About
Why would you use Florida Vacation Connection instead of staying at a hotel? Staying in a private home or condo immerses you in the culture of the area. Rather than trying to keep you in one location for everything, it encourages you to explore. It gives you room to spread out, the ability to entertain new friends for dinner and a vacation experience that is unrivaled. It's also a better value - after all, why pay for one room when you can have the whole property?
Locally owned and managed since 1994, Florida Vacation Connection is an established management company with the resources and staff in place to ensure that all owner, guest and property needs are met. The owner of the company is actively involved in the day-to-day operations and is committed to your management needs. The majority of staff members have been with the company for over ten years; and with some approaching twenty years of service, we are proud of the commitment and dedication of our team. Due to our company's focus on a specific market niche, we are able to provide the personalized service and attention to detail that has been instrumental to our becoming the most efficient and reputable rental management company on St. Armand's, Lido Key and Longboat Key.
Our Team
Since 1994, Florida Vacation Connection has been owned and locally managed by Michele Knuese. Michele is involved in the day-to-day operation of the company and employs a "hands on" approach, making her readily available to property owners, rental guests and employees.
Our professional team consists of vacation rental experts in two fields: Our Reservations / Front Office team ensures optimal customer satisfaction; and our Property Management / Back Office team consistently delivers clean and well-maintained properties. These courteous professionals create a positive impression with their experience, education and extensive property knowledge.
Due to the smaller size of our company, we are able to provide personal attention to both owners and guests; any concerns are given the utmost priority. Because we service a defined geographic area (Longboat Key and Lido Key and St. Armand's) we can concentrate on knowing everything about our properties and the surrounding amenities.
Each team member works to build a positive relationship with guests, building a level of trust which encourages them to rent from us again. Guests know that they can count on our team; whether they are inquiring about the details of a specific property, or experiencing a maintenance problem with their vacation rental. Due to the relationships formed and the trust placed in us, 99% of our guests state they will rent from us again.
Local Experts
Our Team
Collectively, we have over 140 years vacation rental experience. We are the local experts!
Owner / President
Michele Knuese
Michele has been active in the local vacation rental business since 1987. As the owner and manager of the company, she is actively involved in all aspects of the business. To stay on top of industry trends, each year Michele attends the International Vacation Rental Managers Association Conference as well as district conferences. Prior to opening Florida Vacation Connection, Michele managed a large rental division on Longboat Key; she served nine years on the Board of Directors of the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, with two of those years as Chairman of the Board.
Rental Manager
Jeff Merckle
Jeff, Rental Manager, has over sixteen years in the vacation rental experience on the Gulf Coast of Florida, with focus in the Longboat Key and Lido Key areas. His talents include revenue management, customer relations management, call center management, business development, and systems architecture and integrations. Jeff continually strives to stay abreast of forward-driven technologies that favorably impact the STR sector and specifically the FVC family.
Operations Manager
Mark Dellamano
Relocated from Canada where he was General Manager of a vacation rental company for over ten years, Mark brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. His responsibilities as Operation Manager at FVC include oversight of Housekeeping, Maintenance, Property Inspections and Vendor Management. He will focus on process improvement and curating a center of excellence that consistently exceeds Guest and Owner expectations. In addition to vacation rental experience, he was also a Guest Service Manager at a high-end resort on Anna Maria Island. Before the hospitality industry, he spent many years in Global Banking and held senior level positions in client management, operations, process improvement and technology. We welcome Mark and are very pleased to have an operations expert on our team!
Reservations
Sue VanDiver
Sue has been with our company for over twenty five years, since 1999! She specializes in guest reservations and communication, maintaining our presence with on-line travel agencies (i.e. VRBO) and producing our monthly guest newsletters.
Reservations
John Stutsman
A recent addition to the Reservations team with over eight years vacation rental experience, John began his career in hospitality in 2016 after relocating to the area to be close to retired parents. With his intuitive and exceptional sales skills, he excels in helping Guests find the perfect vacation accommodation. Demonstrating sincere regard for others and a strong desire to serve effectively, he combines decades of experience in customer service with fundamental sales skills to identify and efficiently resolve issues, present creative solutions, and follow thorough to ensure resolution. When not assisting Owners or helping Guests, John relishes time with family, weekly beach days with friends, and live music, non-fiction books, and movies. We welcome John and believe that our Owners and Guests will enjoy working with him as much as we do!
Reservations
Dallas Green
Dallas was with our company for 20 years, then retired in July of 2020. We are fortunate that she came out of retirement and now works again with us part-time. Dallas has over 25 years experience in vacation rentals on Longboat Key and Lido Key. Dallas is a real people person and enjoys her relationships with our homeowners and guests. She is excellent at matching guests with their perfect vacation accommodation.
Bookkeeping
Cindy Steiner
Cindy has been with our company since 2004 and has been in the travel and hospitality industry for over twenty-six years. Cindy is our Back Office Manager and works closely with housekeeping and maintenance. She is also responsible for owner statements, sales tax reporting, guest accounts and vendor accounts.
Maintenance
Greg Swersky
Gregg brings his wealth of experience and unwavering motivation into his present role at FVC. As a committed team member, his primary objective is to guarantee that the properties entrusted to his care are upheld to the utmost standards of satisfaction. His comprehensive background in both home maintenance and landscaping harmonizes perfectly with the responsibilities he undertakes at FVC. With these skills and dedication, Gregg consistently contributes to the positive impact on property maintenance and ensures high client contentment.
Opertations
Gary Shelton
With over two decades of experience in the home maintenance industry, Gary is a valuable addition to our team. His extensive expertise and relentless work ethic make him the go-to person for a wide range of maintenance requests. Always on the go, Gary ensures that our vacation rental properties are well-maintained and in top-notch condition. Gary's knowledge spans across all areas of home maintenance, from plumbing and electrical work to carpentry and general repairs. His proactive approach to maintenance guarantees that potential issues are identified and resolved before they become major problems, ensuring a seamless experience for our guests. When Gary isn't hard at work, you can find him spending time with his family, exploring the outdoors, or indulging in his passion for woodworking. His enthusiasm for his craft shines through in every project he undertakes, making him an exceptional professional in the home maintenance industry.
Front Desk
Patti Giller
Patti has been with our company since 2010. She greets and interacts with all of our owners and guests. Patti is the friendly voice that answers the phones and she also assists the Housekeeping Department with quality control.
