Hilsingers ready to get on their bikes and ride

J.J. and Donna Hilsinger want everyone to know they are still very much the owners of Algoma's Water Tower Inn & Suites.

The father-and-daughter team have, however, brought on Atlific Hotels to manage the Great Northern Road hotel (the Sault's only independently-owned hotel), which J.J. Hilsinger built in 1974. 

Atlific officially came into the management picture March 21, and will aim to raise the Inn's profile nationally and internationally in the competitive hotel, restaurant and tourism industry.

Atlific's presence will also give the Hilsingers a chance to step back, enjoy a lighter schedule and devote themselves to other personal and business interests.

"I want to find some leisure time and jump on my bicycle (J.J. has bicycled through several countries)…the last several years have been very intense, we've rebuilt the hotel from inside out," J.J. told reporters at the hotel Monday.

"When you're independent you do it all, you've got to figure your own way through all kinds of new information technology, revenue management, ways of selling, social media and we're good at that, but we felt our next move was to bring in an additional few horses (Atlific management)."

"It'll allow us to compete as an independent, but also have some of the benefits of a larger organization that will manage the place."

The Inn has approximately 150 employees (about half of them full-time, according to J.J.'s estimate).

"Those jobs are secure," J.J. said, adding he hopes that will remain the same, considering the local economic climate.

"There are good reasons to believe travel and tourism will pick up this year across Canada and the lower Canadian dollar brings in people (U.S. tourists)." 

As for Donna?

"I'm no longer the general manager at the hotel (but will remain in touch with all that is going on at the hotel)…I have other business interests which I'm pursuing and I'm hoping to be able to talk more about them in June."

"Certainly the Algoma Fall Festival is very near and dear to me and I'm going to be taking on a different role there in terms of being its executive director going forward…I'll always be interested in economic development and tourism, there'll be lots of things to work on."

"I'd like to get out and ride my own bike a little bit more and enjoy nature," Donna smiled.

The Hilsinger business presence in Sault Ste. Marie began in 1962, when J.J. Hilsinger started up J.J.'s Hacienda Drive-In.

The restaurant served Kentucky Fried Chicken, which soon became a local favourite.

Hilsinger eventually owned several very popular, successful Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets in the Sault, and became a community partner involved in such activities as the Rotary Club's Community Day Parade.

"It was an evolution in Sault Ste. Marie, eating out at that time," J.J. said.

"Every once in a while somebody comes up to me and says 'J.J., remember me, I used to cut chicken for you.'"

"Those were great days, we promoted a lot, we grew and we eventually started building the hotel in 1974."

Many VIPs have appeared at the Water Tower Inn over the years, from entertainers to Prime Ministers.

"We had the Sawmill Lounge in the hotel and it brought in the big bands of the day for about 10 years, we had Natalie Cole, we had April Wine, they were good times," J J said.

"We were the first big hotel to have a pool indoors."

"Innovation was always extremely important to us, we were always trying new ideas, but also we linked to the community and we've never stopped, we've always maintained a close relationship to the community, and we've always considered we're building new entrepreneurs through our staff."

"We've always tried to be true to our independent brand, 'a resort for the price of a room' is how we talk about what we are here, celebrating how our hotel and our rooms have been designed, the warm and welcoming lobby, the restaurant and pub, the Pavilion and banquet space, these are facilities hard to find even elsewhere in Northern Ontario," Donna said. 

"Now, we'll see where we go together (with Atlific)."

The Hilsingers also operated and developed Searchmont Resort from 1985 to 2000.

Atlific, one of the leading hotel management companies in Canada with offices in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, operates over 60 hotels in Canada, while Ocean Properties Ltd., its parent company, operates over 60 hotels across the U.S.