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Dennis Szefel is group president of Hospitality and Entertainment, a division of Delaware North Companies, Incorporated (DNC), a privately held international company specializing in food service, retail, recreation and hospitality management. In his position, Szefel oversees two principal subsidiaries: Delaware North Parks & Resorts (DNPR), one of the fastest growing providers of hospitality and recreational services in the United States, and Sportsystems Corporation, one of the world’s largest owners and operators of pari-mutuel facilities including Wheeling Island Gaming, one of the country’s premier gaming facilities. In addition, he is responsible for overseeing The Delta Queen Steamboat Company, a business that Delaware North acquired in 2002.
Before assuming his current position in 2002, Szefel served as president of DNPR from the time of its inception in 1993. His responsibilities included developing, implementing and overseeing the strategy and operations of the company, which included ensuring growth in revenues, financial stability and quality of service. In addition to his strategic and operational responsibilities, Szefel approved the administrative policies of Delaware North Parks & Resorts, overseeing compliance with DNC’s management philosophy of respecting preserved lands as natural resources and assuming an active role in promoting environmental excellence. In just 10 years, Szefel’s leadership helped establish DNPR as a recognized name in the hospitality industry with a client list that includes: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Grand Canyon, Sequoia, Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks, and the U.S. Mint. In addition, DNPS became a hotel owner in its own right in 2001 when it purchased Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, a four-diamond property located at the gateway to Yosemite National Park. And added Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa to the company’s portfolio in 2002.
Szefel has been with Delaware North for more than 30 years and has held positions of increasing responsibility with three of the company’s primary food service and recreation management subsidiaries: Delaware North Companies Sportservice Corporation, Air Terminal Services, Inc. (now CA One Services, Inc.) and Delaware North Parks Services.
Active in local church and community organizations, he received a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., and has completed Harvard Business School’s Program in Management Development. | 