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Sales & Marketing and Melissa Wheeler to VP of Brand |
| MADISON, Wis. - April 11, 2006 -- Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. ®, America's
largest developer of indoor waterpark resorts, announces the promotion
of Julie Stokes to vice president of sales & marketing and the promotion
of Melissa Wheeler to vice president of brand.
In her new position, Julie Stokes oversees all aspects of marketing, including advertising, promotions, partnerships, e-commerce, creative services and direct sales for Great Wolf Lodge® and Blue Harbor Resort(TM) brands of indoor waterpark resorts. Prior to her promotion Stokes was the national marketing director. She joined Great Wolf Lodge - Sandusky in 2000 and was part of the grand opening team as the director of sales & marketing for Ohio's first indoor waterpark resort. "Julie's experience, commitment and passion for the Great Wolf Lodge and Blue Harbor Resort brands is vital to our continued growth and successful development of new properties," said Bill Croke, executive vice president of operations for Great Wolf Resorts. "She is responsible for our marketing objectives and overseeing the director of sales & marketing positions at current and future Great Wolf Resort properties." Stokes has more than two decades of hospitality and entertainment industry experience. Before joining Great Wolf Resorts, she was employed with Cedar Point (Sandusky) in food & beverage and banquets; Geauga Lake (Cleveland) as a group sales representative and the group sales manager, overseeing 15 sales team members; and Goodtimes (Cleveland) as the director of sales & marketing. Stokes earned a degree in leisure/hospitality administration and interpersonal
communications from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio.
Stokes lives in Avon Lake, Ohio with her husband of 21 years Peter and
two sons Kyle, 18 and Patrick, 16.
Mellissa Wheeler will oversee brand standard implementation of the Great Wolf Lodge and Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center regional family entertainment brands in order to increase long-term brand equity at existing and new properties, and at the corporate office and reservation center in Madison, Wis. Wheeler has nearly 20 years of experience in hospitality management, including extensive experience at Holiday Inn, Embassy Suites and Great Wolf Resorts properties. She began her tenure with the predecessor to Great Wolf Resorts in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. in 1997. Since then, Wheeler has served in multiple roles including director of brand operations, where she was instrumental in the opening of new resorts, and director of central reservations, which included the design, development and full operations of Great Wolf Resorts' central reservations office (Madison, Wis.) She developed the Great Wolf Resorts standard operating procedure manuals, implemented in all existing and future Great Wolf Resorts properties, and has held the positions of assistant general manager at Great Wolf Lodge properties in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. and Kansas City, Kan. "Melissa has a proven track record in building our brands and I am confident she will bring great value to overall business of Great Wolf Resorts in this new role," said Kim Schaefer, chief operating officer for Great Wolf Resorts. "The culture of Great Wolf Resorts begins with our team members and the passion they have about our brand and our mission. Melissa stands out as a leader who creates that passion for our nearly 3,000 team members." Wheeler earned a degree in hospitality management and a minor in business administration from the University of Wisconsin - Stout, and served as vice president for the student chapter of Hotel Sales and Marketing Association. Wheeler resides in Madison, Wis. Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.® (NASDAQ:WOLF - News) is the nation's leader in indoor waterpark destination resorts and owns and operates its family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge® and Blue Harbor Resort(TM) brands. Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company and owns and/or manages Great Wolf Lodge locations in: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Sandusky, Ohio; Traverse City, Mich.; Kansas City, Kan.; Williamsburg, Va.; the Pocono Mountains, Pa.; Niagara Falls, Ontario; and Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center in Sheboygan, Wis. Great Wolf Lodge properties are currently in predevelopment and/or under construction in Mason, Ohio; Grand Mound, Wash. and Grapevine, Texas. |
| Contact:
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
|
| Also See: | Keith A. Moses Named General Manager of Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan, Wisconsin / February 2006 |
| Kimberly Schaefer Named Chief Operating Officer for Great Wolf Resorts / March 2005 |
