Gary F. Wendt '93, Chief Executive Officer, Signature Resorts International

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Gary F. Wendt has over thirty years of leadership and management experiences in a broad range of design, development and construction projects in the US and international settings. He is a seasoned top management executive with profit and loss responsibility and broad based experience in general management, operations, sales and marketing, business development, financial management, strategic planning, mergers/acquisitions and board leadership.

Gary is the Chief Executive Officer and a board member of Signature Resorts International (SRI). SRI is a custom at risk developer of sustainable, luxury branded mixed use resorts and residential communities focused in some of the most beautiful places in the western hemisphere including the British West Indies, Central and South America. The company embraces a unique 100% equity strategy in order to reduce risk to shareholders, partners, owners and the community at large. Gary is leading the effort to develop and implement a master plan for a resort community on the island of North Caicos which encompasses approximately 1100 acres, over a half mile of beach front, four branded hotel resorts, 1000 residential units, deep water marinas capable of servicing mega yachts, large sail boats and sport fishing and diving vessels, a championship golf course, a casino and associated facilities for leisure, retail, dining, recreation and entertainment.

Prior to joining SRI, Gary served in a variety of executive positions including CEO and CFO of OWPP, a prominent architectural engineering and design build company with over 300 professionals. Recent development leadership experience includes projects in the Middle East and the Caribbean; executive leadership for the design process at Jumerira Gardens, a 1500 building 20 square kilometer mixed use 12 year master plan and $100B USD redevelopment program in the city of Dubai; a private resort community outside of Dubai; and program management efforts for the planning stages for a new $5B USD development of 110 acres and over 8 million square feet including a luxury resort, cultural island, mosque, single family low rise and multifamily mid rise villas, mixed-use residential apartments, hotel and retail towers all supported on a lushly landscaped podium; a private development in the Turks and Caicos Islands where he provided leadership for development activities for all projects including the restoration and rebuilding of the historical district, new development of single family villas and multi-family condos, a boutique hotel and spa resort, championship golf course and club facilities, sport fishing center, dive shop and beach club and site infrastructures and improvements to create marinas, canals, coves and other water amenities.

As Founder and President of Cardinal Development Enterprises, Gary led development activities from inception through completion of new luxury residences on the north shore in the Chicago land area. Held overall responsibility to select property locations, secure financing and procure parcels, establish program statements and pro forma to capture the marketing direction, oversaw the architectural activities, received approvals from governing authorities, selected and directed the construction teams. Secured and managed construction financing, budgets and schedules. Established and oversaw marketing and sales plan.

Gary holds a MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in architecture from the University of Illinois. He has long term civic involvement including active participation with the Glenview Plan Commission, Glenview Naval Air Station Redevelopment, now known as The Glen, Glenview Downtown Redevelopment Task Force and the Kellogg Alumni Advisory Board and the Pete Henderson Society at Northwestern University.