Herbert (Herb) Leuprecht, Chairman of the Board
Born and raised in Austria, Herb grew up in the hotel business and was educated in European hotel and culinary schools. After working in Switzerland and at his family’s two hotels in Austria he started his North American career in Montreal, Canada with Hilton International. Soon thereafter, Herb was recruited to work in Montana, becoming a hotel partner in 1975, and has been involved as an owner, builder, and investor in hotels since that time. He has served on several boards including the Board of Directors of Best Western International. Herb served for five years as Chairman of the Montana Workman’s Compensation State Fund. Herb is also active in many organizations in Butte as well as in other Montana communities. He is respected throughout the state as a soft-spoken executive who finds opportunities and is able to pull together the necessary resources to generate successful outcomes. Herb has a unique ability to unite people through leadership and the tenacity to fight for those he represents and advises. Herb’s success can be attributed to his experience, visionary outlook and employment of proven work principles and ethics.
Larry McRae, CEO
A third generation Montanan, Larry has owned or operated hotels around the United States for more than four decades including brands such as Western International, Sheraton, Ramada, Howard Johnson, LaQuinta and Best Western and including regional management of multiple hotels. His expertise includes successful operations of food and beverage operations, turnarounds of distressed properties, renovations and new construction. He has held executive positions with Helmsley Spear Management Company and LaQuinta Motor Inns. Larry has served on numerous professional boards, including many in the hospitality industry, Norwest Bank of Kalispell and Best Western International, where he was elected as Chairman of the Board for the years 2004-2005
Mike Johnson, President
Mike was appointed President of Management Consultants in 2011 and assumed the responsibilities of daily management, as well as leading the growth and development of the organization. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Montana Tech in Business Administration. In 1997 he was awarded an MBA from the University of Montana (U of M) and in 2012 the U of M conferred Mike a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership.
Mike brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience within hospitality, the utility industry, the utility-services sector, non-profit foundations, and higher education.
Mike strongly advocates for the hospitality industry at a local, state and national level. He serves as an advisor to multiple hotel brands and is the Vice Chair of the Montana Tourism Advisory Council.
Jackie Neumann, CFO
Jackie Neumann has been employed by Management Consultants, Inc. for the past 20 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Information Technology/Accounting from Montana Tech of the University of Montana and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. She specializes in hotel accounting and management and strives to provide strong financial controls and in-depth reporting. Her experience includes working with franchises such as Best Western, Wyndham and Hilton, as well as with independent properties.
Kami Johnson, Regional Vice President of Operations
Kami is a native Montanan who began her career in hospitality in 1984.
Early in her career, Kami took an interest in learning more about employment law and strategies. She owned and operated an Express Personnel Services franchise for nearly a decade. In addition to normal staffing duties for local companies, this business was the sole staff provider for several hotels in western and central Montana. These staffing responsibilities included recruiting, hiring, conflict resolution, and all payroll processes for employees in all departments.
Throughout her career in hospitality, Kami has served at all levels. From front desk agent to general manager, she was a proud hospitality specialist. Kami’s role within Management Consultants, Inc. supports operation duties for each of our hotels. Kami has working knowledge of multiple brands’ property management systems, standards, and procurement including but not limited to Best Western, Hilton, Marriott, My Place and Red Lion by Sonesta.
Kami is currently the Vice Chair of Advantage Butte and serves on the Butte TBID.
Bryce Baker, Vice President of Development
Bryce Baker, a native of Montana, embarked on his hospitality career in his hometown of Bozeman, MT. After eight years in the Bozeman and Great Falls hospitality sectors, Bryce joined our team in February 2012 and relocated to Sidney to lead our eastern Montana operations.
Since 2015, Bryce has been a vital part of the development and consulting team, offering insights into future projects as Management Consultants, Inc. continues its growth-focuses strategy. In March 2019, Bryce relocated to Kalispell, MT, to open the newly constructed My Place Hotel. In January 2024, Bryce expanded his responsibilities to include the Red Lion Ridgewater in Polson and the Best Western Shelby Inn & Suites.
Bryce’s leadership extends beyond his professional roles. In 2021, he was named Chairman of the Board of the Kalispell, Montana TBID and has been a director of the Montana Hotel and Lodging Association since 2014.
Bryce and his wife, Jenny, have two daughters. They enjoy supporting their daughters’ various sports and activities, from traveling across the West for soccer tournaments to watching their eldest begin her freshman year at North Dakota State University as a cheerleader and business major. In his limited free time, Bryce enjoys hobby farming, raising cattle for friends and family.
Whitney Bergmann, CHA, Regional Vice President of Operations
Whitney has a seventeen-year career in Montana hospitality operations, from full-service properties with Hilton to a seven-year tenure managing our award-winning Best Western Plus property in Missoula. She graduated from the University of Montana having studied English and Communication.
Currently Whitney serves as the Board Chair of the Missoula Tourism Business Improvement District, as well as the Chair for the Montana Lodging & Hospitality Association. Whitney also represents our hospitality partners by serving on the board of the Montana Travel Association. Whitney is heavily involved in legislative advocacy for hospitality on the local, state, and national levels.
In 2024 Whitney took on the role of Vice President of Operations. Whitney has overseen large-scale organizational and renovation projects, provided consulting services, and enjoys overhauling systems and organizational structures to provide faster, better quality, and more efficient processes in our industry.
In her free time, Whitney loves to explore Montana public lands with her husband and young son.