Our Management Team at Three Rivers Hospitality

Paul Kirwin, President and COO of Northcott Hospitality is a hospitality and travel veteran with over 30 years of global leadership experience with major brands, including Hyatt, Regent, Radisson, Country Inns and Suites, AmericInn, TGI Friday’s, Houlihans, Perkins and Carlson Wagon-Lit Travel.

Prior to joining Northcott Hospitality, Kirwin spent 25 years with Carlson, growing from hotel manager to leadership responsibility for several regional theatres, including President, Carlson Asia Pacific and President, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Americas. Along the way he he spent 13 years with Country Inns & Suites By Carlson in various senior operational positions, including five as president, leading the overall business operations and expansion of this industry leading, mid-tier hotel brand. For his contribution, Paul was honored with two Carlson Fellows awards, representing the company’s highest career achievements in leadership and customer service.

Prior to joining Carlson, Kirwin spent five years in management roles with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts in Washington, DC, Hilton Head, SC, Orlando, FL, and Atlanta, GA.

He is a past board member of the International Franchise Association, is active in various industry groups, has been a featured speaker and panelist at seminars and major industry events, and has been frequently published on topics such as hotel operations and quality management. Kirwin graduated magna cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Howard has over 20 years hospitality management experience after graduating from Iowa State University with a Management degree. From his work in the full service sector in Sales at the Doubletree Hotel in Atlanta, as a Director of Sales of the Kirkwood Civic Center Hotel in Des Moines, or as the General Manager of a Hampton Inn in Minneapolis or the AmericInn of Chanhassen, Howard has a wide range of experience to benefit his properties. During his 10 years with Three Rivers Hospitality, Howard has opened 15 hotels, converted 8 hotels, and operated 5 brands. Howard was also the 2007 President of the Minnesota Lodging Association and is currently on the Executive Board for Hospitality Minnesota.

Millie has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Her career in the hotel business started as an owner/operator of the Ramada Inn of the Wisconsin Dells. She was the General Manager of the AmericInn in Bemidji, MN before joining the Three Rivers team as the Training Manager in the year 2000. Millie’s career started in Accounting, so her past expertise is valuable with both the training as well as the auditing of our properties. In the past 9 1/2 years she has trained numerous managers and staff members and assisted with the openings of 25 properties. She is a valuable part of the Three Rivers Hospitality team.

Jason brings over 23 years of experience in the Hospitality Industry. He graduated with a degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management from Alexandria Technical College. He joined the industry through his family as his mother worked at a hotel while he was growing up. Jason has worked all of the different positions in the properties over the years and as a District Manager is able to use that experience to help train and develop staff. He has operated properties within the brands of Holiday Inn, Comfort Inn, Baymont Inn & Suites, Super 8, Country Inn & Suites, Days Inn, AmericInn Lodge & Suites and Ramada. Within Three Rivers Hospitality, Jason has opened four properties and has worked with owners on development and construction. Jason is currently the Treasurer of the MN Lodging Association and has served on the Executive Board of Directors for many years. He has also been invlolved in Tourism in the states of Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

CLM – Jim brings over 19 years of experience in the hospitality industry, most recently with Baymont Inns as District Director and Vice President, overseeing the day-to-day operations of 15 to 19 hotels on a consistent basis. He is aggressive in marketing, cost control and customer service as measured in over 15 consecutive years of being number one or two in GOP percentage, market share percentage, quality inspection scores and guest satisfaction surveys. Jim is a graduate of Lansing Business University with a degree in Business Administration.

Paul has over 22 years of hospitality management experience, graduation from Moorhead State University with a Business Administration degree. His experience runs between the full-service, limited feature, extended stay, as well as food & beverage sectors of the hospitality arena, working for large corporations such as Holiday Inn Worldwide and Hilton Hotel Corporation to small management companies. Having worked in the Midwest, East Coast, and South cultures, Paul brings a vast knowledge of operations to share with the properties and owners.

Jeff brings over 17 years of hotel experience focusing on limited service hotels – including Fairfield Inns, Comfort Inn/Suites, and Hampton Inns. He has been Area Director, Director of Training, and a Regional Education Director for a hotel management company. Jeff attended MoorheadStateUniversity with a focus on Business Administration and Hotel Management.

Chris has over 15 years of experience in hotel operations. His career began in the full-service industry as a member of the 600-room convention facility, the Radisson Hotel South & Plaza Tower, followed by additional operations and accounting management positions at the Sheraton Inn Minneapolis Airport, Embassy Suites Hotel Bloomington, MN and most recently as the General Manager of the AmericInn Lodge & Suites of Shakopee, MN. Since joining the team at Three Rivers Hospitality, Chris has been responsible for operating three brands, including AmericInn, Country Inn & Suites, and La Quinta Inn & Suites. Chris is the current advisory Board chairman for the Shakopee Minnesota Convention & Visitors Bureau Advisory of Hospitality Minnesota.