DOVER TWP. - When the opportunity came up to manage Treetops Resort, Michael Fernandez took the job - moving his wife and son from Florida, barreling straight into northern Michigan's golf season, one of the busiest seasons of the year.

It also happened to be the week before the resort hosted the annual Par-3 Shootout.

“It was the quality of life and the development opportunity at the resort,” said Fernandez, 38. “Future planning with the resort is something I wanted to be a part of.”

“The first two weeks were a whirlwind,” he said.

Fernandez began his experience gathering 10 years ago, working for the Ritz Carlton in Dearborn. He worked as the general manager of the Tides Hotel in South Beach, Fla.; resort manager at the Four Seasons in Scottsdale, Ariz.; and hotel manager at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills.

He now manages 400 employees, 237 rooms, and 4,000 acres of rolling golf courses and accommodations in Dover Township at a time when revenues are down, despite an increase in the number of rounds played. There were 329,497 golf rounds played in the Gaylord Golf Mecca in 2005, up 12,551 rounds from 2004.

“Anyone who manages an operation deals with a seasonal environment and the business patterns around (them),” said Fernandez, also acknowledging the impact a sluggish Michigan economy has had on business. He will make his first corporate sales calls to Detroit in August.

“It's the epitome of relationship selling with long-standing clients,” he said.

Fernandez, who has played golf his entire life and enjoys skiing, seems undaunted by his choice to accept the job.

“I found an absolutely beautiful resort in northern Michigan with a rich history and even brighter future,” he said. “The community in which we operate is very important to me. I want to reach out to as many people as possible as quickly as possible.”

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