Executive Team


Rich Muller
Richard Muller
Executive Vice President, Resort Operations

Rich Muller is Executive Vice President, Resort Operations of Vacation Resorts International (VRI) and Trading Places International (TPI), which provide resort and homeowners’ association management services, as well as exchange and other leisure services, to the shared ownership industry. He provides leadership and oversees service delivery for the owners at VRI- and TPI-managed resorts and club locations in North America.

Mr. Muller has over 45 years of experience in the Hotel, Restaurant and Hospitality industry, including 26 years with VRI. His background and experience include concentrations in lending, finance, and accounting. He is a Registered Resort Professional (RRP) and has been intrinsically involved in the successful adoption of legislative and regulatory statutes initiated by The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) In the course of his lengthy career with VRI, Mr. Muller assumed increasing levels of responsibility and leadership positions contributing to the company’s growth and status as the country’s largest manager of independent timeshare resorts.

Teresa Brandt
Teresa Brandt
Senior Vice President, Resort Operations, Accounting

Teresa Brandt has over 25 years of accounting and finance management experience. Teresa’s expertise lies in the management and oversight of corporate accounting compliance requirements to ensure financial deliverables. She currently oversees all corporate finance and accounting for Vacation Resorts International and Trading Places which involves the monthly reporting of financial statements, budgets, SEC reporting schedules, and compliance with internal and external audit. Teresa also oversees corporate accounting operations, which includes: general ledger accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing and payroll. Ms. Brandt received her bachelor’s degree in finance from California State University, Fullerton.

Tom Bruette
Tom Bruette
Senior Vice President of HOA Accounting

Mr. Bruette has been with VRI since 1986. Mr. Bruette is responsible for all aspects of resort accounting, financial analysis, budget preparation, coordination of resort independent year-end accounting services including tax reporting and resort cash management for VRI.

Jan Samson
Jan Samson
Senior Vice President of Business and Corporate Development

Jan Samson is the Senior Vice President Business and Corporate Development for Vacation Resorts International. Ms. Samson is responsible for new business, acquisition of management contracts, renewal of existing contracts, business alliances, and development of corporate programs & special projects.

Prior to joining Vacation Resorts International in 2004, she held a variety of operational management, accounting and executive-level controllership positions with major hospitality and vacation ownership businesses. She has more than 33 years of experience in the industry. Ms. Samson graduated from Ferris State University with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management and an associate’s degree in accounting. She is active in ARDA and holds a community association license in the state of Florida.

Tom O’Brien
Tom O'Brien
Regional Vice President, Resort Operations, West

Mr. O’Brien has been with VRI since 1986. Mr. O’Brien has been in the hospitality industry for over 30 years, working in the timeshare industry for the last 32 years, is responsible for resort operations at all VRI-managed resorts in the Western region of the U.S. and shares responsibility for the Central region of the U.S. with Royce Pennington. Mr. O’Brien has a degree in Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional management from Purdue University, and currently serves on several Association Boards of Directors. Mr. O’Brien's experience and leadership has helped grow the company and provides a solid foundation for its continued expansion.

Royce Pennington
Royce Pennington
Regional Vice President, Resort Operations, Central

Mr. Pennington has been with VRI since 1990, and has worked in the resort and property management industry for over 26 years. Immediately prior to becoming a VRI employee, he served as General Manager of a large multi-use resort development. His extensive experience in resort administration, operations and development afford him the uncommon ability to provide guidance and direction to on-site managers and staff from a "hands-on" perspective. Mr. Pennington oversees VRI's Southwest region and shares responsibility for the Central region of the U.S. with Tom O'Brien.