In addition to entertainment content like Tuscan River: Portal to the Edge of Time Tuscan River is also a concept for a network of community based Adventure Centers and Entertainment Parks. Everybody needs a place they can conveniently enjoy with those closest to them and just have fun. With its variety of restaurants, a wide selection of attractions and amusements, and recreational shopping the Tuscan River concept is expected to be that place. To make those locations more engaging many of the themes found in the Tuscan River Adventures series of stories will be integrated into the Tuscan River properties.

The Leadership Team

Thomas M. Richert, Chief Catalyst

As a development program management consultant working on behalf of the Linbeck Group, LLC currently manages projects for a mix of institutional and commercial Clients, including work for private educational campuses, private equity firms, and non-governmental land management organizations. Current responsibilities include projects throughout New England and New York. Previously, Tom managed Linbeck’s California office. Managing Client development programs ranging up to $70 million consistently provides high levels of value to projects, as determined by Clients, while exceeding company-wide performance objectives.

Previously Tom served as the senior cost estimator on a program management team responsible for a $2.3 billion facilities development program in southern California. His responsibilities included establishing capital cost budgets for each of the more than 150 projects associated with the program. The methods he employed in developing the budgets were praised in an independent feasibility study prepared on behalf of the lead bond underwriter for the program. Final project costs were with limited exceptions within 10% of initial budget estimates, and often with 5% of the initial estimates, and the entire program was completed within budget. Tom was also responsible for directing the project controls reporting team, which provided senior executives with current summary and detail financial and schedule information for each of the projects on a monthly basis.

Tom’s project management experience includes the construction of a high security correctional facility, multi-plex motion picture theater, missile storage facility, aerospace manufacturing facility, biotechnology office and laboratory, live theater rehearsal space, and university dormitories. His cost estimating experience includes office buildings, retail centers, manufacturing facilities, school buildings, treatment plants, ocean outfalls, financial institutions, and a Las Vegas casino. He has also been instrumental in establishing and directing a tool rental company and implementing a computerized project management financial reporting system prior to the introduction of commercially available software programs.

Tom earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Architecture from Washington University. He is an award-winning speaker and has given his time to a number of non-profit and civic groups, including the San Diego Repertory Theatre, Escondido High School Big Brothers Program, the Regional Transportation Technology Alliance of San Diego County, the Transportation Research Board, and the Advanced Transit Association. He was a keynote speaker at a transportation conference in Sweden, has presented lectures in Copenhagen and Paris regarding the economic impact of new transit technologies on retail real estate, and has lectured at the University of California Berkeley regarding Lean Construction practices.


Carl Yankowski, Brand Development & Marketing

A principal at Westerham Group, LLC, a management and consulting group that delivers breakthrough competitive advantage to Clients through disruptively creative products, branding, and demand generation. With highly experienced leaders, world-class core services, and value-added partners, the firm addresses the complete strategic and tactical business-building process. This includes positioning, elegant design, marketing, budget optimization, and results measurement.

Prior to forming Westerham, Carl parachuted into Palm, Inc. as CEO in December 1999, three months before its $1+ Billion IPO. He grew the company to a $2 billion sales rate, drove unaided awareness to over 65%, and then restructured it dramatically after the spring, 2001 global economic downturn. Immediately prior to joining Palm, Carl was CEO of The Reebok Brand, where he led the worldwide Reebok-brand business, a multibillion dollar enterprise that is currently ranked second in its industry. During his tenure there, Carl successfully reorganized the company for growth, significantly streamlined operations, and improved profitability.

Previously, Carl spent over four years at Sony Electronics, Inc. as President and COO. He was operationally responsible for the development and launch of numerous successful products in growing markets and new business categories for Sony, including DVD, digital imaging, DSS, and VAIO personal computers. He helped drive profitable U.S. revenue from $6+ billion to over $10 billion, and oversaw significant expansion of U.S. manufacturing and R&D. Under his guidance, the company was named the most-respected brand name in America in 1995 and 1997. In an earlier position as Chairman of Polaroid's Asia Pacific Region, Carl led strong revenue and profit growth in the business imaging market globally, and set up the company's Asia Pacific headquarters. He has held marketing and strategic leadership positions in several prestigious technology and consumer-products companies, including General Electric, Pepsi, Memorex and Procter & Gamble.

Carl earned simultaneous Bachelor of Science degrees in electrical engineering and management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is a Director of Informatica, Chase, CRF, Avidyne, and several small firms. He is on the Visiting Committee of the MIT Media Lab, and on the Boards of the Boston College Carroll School of Business and the MIT Sloan School.


Patrick Flaherty, Brand Development & Marketing

A principal at Westerham Group, LLC, in 2001, Patrick changed his focus from leading large multinational company’s marketing programs - and began working with small companies in and around the Boston area. Working with current management teams he leads the process of creating Positioning and Marketing strategies that help make these ventures focused, competitive and successful.

Prior to his current activity, Patrick was Executive Vice President of Marketing with Reebok from 1999-2001. Reporting to the President, he was brought in to help turn the business around. Reebok was very successful in increasing market share with Patrick leading the product effort through dynamic segmentation strategies. Wall Street having recognized the improving competitive trend increased the value of the company's stock over 250% during the turnaround period.

Prior to joining Reebok, Patrick was with SONY as Senior Vice President U.S. Marketing. In this position, he led the development of branding and sub-branding strategies for this diversified worldwide entertainment company. He led the marketing efforts of eight operating companies and also directed and integrated the work of five advertising agencies. Importantly, Patrick led the much-acclaimed introduction of the SONY Playstation into the U.S. market and directed marketing for the VAIO computer U.S. introduction.

Prior to SONY, Patrick obtained his international experience at Polaroid Corporation as Vice President - Asia Pacific Region, and in this capacity significantly accelerated growth in China, India, Korea and Japan.

Patrick crafted his skills at Gillette and Johnson & Johnson where he spent the first years of his career in a variety of Sales and Marketing positions of increasing responsibility.

Patrick holds a BS from Northeastern University and an MBA from Babson College.


Grace Andrews, Park Staffing & Training Strategy and Implementation

Grace Andrews is an organizational development expert with direct experience in recruiting and training customer service teams in the hospitality industry. Grace is advising Tuscan River on property staffing and training.

Grace’s consulting company provides expertise in management development, executive staffing strategy, board facilitation, and hospitality specific customer service training. Grace is a frequent keynote speaker and provides executive coaching services.

Early in her career Grace served as the training director for the Sonesta hotel chain, staffing and training hotel staff at Sonesta properties, including hotels in Egypt, Peru, and Italy. Graces hospitality clients include Copley Square Hotel, John Harvard’s Brew House, Kellogg Conference Center, Le Meridien Hotels, Nantucket Island Resorts, Ritz Carlton, Sonesta International Hotels, Trapp Family Lodge, and Trump International Sonesta Beach Resort.

Grace’s non-hospitality clients include ABN Amro Bank, Massachusetts General Hospital, Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, Nextel Communications, Biogen, and the Massachusetts Lodging Association.


Doug Fleener, Retail Operations Advisor

Doug Fleener is a veteran retailer with over 25 years of hands-on retail experience with world-class retailers including Bose Corporation and The Sharper Image. He has also owned and operated his own specialty stores.

In his ten years at Bose, Doug grew the Retail Direct Group from four to 100 stores and was instrumental in developing Bose’s unique and engaging retail methods.

Under Doug’s leadership, the Bose retail stores became one of the pre-eminent specialty retailers in consumer electronics, known for their highly customer focused approach and multi-media Bose Music Theater Show. Doug left Bose to continue to refine Experience Based Retailing and share with others his passion for customer and employee experiences.

Doug is a consultant, keynote speaker and author of numerous articles. Doug is the author of the book The Profitable Retailer. He has been quoted in Entrepreneur magazine, The Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post, Shopping Centers Today, and numerous other newspapers and magazines.


Richard M. Presti, Senior Real Estate Advisor

The founding principal of Chapel Partners, Inc., Rich’s background includes extensive experience in finance, construction, and real estate, all performed exclusively for institutional clients. His recent work includes an engagement as development manager for a $17 million on-campus hospital project, with additional responsibilities of strategic planning, financial analysis, physician lease negotiations, and community relations. Through Chapel Partners, Rich has been responsible for over 1.5 million square feet of real estate development, development advisory services, and brokerage for medical research and related institutional markets.

Examples of Rich’s work include:

Development advisory services for a 380,000 square foot clinical center

Comprehensive 115,000 square foot space utilization study of off-campus lease obligations addressing consolidation, space efficiency, and cost reduction strategies.

Site selection and full development management services for the complete turnkey development of a 60,000 square foot, $11 million urban community health center.

Development advisory and brokerage services for the purchase and sublease of 110,000 square foot building with a 10-acre parcel.

Prior to forming Chapel Development, Rich was partner and Chief Financial Officer at Kennedy & Rossi, Inc., a Boston based construction management firm. In his five years at Kennedy & Rossi he contributed to the growth of the company from a small maintenance contractor to a company with more than 100 employees and sales in excess of $35 million. Previously, Rich was a staff member of the World Trade Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Boston that operated as an international marketing consultancy firm with offices in 35 countries. His responsibilities included the direct management of the Boston division as well as supervision of the marketing techniques employed by the entire organization. Rich is also the previous owner of a retail business with $15 million in annual sales, with responsibility for product sales.

Rich earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts, and is a graduate of the General Motors Institute, a two-year graduate school program in business management. He has completed a five-course real estate studies program at the Harvard School of Design and the two-year Business Executive Program offered by Northeastern University. He has lectured nationally on privatized real estate development for institutions, and currently serves on the board of directors for three non-profit organizations. Rich is a licensed real estate broker in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.