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I'm looking for:

Premier Service Provider
for Beaver Island State Park

Meet the Team

Cyndy Montana

Owner/Operator
cyndy@montanainternational.us
716-800-3935
Learn more about Cyndy

Tammy Papia

Event Sales Manager
tammy@thefalconwood.com
716-803-6122
Learn more about Tammy

Brian Chapin

Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner
brian@montanainternational.us
716-800-3835
Learn more about Brian

Samantha Giambelluca

Facilities Coordinator
samantha@montanainternational.us
716-404-4214
Learn more about Samantha

Charles Panepinto

Guest Services Manager
guestservices@montanainternational.us
716-800-3954
Learn more about Charles

Peter Emborsky

Chef
chef@montanainternational.us
716-404-4214
Learn more about Peter
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Dining & Events

Marina Related

Cyndy Montana, Owner

I am the owner/operator of Montana International, LLC.  My background is in hospitality, public relations, fundraising and politics!  I’ve been the assistant bar manager at The Four Seasons Toronto, the front office manager at The Prince of Wales in Niagara on the Lake, Development Coordinator for Women’s Place, a shelter for abused women and children, in St. Catharines, Fundraising & Public Relations Officer for Brock University and Assistant to the Town Supervisor on Grand Island.  I have started and built multiple small businesses with my husband including BeerHats and Grand Island Limousine.  And in February 2019, I signed a 20 year contract with the State of New York to manage all guest services at all State Parks on Grand Island which includes a golf course and small restaurant, two marinas, a beach concessions, a special event center, a brand new outdoor restaurant and eventually a campground.  

I am hoping my diverse professional background, my work ethic as a Canadian farmer’s daughter, my love for customer service and my passion for Grand Island will bolster my dream to bring life back to Beaver Island State Park.  Another goal is to make the three State Parks on Grand Island the jewel in the crown for Grand Island as they develop this area as an Eco-Tourism destination.  I moved to Grand Island in 2005 from Canada and have been married since 2002 to Pete, a third generation Islander.  We have two amazing teenagers, Kaylee and Jaxen!  I have found my forever home! 

Tammy Papia, Event Sales Manager

Tammy has experience as a store manager in Retail as well as the GM at the Statler, but her passion is for weddings and events.  She has also had her own wedding planning company and achieved Master Wedding Planner Designation in 2018. She has won multiple awards including Best Top Professional Consultant 2014 &  Best Design Transformation of Space NYS 2016, but to her, her greatest achievement is being the mother of 3 young humans and 2 golden doodles!  She has been married for 23 years, she has a green thumb and loves creating beautiful gardens. 
 
We are very excited to have Tammy as part of our team to help us, not only build our event business at The Falconwood, but to help us create an elite event destination in WNY.  There is no better location for an event on the water in WNY, we have an amazing Chef and now Tammy is tasked with helping us create unique, memorable and WOW events that guests will talk about for generations. She is meticulous with detail and customer service and what we are most excited about in her own words is, “I am a dreamer so I have LOTS of ideas! Always looking for a creative way to make every event stand out!”.  Tammy will help put events at The Falconwood at Beaver Island State Park on the map!!

Brian Chapin, Chief Operating Officer & Managing Partner

Brian is the brains behind this whole endeavor.  The only thing I truly know is what I don’t know…..  Brian has the financial knowledge, the creativity, the technology know-how and the business savvy that I lack.  We don’t look at the world the same way and that is exactly why we are great partners! He oversees the development, implementation, training and monitoring of operational, financial and auditory procedures, practices and policies. In addition, he provides financial and operational oversight, property and facility management, team development, project planning and forecast management.  

With his vast experience, I am incredibly lucky to have him as my partner building this company literally from scratch!!  
He and is beautiful wife, Barbie, have lived on Grand Island for 25+ years.  He has twin daughters, one a lawyer and one a nurse practitioner. 

Michael Sanko, Food and Beverage Manager

Mike comes to us from Six Flags, Darien Lake, most recently.  He has a wealth of experience in the Food & Beverage industry, managing multiple outlets from full service to quick service, from many different theme parks all over the US and Canada.  He is passionate about surpassing service objectives via a combination of great guest service delivery using lean operating methods. We are thrilled to have Mike join our Team and help us develop our myriad of F&B outlets.  His creativity and dedication to detail will be key to helping The Falconwood become one of WNY’s premier event destinations and ensuring The V’Randa service standards are impressive and consistent. Bogey’s and The 180 at the golf course and The Sand Stand at the beach will continue to improve under this direction as well. 

Charles Panepinto, Guest Services Manager

Chuck oversees golf & marina operations (and will eventually take on the campground operations), but most of all he pitches in wherever we need him!!
He is a lifetime resident of Tonawanda, NY. He went to college at Medaille College and earned his Masters in Business Administration. He has worked in the private golf industry most of his career including as Tournament Director at Tan Tara Golf Club and Customer Service Manager at The Sportzone at The Dome. He’s demonstrated vision, leadership skills and a strong work ethic. I believe Charles will be an integral part of our management team as we build this business from the bottom up!  
 
He has been with his partner, Alyssa, since 2013.  He is an avid golfer and hockey player, winning conference golfer of the year in college and male athlete of the year 2018 at Medaille.  (And he has a really cool Mom!!!)

Peter Emborsky, Head Chef

Peter oversees menu development for The V’Randa, The Falconwood, Bogey’s and Take-Out Menus as well as coordinating a central kitchen that will provide for all our food and beverage outlets that Montana International oversees.
Peter’s passion for cooking started while experimenting in his parents and grandparents’ kitchens at a very young age. He ended up going to The Culinary Institute of America at 17 years old. After graduating, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts where he worked full-time as a chef for over 13 years. Boston taught him a lot about the business and he gained valuable skills and experience, but he was ready to return home and be closer to family. He is excited to bring his passion and unique style back to Buffalo. Not to mention he missed the Bills! When you hire a Chef and give them free reign like we have let Peter have, you have to have faith that the Chef’s style and abilities will match your expectations…  Chef Peter Emborsky’s style and abilities have exceeded my expectations!  He has nailed the ‘familiar but unique’, ‘excellent quality’ and ‘dishes that will wow’ specifications we gave him when we hired him! I can’t wait to see what the future holds!  Our goal is to be one of the best event destinations in WNY and Chef’s creations will play a huge role in making that a reality!