The Spirit Of Hospitality

Dan Kellogg grew up in an entrepreneurial household. His father started a restaurant at 17 years old and business was always a topic of conversation. This instilled a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit in Dan at a young age.

After completing one year of college and playing football at St Cloud State University, Dan moved to California to pursue opportunities in the hotel business. He started his career at the front desk at the Red Lion Inn, a full service property. There he gained a multitude of experience and was promoted to Front Office Manager. Within one year, Dan was recruited to open one of the first Residence Inns in the USA in Ontario, CA. In 1987, Dan returned to Minnesota with a wealth of experience in the hotel business and became the Vice President of Operations for a brand new hotel chain called AmericInn.

Because the AmericInn chain was fairly new start up Dan was involved in many facets of building the brand. He was responsible for creating the Impressive Club Program (frequent guest program), the franchisee operations manual, developing the expanded continental breakfast program, creating marketing programs for franchisees, writing monthly newsletters, training all new hotel owners and staff, involvement in construction and development of new properties, franchise sales, and assisting with lenders and financing.

This hands-on experience gave Dan the confidence and ability to open his AmericInn in Alexandria, MN at the age of 23. He was the youngest franchisee to open his own property and may still hold the record today. The next year, Dan purchased a small, independent motel in Rochester, MN. He and his wife completely operated and renovated it over the course of a year and sold it for a nice profit the following summer. The same year, Dan developed a Country Inn by Carlson in Northfield, MN. This was one of the first small market prototypes. Dan worked closely with Carlson Companies on the design of the prototype.

In 1993, Dan developed and designed an AmericInn hotel in Wadena, MN. Many of the designs are still used today throughout the franchise. Over the years, Dan and Beth have won numerous awards including Franchisee of the Year, Design Excellence Award, Expansion Awards, and the President’s Award. Dan has also been on the National Advisory Board for three terms.

Dan is currently involved in the ownership and management of four AmericInn Lodge and Suites properties; Wadena, Crookston, Alexandria, and Northfield. He recently sold the AmericInn of Walker, MN. He also owns a boutique management company called Kellogg Hospitality Group.

Dan’s creativity also landed him a patent as he developed revolutionary technology for commercial kitchens. The AutoMist system is an automated hood and flue cleaning delivery system that eliminates the fuel and grease in commercial kitchens, the number one concern for insurance companies and fire marshals around the globe. Currently, Dan is CEO of www.kbsautomist.com and has built relationships with major brands such as McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Buffalo Wild Wings, SmashBurger and many others. He is currently working with a few Fortune 500 Companies on a global distribution agreement.

Dan and his wife, Beth, live in Deephaven, MN. They have three children: Haley, a junior at the University of Oregon; Grant, a freshman (and basketball player) at the University of Sioux Falls; and Cohen, a 4th grader at Deephaven Elementary.

Beth’s hospitality roots date back to 1987: her freshman year in college at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. She took a part time job at the Radisson Hotel as hostess in the restaurant. The following summer, she had an opportunity to work at Radisson Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria, MN at the front desk. She fell in love with the business and eventually worked on the opening team at the new Radisson Hotel in St. Cloud.

It was during her training she met her husband, Dan. She became a “Yes I Can” trainer and also worked in the sales department. She and Dan married and then bought an independent hotel in Rochester, MN. They updated the property and sold it to open an AmericInn Lodge and Suites in Wadena.

Bath has been involved in the development, management, and design of all the properties she and Dan are a part of. Her major responsibilities have been interior design, philanthropy, public relations and marketing. She also has a residential interior design business in Deephaven, MN called Beth Kellogg Interiors.

She and Dan have three children, Haley (20), Grant (18) and Cohen (10). She is very involved in the Deephaven PTA, MBBA (youth basketball), Make a Wish, and other local and national charities. Beth loves to travel and spend time at her Ten Mile Lake cabin with family and friends.

Kevin’s management career began in 1990 as the Assistant Manager of the Hardees in Wadena, MN. In 1993, Kevin moved on for the position of Assistant Manager for the Pizza Hut Restaurants of Wadena and Park Rapids, MN. His position at both businesses required supervising employees, employee scheduling, cost controls, payroll management, balancing daily receipts, bank deposits and to perform stellar hospitality and customer service.

Kevin was approached by the owners of the Pizza Ranch in 1996. Always looking for more experience and an exciting challenge, he accepted the job as General Manager. Through this position, he honed the skills and responsibilities of payroll, food cost control, human resources, balancing daily and monthly books, bank deposits and again executing superior customer service and extending stellar hospitality.

Kevin knew that hospitality was now a passion that he held within and needed to explore a career that would challenge and allow him to show what he was born to do. In 1997, he took a leap into a new and exciting realm and established the position of General Manager with the AmericInn of Wadena under Kellogg Hospitality Group. This career move has built great relationships and bestowed an infinite amount of learning experiences.

Over the past 16 years, Kevin has had the honor of advancing within the KHG Organization; starting as General Manager of the Wadena Property, to District Manager and currently VP of Operations, where the overseeing of the mechanism of various properties take place. Kevin has been involved with the AmericInn properties of Wadena, Crookston, Walker, and Alexandria. Along with the role of VP of Operations, Kevin is responsible for a concrete bottom line for each and every property KHG has the privilege of managing. He insures this role by conducting yearly financial budgets, payroll and product control, property evaluations, hiring, mentoring, training and consultation of General Managers, monitoring and dissecting monthly financial statements, marketing plans, revenue goals and strategies, monthly reports to property owners and business partners and yearly “State of the Property” meetings with property interests.

Kevin has also participated in the training and consulting of current owners of successful hotel properties such as the Econo Lodge in Rochester and the AmericInn Lodge & Suites of Austin, MN.

Having more than 22 years of hospitality experience, Kevin is a leader in the lodging industry and is always ready to take on new and exciting challenges as Vice President of Operations.

Kevin and his wife, Tammy, live in Wadena, MN. Tammy has been employed as the Deputy Auditor/Treasurer of Wadena County for the past 24 years. Together, they have 4 wonderful children: Kylie, a junior; Dawson, a 7th grader; Kaylin, a 4th grader; and Lexie, a 1st grader. They love being involved with dance, basketball, baseball, football, band, choir, Girl Scouts, and church mass and youth groups.

Angie St.Michel is the General Manager of the AmericInn Lodge and Suites in Crookston, MN. Angie joined the Kellogg Hospitality Group in November 2000 as a front desk representative. While working at the AmericInn, she obtained an associate degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management. Angie was offered the General Management position in October 2006. She has created a positive work environment for all.

Since taking over as General Manager, her AmericInn has surpassed revenue milestones from prior years, remodeled all guest rooms and continues to strive to make each guests’ stay a positive one. During the AmericInn 2010 Annual Convention, Dan and Angie accepted the Design Excellence Award for the remodel of the hotel.

Angie is driven by the hospitality industry of each guest of the hotel and hopes each stay is a memorable no matter what the occasion.

Angie is married to Ryan St.Michel and they have three kids; Chandler St.Michel, Ethan and Kailee Magsam. Angie enjoys spending time her family and staying fit.