With an extensive background in grounds and property management, Director of Operations Forrest Lee brings a wealth of knowledge and resort expertise to The Inns at St. Albans. But he also brings a familiar name back to the area, as his father, Thomas Lee, served as general manager of the Country Club of St. Albans upon its establishment in the late 1990s – and again when the club asked him to come out of retirement and resume his position in the early 2000s.
“We’re welcoming another generation of Lees to the community,” says Datra Herzog, owner of The Inns at St. Albans. “It’s pretty incredible to see things coming full circle after all these years.”
Forrest was intimately involved in opening the luxury 5,200-acre Tennessee resort, Blackberry Mountain, where he managed 22 private homes and oversaw all landscaping and irrigation; pool/hot tub care and maintenance; 40 miles of walking and biking trails; snow and ice removal for roads; and pond and stream maintenance.
Prior to that, he devoted 15 years of his career to overseeing the construction of a golf course, ski area, tubing park, zip line, and creek and waterfall as grounds manager at the Omni Homestead Resort in Virginia.
As director of operations here, Forrest is charged, in his own words, with overseeing “everything from the guest experience to housekeeping to maintenance,” he says he’s most excited to beef up the activities and programming at The Inns.
“For many in the St. Louis and surrounding area, this place is still a best-kept secret.” But we can maintain our reputation as a first-class wedding venue while simultaneously growing our appeal as a leisure travel destination.” More cooking classes and wine weekends are a great start, he notes. But there are lots of other ideas spinning in his head too. “This is a great setting not only for learning, but also for opportunities to get out and enjoy a different kind of experience, whether you are visiting for a long weekend, as part of a corporate retreat or for a wedding.”
Forrest looks forward to working through and executing many of his ideas in the activities department over the upcoming winter season when The Inns at St. Albans closes to the public.
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