Paul C. Wegert, CHA, Managing Director/Area Manager at The Inn at St. John’s, received the RD Musser Hotelier of the Year award at the 2019 Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism. Wegert was recognized at the Stars of the Industry dinner on March 6, 2019 at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
Wegert credits his passion for exceeding expectations and creating memorable guest experiences for guiding him throughout his career. In his acceptance speech, Wegert shared that as a hotelier, “the job is simple: work in the most beautiful buildings in the world, make all guests feel like a million dollars, make all associates feel like a million dollars, make the investors/owners millions of dollars and take care of the local community.” Wegert attributes his success as a hotelier to his ability to build and retain strong teams and manage expectations. During his speech, Wegert proudly acknowledged his team as the best in the State of Michigan, but quickly corrected himself to declare them the best team in the world.
Wegert has been in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years. He began his career at the age of 15 as a bellman at the Grenelefe Golf and Tennis Resort located in Florida. Wegert has held many roles as he rose the ranks in the industry, including General Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, and Corporate Office Internal Auditor with Richfield Hospitality; Corporate Director of Support Systems, Area Manager and General Manager with Sunburst Hospitality Corporation; and General Manager of the Crowne Plaza Convention Hotel in Detroit. In 2002, Wegert joined The Inn at St. John’s as Managing Director/Area Manager. During this time, he also has served as Area Manager of Hotel Investment Services, Inc. working with IHG Hotels, Hilton and independent properties. While serving as Managing Director/Area Manager at The Inn at St. John’s, the property has been awarded the Four Diamond AAA Award (2012 – present) and is the “home” of the Concours d'Elegance of America (2011 – present).
In addition to being a Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA), Wegert completed his Court of Master Sommeliers - Level One. A resident of Brighton Township, Wegert studied business administration and management at the University of Phoenix. He earned a Masters Certificate from Cornell University in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management. Wegert also has a Master Certificate in Strategic Leadership for the Hospitality Professional with a focus on Hotel Real Estate Investments and a Masters Certificate in Financial Management at the School of Hotel Administration, both from Cornell University.
he Inn at St. John’s is one of the top luxury hotels in the State of Michigan. It has held the four diamond AAA designation for the past nine consecutive years; Michigan Meetings & Events Best of Awards in multiple categories since opening; The Knot Best of Weddings since 2010; Michigan Society of Association Executives (MSAE) Best Hotel in Detroit Area since 2017, Crain’s Detroit Business Largest Meeting Space in Metro Detroit List; and has proudly hosted the prestigious Concours d’Elegance since 2011 in addition to being the venue of choice for more than 200 weddings annually.
For more than a half a century, the stately architecture of The Inn at St. John’s has been a regional landmark. Today, it is metro Detroit’s premier location for corporate conferences, weddings, receptions, special events and golf. Located in the heart of metropolitan Detroit’s dynamic western suburb of Plymouth, Mich., the 192-acre property features a boutique hotel including four luxury suites, 22 executive suites, along with Five Steakhouse Restaurant, 48,000+ square feet of meeting space including four elegant ballrooms. The Inn at St. John’s has held the four diamond AAA designation for the past nine consecutive years and has proudly hosted the Concours d’Elegance since 2011. For more information, visit www.theinnatstjohns.com.