As General Manager, Olshan intends to build upon the hotel’s expression of individuality by fostering an environment in which employees can embrace their unique selves to create authentic interactions with guests.

“I embrace and believe in Aparium’s culture of combining the aspects of art and science into the guest experience,” Olshan explains. “We give our team the building blocks of great guest service—that’s the science. The art of it is how our team executes on that with their own originality.” With a deep-seated philosophy of leading by example, Olshan ensures his employees feel empowered, yet supported, to reach their highest potential. “I will never ask a member of my team to do something that I, myself am not willing to do—we’re all in this to accomplish the same goal… create an experience our guests will remember.”

Olshan brings with him a lifetime of hospitality experience, as his hotel career began at the early age of 5, when he helped fold guest towels alongside his parents who owned several independent hotel properties in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Olshan went on to accrue over a decade of professional hotel experience, most recently acting as the Director of Operations in overseeing day-to-day logistics pertaining to rooms, food and beverage, and sales and marketing for The Inn at Dos Brisas, a Relais & Chateaux property located in Washington, Texas. As a result of Jack’s efforts, the hotel’s restaurant became the only Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star culinary destination in Texas.

From Pasta to Professional

If you met high school Haren, he would have confidently told you he would never work in food service again—the result of his first job washing dishes in his hometown of Troy, OH. Fast forward to college years when cooking lasagna as a means to pay the bills helped Haren reimagine the kitchen, suddenly seeing it as the setting for his full-time career. From that point forward, Haren took hold of his career by setting high expectations for himself with promises to always strive for perfection—a notion he now brings to his Hotel Covington culinary team as executive chef.

Sweet, Sweet Success

Upon realizing the call of the kitchen, Haren finished his BA in political science at Ohio University and immediately immersed himself in the culinary world, first by learning the essentials of classic cuisine at an upscale French restaurant in Dayton, OH. One move to Cincinnati later, Haren continued to refine both his technique and managerial style as executive sous chef at The Netherland Plaza Hotel’s dining outlet, Orchids. Haren counts himself lucky to have been a part of the team there, which received the AAA Five Diamond award in 2015 and again in 2016. Now at Hotel Covington, Haren strives to continue the momentum. “The success that I’ve achieved in the past and will continue in the future was built by having a team of dedicated culinarians and service professionals,” he says. “It is of the utmost importance to foster that environment wherever I go.”

When the apron comes off, Haren enjoys letting loose by taking a cruise on his motorcycle with fishing pole in tow or lounging with his wife and dogs at their Ft. Thomas, KY home.

A “Glass Half Full” Attitude

14 years in the industry wearing a variety of hats has left Olga Tsetsotkina with one simple motto that shines through in all she does: make a positive impact on everyone you meet. As director of sales, Tsetsotkina makes this mark by engaging employees with a positive, upbeat attitude and attending to the needs of guests with nuanced expertise and exceptional service.

Hospitality : A Universal Language

A native of Narva, Estonia, Tsetsotkina attended Tartu University in her home country, focusing on English and Estonian language and literature. A certified Russian interpreter and trained classical pianist, working in hotels was not originally on Tsetsotkina’s radar. “My career in hospitality started by accident after walking into a small hotel and getting hired as a night auditor,” she recalls. “It quickly became a passion, as I got to not only meet people and hear their stories, but become a part of that story as well by creating unforgettable experiences.” Her career kicked off in Blue Ash, OH where she became general manager first at the Gama Suites and then Quality Suites.

Though she now considers Mason, OH, to be her home, Tsetsotkina’s wanderlust sparks often, and she answers by traveling throughout the country and the world.

Grandma Knows Best

Food and beverage feed the roots of Billy Grise’s family tree; growing up in Piqua, OH, among three generations of culinary enthusiasts, he had his first taste of the industry while washing dishes at his great-grandfather’s restaurant. Later pursuing other career paths at the University of Dayton, Grise found himself craving the kitchen yet again.

“I wanted to transfer,” he recalls. “The final push came from my Grandma Caserta. She was the only one who told me not to be scared to do what I love.” With grandma’s advice in mind, Grise enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu in Phoenix, AZ. Returning to his Midwestern roots, the chef moved to Cincinnati and worked his way up at Rockwood Bar and Restaurant and then Quan Hapa, at which he held the roles of general manager and executive chef.

Just Call Me Billy

In April 2016, Grise found a home as food and beverage director with Hotel Covington, a place where he believes approachability is key—not only in menu design but in kitchen leadership as well. Always leading by example, Grise guides his team to serve up what the guest requests and more, “that is, as long as it’s not illegal,” he laughs.

The Ohio native continually finds new things to love about the state by exploring its restaurants, bars, and environmental beauty. Currently, he is most excited for his next adventure: adding a “Mrs.” to his life in October 2016.

The Hotel “Family Man”

Carl Musak may be new to the city of Covington, KY, but the setting for his role as guest services manager is anything but unfamiliar. Bringing with him years of experience and genuine hospitality, Musak is excited to live up to the Hotel Covington standard of exceptionally tailored experiences. “Traveling can be stressful for people and for many, it takes months or even years of savings to be able to afford a vacation,” Musak explains. “Each guest is unique but one thing is consistent: it is up to us to make sure they’re satisfied and impressed.”

Hitting the Jackpot

Musak did not always envision himself in hospitality—let alone leaving his home state of New York—but has found himself eagerly looking forward with every career leap. After earning a BS in economics and world trade from New York’s University of Buffalo, Musak unknowingly began his hospitality career while working as a cage cashier manager at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. During that time, he took hold of his newfound passions and innate ability to connect with guests by moving to the front of house, where he managed all guest-facing operations.

A Leap of Faith

After 19 years with the casino, Musak and his family traded the familiarity of upstate New York for Kentucky’s Southern charm. The move, which Musak says allowed him to grow personally, led him first to The Greenbrier, directing guest services, before setting new roots with Hotel Covington. Here, he delivers guest experiences that leave them with one lingering thought throughout their stay: “Wow!”

In his spare time, Musak loves spending time with his girls—his wife, Tiffany, and their three daughters, Olivia, Carli, and Sophia—by exploring the sights, eats, and attractions surrounding their hometown of Alexandria, KY.

Leave Wanting Nothing

“Leave wanting nothing,” is the mantra that motivates Nina Herrick in every encounter with guests of Hotel Covington, from the first welcoming smile to the last friendly wave. “I hope that every guest departs with the desire for nothing more, that their experience was so wonderful,” says Herrick. “They’ll remember the great atmosphere and our dedication to service, and how it exceeded their expectations.” As sales manager, Herrick believes in providing more than the promised, delivering a product and experience that achieve lasting memories for every guest.

Wearing All the Hats

Before bringing her dedication to Hotel Covington, Herrick excelled with Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant for nearly seven years. Determined to learn every aspect of the restaurant, she worked her way through serving, hosting, bartending, and supervising roles for three years. Her dedication and ambition paid off with a promotion to management, leading catering and sales operations as well as training employees across the nation, calling on her comprehensive understanding of nearly every front of house position. It was during this time she fully understood the importance of building genuine relationships with those with which she works. “I strive to continually teach and coach, and choose to develop myself along the way as well,” she says. For her role as sales manager with Hotel Covington, she empowers this two-way leadership style to produce meaningful team relationships and reaches back to her Cincinnati roots to connect guests to the locale on a personal level.

Herrick fills her days off with precious family moments by spending time with her husband and their three-year-old daughter, Payton.

A Little Bit of Everything

Former competitive figure skater, self-proclaimed travel enthusiast, aspiring children’s book author—with these titles and more, Sales Coordinator Emily Fernandez brings a dynamic past and diverse set of passions to Hotel Covington and its guests. With a work style reflecting her distinct sense of self, Fernandez believes in treating fellow employees and guests with individualized focus, resulting in a tailored experience from check-in to check-out. “We’re different in the way we do things here,” she says. “Everything is about creating deep and impactful relationships.”

Frequent Flyer

Fernandez grew up fortunate enough to fly all over the world from an early age—a perk of her mother’s position in the airline industry—which ignited her affinity for travel and hospitality. Even in an unfamiliar place, Fernandez felt right at home staying in a variety of hotels and now pulls from those childhood pastimes to provide guests at Hotel Covington with equally enriching experiences. Before joining the team in 2016, Fernandez studied strategic communication and management at Miami University, where she added a range of talents and professional experiences to her already impressive background, which includes an internship with Red Frog Events in Chicago and her founding of Red Hawk Records within the university, to name just a couple. Now, pulling all her talents together, she begins a new chapter with Hotel Covington. “I’m excited to start my career at such a beautiful boutique property with a company that is passionate about showing visitors what Covington is all about.”

While Fernandez loves to travel, she thrives on investing herself in the local community by volunteering with nonprofits like Melodic Connection Music Therapy and visiting Covington Business Council meetings. Attending food festivals and seeing musical or theatre performances also keeps Fernandez busy, but she still enjoys the simple pleasures of a lazy afternoon complemented by a Netflix subscription.