Podcast appearances and mentions of dan musser

When I first had the idea of doing a podcast about leaders of unique generational family businesses Dan Musser was gracious enough (crazy enough?) to volunteer to be guest #1. That was in late 2018. Just one year later in fall 2019 he and his family made the decision to sell their business, Grand Hotel to KSL Partners/Davidson Hotels. I thought it would be interesting to do a follow-up episode with Dan about life since that significant event. Again, he said yes. In our conversation Dan reflects on the sale of a business, the new ventures he has become involved with and more. Please enjoy this 45th episode of GENeration EXcellence with my friend Dan Musser.

May 3, 2022 ~ The Chairman Emeritus & Former Owner of Grand Hotel talks to Paul about the historic hotel and says he still maintains a relationship with the hotel management and he is pleased to see the improvements that are being made throughout the beautiful facility.

The Musser family has owned and operated the iconic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island since the 1930’s. They recently sold the property to a private equity firm. Dan Musser remains chairman of the Grand Hotel, so we asked him what will change under the ownership.

Dan Musser (III President) joins to discuss Mackinac history and culture.

Episode #01: Dan Musser III, President, Grand Hotel by Jamie Michelson

Dan Musser is President of the largest summer hotel in the world. Grand Hotel is the crown jewel of Mackinac Island. A 397-room wooden building, the hotel is one of the most unique travel experiences you can ever have. There is no motor transportation on Mackinac Island, only horse drawn carriages and bicycles. The movie "Somewhere In Time," starring Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve, was filmed at Grand Hotel in 1980. Hundreds of famous celebrities have stayed there. The following five U.S. Presidents have been guests at Grand Hotel: Bill Clinton, George Herbert Walker Bush, Gerald Ford, John F. Kennedy and Harry Truman). Jane Seymour still attends "Somewhere In Time" reunions on the island. This interview conducted as part of Michael Angelo Caruso's podcast series, covers a wide range of topics, including: - How Grand Hotel finds good help- The sweet spot between tradition and relevance- How product and service differentiation can really pay off- The value of "truth in advertising"More interesting facts about Grand Hotel: - During the 2017 season, Grand Hotel used 9,000 pounds of prime rib, 102,500 pounds of potatoes, 5,500 pounds of rack of lamb, 6,400 pounds of bacon, 42,500 pounds of strawberries and 6,000 pounds of pecans - The 5 millionth Grand Hotel guest checked in (and out) in 2006 - More than 150,000 guests stay overnight each season - At 660 feet, Grand Hotel’s Front Porch is the world’s largest - There are more than 500 horses on Mackinac Island - Grand Hotel’s kitchen staff of more than 100 prepares and serves as many as 4,000 meals per day - Grand Hotel uses 2,500 geraniums, its trademark flower, in all its flower beds combined - The hotel was built in only 90 days in 1986-87 - Mark Twain lectured in the Grand Hotel in 1895; admission was $1 ----- Watch the video version of this interview on Michael's YouTube channel. 

KYT, Rob Lombardi, and Bryan Gottlieb welcome Dan Musser to the show, as they talk Modern, all the decks of current Standard, and showing emotion when the pressure is on. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/firststrike/support

What does great fudge, the world’s longest porch, U.S. presidents and Hollywood have in common? Mackinac Island. World Footprints will take you on a journey to a little known crown jewel that sits in Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas –Mackinac Island (pronounced “Mack –in-aw”). The island was named by Native Americans in the Straits of Mackinac region who said that the island resembled a turtle. They gave it the name "Mitchimakinak" meaning "big turtle". When European exploration began in the 17th century French settlers used a version of the original pronunciation: Michilimackinac and the British later shortened the name to Mackinac. Today’s show will explore the island’s rich history and how that is being carefully preserved as a National Historic Landmark. When Europeans landed, Mackinac Island served as a strategic position amidst the commerce of the Great Lakes fur trade. This led to the establishment of Fort Mackinac on the island by the British during the American Revolutionary War. Mackinac Island was also key in two battles during the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony but the island still maintains its Old World charm. It is well known for its numerous cultural events; its wide variety of architectural styles, including the famous Victorian-style Grand Hotel; the aforementioned fudge; and its ban on almost all motor vehicles. (Golf carts are allowed but only on the golf course.) Hollywood discovered the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island and they have been the setting of two feature films: This Time for Keeps in 1946 and Somewhere in Time, filmed at the Grand Hotel and various other locations on the island in 1979. Mackinac Island has been written about and visited by many influential writers including Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, Bill Bryson, Margaret Fuller, Herman Melville and Alexis De Tocqueville, among others. As we will hear, U.S. Presidents and politicians from around America and the world have enjoyed respites on Mackinac Island. The Grand Hotel has honored these visits by designing some staterooms with the assistance of a few former First Ladies. Today’s guests include: Dan Musser, President, Grand Hotel Ken Hayward, Executive Vice President, Grand Hotel Bob Tagatz, historian