The Green Mountain State welcomes back hospitality veteran Gary S. Thulander to its community, as he assumes the role of President and General Manager for the venerable Woodstock Inn & Resort in Woodstock, VT, effective November 1, 2013. Thulander was selected by the Woodstock Resort Corporation Board of Directors for his extensive experience managing distinctive independent resorts in high-profile locations.
Thulander is charged with providing leadership, strategic direction and vision for the resort as well as overseeing operational and asset management.
“I look forward to building on the very substantial base that Werner Graef, senior management and the entire staff have established at the resort in the past few years,” said Thulander. “I am privileged to be joining the team, safeguarding the Rockefeller legacy and ensuring the resort continues to benefit the Woodstock Foundation and the Woodstock community as a whole.”
In making the announcement, Woodstock Resort Corporation Director Douglas R. Horne commented, “Gary has the proven ability to successfully position resorts in challenging markets while reaching high levels of service.” Horne also notes that, “his vision and leadership will be instrumental in guiding the business to its next phase of success.”
A hospitality industry veteran with more than 28 years of experience, including seven years as general manager at The Equinox Resort & Spa, Manchester Village, VT, Thulander has worked with premier resorts throughout the East Coast and Caribbean. Thulander most recently served as general manager of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain resorts in Saint Lucia, voted as the top two resorts in the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas in the Travel + Leisure 2013 World's Best Awards readers' survey.
Prior to Anse Chastanet, Thulander was with Cap Juluca Resort in Anguilla, where he was named Hotelier of the Year in 2009 by the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association. Additionally, Thulander has held various management positions at Colonial Williamsburg, Little Dix Bay, Chatham Bars Inn, Ocean Edge Inn and Resort and The Boulders.
A native of New Hampshire, Thulander received his college degree in Hotel Administration from the University of New Hampshire. He has received numerous hospitality awards, honors and recognitions and is a member of a broad array of hospitality and culinary associations including the New England Inns and Resorts Association and has served on the resort committee for the American Hotel & Lodging Association since 2008. In his spare time, Thulander enjoys spending time with his wife Mary, daughter Shannon and son Michael.
Located in idyllic Woodstock, Vermont, The Woodstock Inn & Resort defines country sophistication in one of New England’s most charming and popular year-round vacation destinations. The 142-room, AAA Four Diamond Resort and member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, offers award-winning dining in three restaurants, ranked among the finest in New England, and the leading spa in Woodstock. The Woodstock Inn & Resort is owned and operated by The Woodstock Foundation, Inc. Proceeds from Resort operations support The Woodstock Foundation and Billings Farm & Museum education and conservation programs.
With a global reach of more than 850 best-in-class hotels and resorts in 70 countries, Preferred Hotel Group™ represents six distinctive brands: Preferred Hotels® & Resorts, Preferred Boutique™,Summit Hotels & Resorts™, Sterling Hotels™, Sterling Design and Preferred Residences™, a membership-based exchange program for luxury shared ownership resorts. Preferred Hotel Group also offers I Prefer™, a complimentary global guest benefit program that provides members with exclusive offers and rewards, as well as Preferred Golf™, a membership-based program that grants access to 100 of the world’s most renowned golf resorts.