Me, Dr. Jim Valenzuela
your host

I try to run the business like I practiced medicine - if I take care of the needs of others, the business will prosper. I am committed to you our guests, to my staff, and to my family. I am fortunate to work with great people. They are innately interested in doing good work for you and for me. If I listen to their suggestions I don't louse things up totally. We hope you have a great stay and are eager for your comments.

- Dr. Jim in the Denver Post

Ms. Thelma Hildreth
office manager

Thelma and her husband Tracy run a ranch just west of the hotel with 2500 head of cattle. They raise four children who are active in 4H and rodeo. Thelma runs our 52-room inn in her spare time. She is the epitome of multitasking. Her father-in-law, Wallace, was a legendary cowboy in our valley. Many current ranch hands in these parts recall salty stories about learning their profession under his firm grip. Thelma's brother-in-law is a busy farrier, shoeing horses all over our valley and other parts of southwest Colorado as well as running a quarter horse ranch with his wife Vickie.

Thelma has worked at the Water Wheel Inn for over a decade. She knows all the regular customers, keeps everything in order, and on most days, is hilarious. She is the heart and soul of our hotel family. Stop and talk with her. Oh, and ask her about 'Thelma's Disco'.

Ms. Quincey Severson
front desk queen/sales manager

This Chicago native was roped into coming to our beautiful Gunnison Valley by her wranglin', football-coaching husband. They came for the summer, twenty-three years ago, and never left. This valley does that to folks. The Water Wheel Inn was her first job here, from '84 - '89. She's raised a great family and owned a very popular and successful dress shop. And now she is back at the Water Wheel, returning in the Fall of 2006. Like Tinkerbell with her wand she has had a magical effect on customer relations (witness this website) and the beauty of our property, orchestrating the new flowers and grasses. Her giggle serenades the breakfast hour. She is an effervescent expert on all things Gunnison. If Thelma is our soul, Quincey is our sunshine. She brightens all our days - as she will yours.

Ms. Teri Bell
breakfast beauty

Now then, Ms. Teri Bell is a true 'road warrior', taking frequent car trips to visit three of her four children in Iowa, Texas and Oklahoma. Back home, she lends her cheerful face to shoppers at City Market, yet still finds time to start our breakfast and keep our kitchen supplied. When friends or a guest ask for eggs or a pie, it usually happens. Please, just offer a smile. She and her husband, Mike, came to Gunnison for the ranch life. They remain active in 4H, rodeo, the Cattlemen's Days rodeo, high school and college sports. Saturdays in the fall they watch their son Seth coach the defensive backfield of Western State College (after baking pies for the team!) I call her 'Mother Theresa.'

Ms. Sandy Ryder
cleaning beauty

Sandy says she has been here longer than the dirt. Well OK, but she has been in charge of the housekeeping since the Water Wheel opened. She knows every inch of the property and patiently guides the rest of us. She has tremendous pride in our property as if it were her own. Her effort means we get constant remarks on the cleanliness of the rooms. At just over five foot, she is not a very big thing, but her heart is huge and no one works harder. We all fear her pending retirement, but we are glad to see her beginning to travel -- she has served our tourists for a lifetime.

Ms. Vanessa For'kel
Front Desk and Reservations

This extraordinary young lady grew up in Parlin, Colorado, a few miles east of Gunnison, cavorting at the confluence of Quartz Creek and the Tomichi River on Highway 50. Her family ran the QT (Quartz and Tomichi) corner store and cabins. That's right - she has been in the hospitality business since her childhood; half her life, she says. Lucky us! After high school and while in college, we lost her to Denver. She's back - for the beauty, outdoors and cattle-country culture.

She started with us in early spring '08, full of sparkle and personality. She is a classic 'people person'. As a motorcycle enthusiast, she has added much-needed horsepower to our motorcycle hospitality and outreach. A natural in the lodging business, her special interest is to position herself as an expert in motorcycle tourism.

This young lady marches to the beat her own drum. We hope she keeps the parade at the Water Wheel Inn.

Ron Leonard

Quiet, slyly humorous, Ron Leonard works for us in the off season. He is great help and great laughs. His wife is an icon at the music department at Western State College, his daughter Kyla works at our great community center and his son is still at home. After many years of ranching and then working at the fish hatchery he retired, but shows up every fall at the Water Wheel Inn. We are glad he does.

Read more about Ron and his family here.