons Hotels since 1985. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and serves on the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

A graduate of Missouri State University, Kent Foster brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources management to John Q Hammons Hotels. Kent is responsible for acquiring and retaining associates while managing the company’s policies, benefits and compensation. He is committed to ensuring that every current and future employee receives prompt responses to HR inquiries and has positive interaction with the company. A leader in his field, Kent holds a seat on the National HR Committee of the American Hospitality and Lodging Association.

As Vice President of Design & Purchasing for John Q. Hammons Hotels, John Fulton is constantly looking for new ways to bring value to the company through enhanced design and product procurement. John is a graduate of the University of Missouri and has nearly 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry, 17 of which have been with John Q Hammons Hotels. John serves on the Advisory Board for Missouri State University’s design department and the International Society of Hospitality Purchasers.

Over the course of the past 19 years, Christopher Smith has worked his way from the entry-level position of internal auditor to his current role as Sr. Vice President of Administration & Control. A graduate of Missouri State University, Christopher is a Certified Public Accountant whose current role with John Q. Hammons Hotels is to assist the company in maximizing profits through expense control while ensuring that all of the company’s assets are properly protected. Christopher’s experience and knowledge of accounting help to ensure the current and future financial success of the company.

Matt Bortniker – Vice President of Information Technology 

Working in information technology since 1982, Matt Bortniker is an experienced veteran of all aspects of the industry. An author and co-author of several IT books, Matt is skilled in network architecture design, the implementation of enterprise-wide solutions, network security, database design and application programming, making him an incredibly valuable asset to the company’s management team. He has learned the details of the hospitality industry through Winston Hotels and his current role at John Q. Hammons Hotels, allowing him to recognize the IT needs of both the hotel ownership and each individual hotel.

Kent Larson -- Vice President of Capital Planning & Asset Protection 

Kent has over 25 years experience in the hospitality asset management/engineering field. Prior to joining JQH, Kent teamed with the executive staff of Boykin Management Company which managed 30 hotels including brands such as Marriott, Hilton and independent/boutique hotels.  Kent previously held the position of Asset Manager for Executive Affiliates and also brings with him 15 years experience with Marriott International Lodging Engineering in both property operations and regional capacities. Kent holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical/ Manufacturing Engineering from Minnesota State University Mankato. 

A member of the John Q. Hammons Hotels team since 1980, Bob Fugazi worked for the company as a general manager and regional director before working his way up to his current role as regional vice president. Bob has a long record of achieving record financial results while maintaining superior service scores. Bob received his bachelor’s degree from Sacramento State, master’s degree from Texas Tech University and Certified Hotel Administrator designation from the American Hotel & Lodging Association. He is currently on the Board of Governors for the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management at the University of North Texas.

For the past 36 years, Bill Mead has worked in a wide range of positions within the hospitality industry, from general manager of Crowne Plaza Hotels to a partner in an independent New England hotel chain. Bill now serves as a regional vice president for John Q. Hammons Hotels, and has supervised the opening of 12 of the company’s properties. Bill currently manages 16 hotels and resorts and is committed to balancing the financial future of each property with the need for outstanding customer service and human relations.

With 14 years of experience with Winegardner & Hammons, Inc., and another 16 years of experience with John Q. Hammons Hotels, Bob Niehaus has played an integral role in building John Q. Hammons’ reputation into what it is today. An industry veteran, Bob is skilled at balancing the expectations of owners, guests and associates. He helps to keep the company ahead of the curve, anticipating market trends and making adjustments at the hotel level to maximize profits and ensure quality throughout each of the properties he manages.

John Pasley brings a wealth of ingenuity, vision and motivation to his role as regional vice president. Having served as a general manager for Westin, Doubletree and Red Lion Hotels, John has received numerous distinctions, including General Manager of the Year by the Oklahoma Hotel & Lodging Association and the Presidential Award of Excellence from Red Lion Hotels. He looks for measurable achievement from each of his hotels, creating a unique, high-performance culture that cultivates success for the hotel, its associates and its guests.

Paul Francisco brings 28 years of hospitality experience to John Q. Hammons Hotels. Previously, Paul served for eight years as the Senior Vice President of Operations for Shaner Hotels. Under Paul’s direction, Shaner operated 50+ hotels, representing brands such as Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Intercontinental & Radisson, as well as TGI Fridays restaurants.

Over his tenure as Senior VP, in addition to his operational responsibilities, Paul oversaw the company’s Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management, F&B, National Accounts and Human Resource departments. Paul successfully led the portfolio, stressing adherence to four core values – Guest Satisfaction, Associate Satisfaction, Asset Protection and Profitability.

Mark Wasiak is a 34 year veteran of the hospitality industry and joined John Q Hammons Hotels in 2003. As a regional vice president, Mark currently oversees hotels operating under Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Sheraton & IHG flags with annual revenues of $100 million and an employee population of 950. During his career, Mark has worked in upscale hotels as a General Manger for 20 years, in many geographic locations with various brands. Property profiles have included corporate commercial with 200 to 500 rooms, mid-sized to large convention hotels 800 to 1600 rooms, airport hotels 330 to 500 rooms and an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean. Mark is active in many organizations and has served on the Boards the Houston Hotel Association, New York City Hotel Association, Texas State Hotel Association, Greater Houston Convention & Visitor Bureau and the Grapevine Convention & Visitor Bureau.

Justin Harris is General Counsel for John Q. Hammons Hotels and is responsible for handling the legal affairs of the company. Prior to joining John Q. Hammons Hotels, Justin was a partner and managing partner at Lowther Johnson Attorneys at Law, LLC.  His professional experience includes extensive work in real estate development, the formation and operational needs of business organizations, and litigation in federal and state courts.  In addition to publishing articles on real estate and insurance law, Justin has taught contracts and business organizations classes for paralegals and has made numerous presentations on legal issues to professional organizations of realtors, title company agents, and real estate investors.  Justin received a Juris Doctorate degree with Highest Honors from Drake University School of Law, where he also served as Associate Editor of the Drake Law Review, and a Bachelor of Arts from Truman State University, where he graduated magna cum laude and with departmental honors in history.