Steve Sparks opened his first Wingate by Wyndham hotel in Bozeman, Mont., more than a decade ago after selling his travel services company. Now, he’s managing partner of Oasis Management in Bozeman, which owns or operates three Wingates, a Microtel, and a Super 8, with another Microtel and Wingate in the pipeline. He’s also a Wingate board member.
Lodging: How did you get into the hotel business?
Steve Sparks: I was in the travel business for a number of years and before that I was a college basketball coach. Both jobs instilled in me an understanding of how to treat guests and employees. My management formula has worked pretty successfully for us. We’re proud of what we’ve done and excited about where we’re going.
Lodging: Why did you go with Wingate as your first franchise?
Sparks: It was a new brand, one we could grow with. Wyndham allowed us some flexibility in terms of development. We wanted the product to have a brand identity but also to look like the communities we were in. The company had been very willing to work with us within guidelines. Our Wingates look like a Wingate, but they also certainly have a local flair to them so folks know that they’re in Bozeman or Denver or Bismarck, N.D., yet we have some brand identity, and we’ve been able to keep the brand focus well within our development process. I’ve found the brand to be very hands-on. Wingate hears what its franchisees are saying and is cognizant of maintaining a positive relationship. You are not just a number. You are definitely a name.
Lodging: What are some keys to your success?
Sparks: We’ve had great people working for us, that’s the most important thing. And our creed has been that the most important customers we have are those who work with us not for us. We’ve established a real strong foundation of people with a passion who are all customer and service driven.
Lodging: What advice would you give to potential franchisees?
Sparks: We were one of the early Wingate franchisees, and we’ve watched this brand develop. Although we certainly would prefer to have more locations at this point in time, the brand continues to develop, and it’s gaining some real positive footing. We’re very customer-service driven—we get people in the front door of our hotel, and they don’t leave. That’s been very exciting to me, to be a part of that and watch that develop before my eyes.
