Leadership

Bret finds joy in breaking down complex concepts and ideas into simple ones that can be easily explained. His travels and experiences have greatly influenced his personal and professional values of kindness, hard work, curiosity, and humility. Born and raised in Western Canada, Bret lived in Washington D.C. for over 20 years before relocating to Stockholm, Sweden on an expat assignment. These experiences taught him the importance of resiliency and the ability to operate outside his comfort zone, in addition to seeding a deep appreciation for diversity of thought, cultures, and experiences. Bret’s favorite book is Moneyball, which combines his love of baseball, analysis, and the underdog. The concepts in the book also support his most frequently used sentence when solving problems: “It’s just math.”

Bret is passionate about working with, being part of, and leading elite teams. For him, there is no greater joy than bringing together a diverse and talented group of individuals to accomplish a goal that was not possible to achieve alone. He strives to create an environment of high energy and fun for those on his team and feeds off working with people from all walks of life. He loves helping and teaching, whether it’s at his alma mater, Georgetown, or in his daily interactions with colleagues.

Currently, Bret resides in the Chicago area with his college sweetheart, Alie, to whom he has been married for 15 years, and his two beautiful children. In addition to teaching his kids the joy of golf, skiing, and thoroughbred racing, three of Bret’s passions, he can usually be found cooking with his wife before settling in for “family movie night” and a game of chess. As a result of his time abroad, Bret views exploration and travel as a never-ending, lifelong pursuit of learning. He takes great pride in having trained his children to be ‘road warriors’ with a thirst for travel that matches his own.

Experience:

Before joining Great Wolf, Bret served as Chief Financial Officer for Citycon, a publicly listed owner of 35 grocery-anchored shopping centers and over 250 employees throughout the Nordics. Prior to Citycon, he was co-founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Financial Officer of Lakewood Hotel Group, a private investment firm that has made over $175 million in hotel investments on behalf of institutional investment partners. Prior to forming Lakewood, Bret spent most of his career at Host Hotels & Resorts, the largest public lodging REIT and S&P 500 company, where he last served as Senior Vice President, Treasurer, Head of Strategy & Investor Relations.

Bret holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.S. in Business Administration from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, where he double majored in Finance and Management.

As Chief Wellness Officer, Dr. Romie Mushtaq, MD's role is to lead a culture of wellness for Pack members so they can reach their full potential as individuals and as teams. Her approach to work is simultaneously disruptive while building cultures, always for the greater good. As a mindful leader, her plans are based on careful data collection, research, & strategic thinking while working to bring together stakeholders across all divisions of the organization. Her career-defining moment was when burnout led to life-saving surgery and sent her on a global journey to heal and learn about mindfulness and global healing traditions.

Dr. Romie was raised with a Midwestern ethic of hard work and academic excellence. Her first pack was the afternoon tea parties with her maternal grandmother, mother, & her aunties. Under their watchful eyes, she learned to listen with heart-centered compassion and storytelling- all while fostering a sassy attitude. Today, she is on a mission to advocate for women and girls from Kindergarten to the C-Suite, especially in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEM).

In her free time, Dr. Romie savors quiet connection—whether sharing cups of chai with her elders, traveling the globe to share comfort food with family and friends, reading the latest brain science articles, or going away to meditation retreats. She lives in Florida, where she is a proud human catering to her senior dog, Rahja.

Experience:

Dr. Romie is a triple-board certified physician, award-winning speaker, author, and proud STEMinist. Her education was completed at the Medical University of South Carolina, The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and the University of Michigan, and she is board certified in Integrative Medicine. In addition to complex patient care, she was involved in cutting-edge research for women's brain health—all while winning numerous teaching and research awards.

In 2018, she was named Chief Wellness Officer at Evolution Hospitality, where she helped to scale a customized mindfulness and wellness program to over 7000 employees—a unique model that has led her to be a sought-after speaker and expert on workplace wellness. In 2020, Dr. Romie won Orlando's Woman of The Year award for leadership and philanthropy. She also serves on the National Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts USA. Her book, The Busy Brain Cure, features her research on the workplace mental health and burnout crisis and was released globally in January 2024 (Harper Collins).

Murph is a people person, who is energized by his engagement with Pack members, both in the corporate support office as well as with those in the lodges…he’s constantly looking for ways to connect at a personal level. He is keenly focused on being “vertically flexible”, striving to understand when to be at 30,000 feet (thinking about high-level strategy for the business), at 15,000 feet (providing inspirational leadership), or at 5 feet (rolling his sleeves up and digging into the details of an issue with his colleagues). Murph is constantly looking to help people reach their full potential and believes the proper balance of celebrating success along with providing positive tension will deliver strong results and engagement. He can often be heard saying “What gets measured, gets done” and “Sometimes you have to drop the firehose and go kill the arsonist” which highlights his unwavering passion for proactivity and attention to detail.

Murph has been married to his wife and best friend Heidi for 34 years. They have a very tight-knit family which includes their three adult children and five grandchildren who come together around Heidi’s amazing cooking; they collectively relish spending time together as a three-generation family around a table, eating, drinking, and laughing. When not in Chicago, Murph and Heidi spend time at their home in Solana Beach, CA and their second home in St Helena, in the Napa Valley where they are very active and love their time going on long walks, either on the beach or in the vineyards, with both Triton and Nashville (Nash), their two very spoiled Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

Experience:

Murph started his career in the hospitality business as a busboy when he was 15, and worked through many line-level positions while in high school and attending college. After landing his first management job at 23 in Scottsdale AZ, he moved to Denver, Southern California, Central California, Central Florida and ultimately San Diego, in various mid-level, General Manager, and Senior Vice President positions, ultimately culminating in him founding Evolution Hospitality in 2011. The company was sold to Aimbridge Hospitality and after a 10-year run, growing the portfolio from 10-100, Murph left as Founder/CEO. In 2021 he and his business partner started another group, Triton Hospitality, focused on the acquisition of over leveraged/under-performing hotels where they acquired a full service hotel in Minneapolis, the Marquette. In the Summer of 2022 he took a call from Blackstone and ultimately accepted the role as CEO of Great Wolf Resorts where he’s enjoying leading an amazing brand and incredibly smart and caring Pack members.

Rachel's approach to work is driven by her innate need for inventiveness and impact coupled with her bias for progress over perfection. Rachel can take a four-hour brainstorming session with partially or fully-formed ideas and sum up the results in two easy-to-understand sentences, then draw up a quick process map and execution plan to back it up. Rachel has a reputation for data, detail and sound council and a meaningful early encounter with Angie Hicks, the founder of Angie’s List, is where she was challenged her to take those right-brain skills and apply them in a less obvious field, where they might stand out.

These days, Rachel is happiest spending free time with family, and particularly in the role of "mom" to her daughter, which wasn't a role she thought she'd have, but is so grateful for. Whether it’s a relaxing evening watching movies or being active outside, usually with the two dogs (Henry and Zulu) or at their Indiana lake house, Rachel, her husband and daughter have a deep appreciation for the value of life's intangibles - especially the importance of resilience, and finding joy in loved ones. When family isn't around, you'll find Rachel listening to an audio book, doing puzzles, gardening or online researching her next international vacation.

Experience:

Prior to joining Great Wolf, Rachel most recently served as Director of Human Resources for the Chicago Cubs where she was responsible for building and leading talent management for four entities in the sports and leisure space, including Wrigley Field. Before that, Rachel was HR Leader for Angie’s List, focusing on talent management, following her role as Director of Human Resources for KPaul Corp., then recognized as #10 on the INC 500 list. Rachel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and a Master’s degree in HR Management, both from the Daniels School of Business at Purdue University. She is an Executive Scholar in Leadership through Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Craig often hears the question in some form, “When you were in law school, did you ever think you’d be doing this?” But the experiences and challenges that don’t fit traditional notions of being a lawyer are what he values so highly in being General Counsel at Great Wolf. So while it may not be the usual legal career, applying that skillset to take on complicated issues and getting to see through the implementation and results of those solutions makes his work fulfilling. No two days are the same, but as both General Counsel and SVP of Risk & Safety, his role is to view business decisions through a legal lens—as part of an incredible team.

For Craig, success has always been more fulfilling when it’s shared by a diverse team, all working together, than any single individual achievement. That was a lesson impressed on him long in his high school and college years, playing and coaching football, as well as working part-time for his college’s athletic department. The value of strong leadership, appreciating the sacrifice of others, the importance of discipline, and the commitment to overcoming adversity are all lessons that continue to influence his work today.

With four young kids, Craig’s time away from our company is just as busy as his workdays—if not more so! He and his wife, Katie, spend much of their time packing the days with activities for the young ones to enjoy, and figuring out the logistics and transportation to and from those commitments. They value time spent outdoors, often on the water during warm weather, as well as hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing during the not-so-warm weather. Most of all, he and Katie enjoy seeing their kids grow and character strengthened through different experiences.

Having been born and raised in Green Bay and a lifelong Wisconsin resident, it will surprise no one to learn that Craig is a big supporter of the Packers, Bucks, and Badgers sports teams—even more so now that his children are becoming fans, too. And just as football taught him invaluable life lessons, he’s doing his best to pass on those values to his kids.

Experience:

For several years prior to joining Great Wolf Lodge in 2013, Craig assisted the company in his capacity as outside counsel while working as a corporate attorney in the Madison, Wisconsin, office of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP. In that role, he focused on general corporate law and mergers and acquisitions. He earned his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Bryan’s approach to work combines a passion for understanding how the business operates—and what is needed to succeed—with genuine care, interest, and accountability for enabling people to reach their full potential. He values and enjoys the opportunity to help people think through their professional and personal journeys, be it with colleagues or his own family, friends, and loved ones. Those who have spent time with Bryan have likely heard about the “three buckets”: How thinking through how we prioritize our family and friends, our career, and our finances can help us make the right choices for how we lead and live our lives. Throughout his career, Bryan still feels luckiest that he’s had terrific colleagues, mentors, and friends from whom he’s been able to learn through the years. Not just about life and work, but the vital importance of balancing the two—which, for him, is always evolving.

Bryan has always been active, playing numerous sports and exercising, and is a huge fan of all things Michigan State University, and Detroit sports teams. He relishes time with his family, and has found his true purpose and meaning in life in his role as a dad. Bryan comes from a family that enjoyed building things and working on projects, and he continues this in his free time. He also enjoys cooking for friends and family, listening to music, and watching his children learn and grow in their own pursuits.

Experience:

Previously, Bryan served as Vice President of Human Resources for the Chicago Cubs, playing a key role in the revitalization of the organization and the team’s performance, as not only a sports brand but also a leisure experience at Wrigley Field for guests and employees. Before that, Bryan held senior human resources roles with General Electric, across multiple business units and geographies. Perhaps most formative were the experiences he gained working his way through school – doing everything from roofing houses and rough carpentry to setting up banquets and cleaning classrooms (and he may have written you a parking ticket at MSU). He holds bachelor’s and graduate degrees in Human Resources and Labor Relations from Michigan State University, and sits on the board of directors for the Chicago Juvenile Protective Association.

Ramki truly believes in the power of the Pack. Whether fostering teamwork within his professional circle or engaging with stakeholders, he recognizes the value of collective effort. To him, technology serves not only as a means to drive business output but as the paramount tool to address challenges in a scalable, efficient, and optimal manner.

Emphasizing the pivotal role of technology in gaining a competitive edge, Ramki is driven by the belief that it can significantly enhance revenue, reduce costs, and elevate both guest and employee experiences. His unwavering commitment to agility and speed is reflected in his mantra—a constant reminder of the importance of swift, agile solutions.

Ramki finds immense joy in working with small, cross-functional teams to craft innovative solutions for complex business problems. His approach involves driving rapid experimentation, a process that allows for continuous learning and the refinement of solutions, ultimately leading to impactful business outcomes within tight timelines.

Ramki has always preferred life as part of a pack. When not working alongside his fellow Pack Members at Great Wolf Lodge (six years and counting), Ramki’s days are filled with the activities of his own pack—himself, his wife Carol, and their three children under the age of 13. Most days that means cheering on his kids from the sidelines: sports, music, culture, and more. But they also love traveling together, filling their days with new experiences and new cultures.

Experience:

Ramki started his career as a software developer after completing his graduate studies in computer science. Very quickly he realized his passion was more on the business side of things coupled with a big intersection to technology. He took on a role of a product manager and over the next few years took roles of increasing responsibility in digital marketing, CRM and analytics. He then led large P&Ls for ecommerce businesses including being the GM for Kmart’s $300M+ business and heading up global ecommerce operations for Motorola before running Revenue Management for Groupon. Ramki has Bachelors and Masters degrees in Computer Science from University of Illinois at Chicago respectively and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Brad believes that the key to business success is to focus on creating a positive experience for employees, guests, and shareholders. This is because a satisfied workforce is more likely to provide excellent customer service, which leads to happy customers and increased profits. Prioritizing what’s right for the Pack, guests, and shareholders is paramount: He believes that all decisions should be made with the best interests of all three groups in mind. He values collaboration and team alignment, which are essential for driving business forward. Brad works to create a culture of openness and trust, and he encourages team members to share ideas and work together to achieve common goals.

Brad has been married to his Wife Wendy for 13 years, and has two boys Nathan and Louis. Lucky for Brad, his wife and children are enormously supportive of his work, embracing the Great Wolf brand and all he does for it. (“I’ve hit the family jackpot!” is something he’s said more than once.) Family vacations to the beach are a favorite activity, when he’s not busy attending the many sporting activities in which his kids participate, though he’s also happy just watching college football on the couch with his wife. Also, it seems a life in the hospitality industry may have been destiny for Brad: As a young child, he developed a passion for cooking that only grew stronger as he began to cook for friends and family, rewarded by the smiles on their faces from a particularly good dish.

Brad’s life hasn’t been without its difficulties. He cites having worked at a hotel across the street from the World Trade Center on 9/11 as a defining moment that both strengthened his crisis management skills and cemented his belief in the necessity of teamwork. As a result, he considers it a privilege every day to wake up and get to do what he loves—while maybe playing a few rounds of golf in the meantime, as well.

Experience:

Prior to his time at Great Wolf, Brad was the Executive VP of Operations for Gold Key Resorts, as well as spending several years serving in a multi-unit leadership role as Director of Hotel Operations for both Caesars Entertainment Corporation and Cooper Hotels. With a degree in Travel and Tourism Management Services from Arizona State University and holding an MBA from Tulane University Brad spent the first decade of his post-collegiate career as a General Manager for Hilton Worldwide, mastering the on-the-ground skills he now oversees throughout the company.

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