A Thank You to John Villani!

When I sat down with John Villani on the Monday of his final week at Stone Creek Club & Spa, it did not feel like I was interviewing someone who was ready to leave. It felt like I was talking to someone who had quietly become part of the foundation of this place.

John has been here since before the doors ever opened. One month before June 29, 2009, he stepped into a building that was still finding its rhythm. He remembers that first morning clearly. It was 4:00 a.m. The club was set to open at 4:45. Everything was ready, but still new, still unknown. And then, right on time, the very first member walked through the doors.

Seventeen years later, John can still see that moment.

Long before Stone Creek, John was the kind of kid who took things apart just to understand them. If something broke, he wanted to know why. When he was 12 or 13, his mom’s dryer stopped working. Instead of purchasing a new one, she asked if he wanted to take a look. He did. He found the broken piece, went to the parts store, and fixed it himself. That curiosity never left him. It simply grew into a career.

At the beginning of Stone Creek, John was responsible for both maintenance and housekeeping. The building was brand new, and it was assumed that maintenance would be minimal. That did not last long. What did last was the standard he helped set.

Very early on, John realized that Stone Creek was not just another facility. He described it as something special, something the community was fortunate to have. A place people could come to unwind, connect, and feel taken care of. In his words, it truly became “Your Everyday Getaway.” And to John, that meant everything behind the scenes had to support that experience.

And with that came a sense of responsibility. He did not just maintain the club. He felt protective of it.

“To keep it up to its standards,” he explained, was not optional. It was the job.

But for John, the job was never just about the building.

He spoke about cleanliness not as a checklist, but as an experience. It did not matter how beautiful the facility was if the service did not match it. That is how the idea of constant locker room coverage came to life. The goal was simple. Every member should walk into the same experience, whether they were the first person through the doors or the last.

That mindset extended beyond the physical space. From the very beginning, the culture was intentional. Staff were not meant to stand behind desks. They were meant to connect. To know members. To build relationships.

Over the years, John has watched those relationships grow into something deeper. He has overheard conversations that went far beyond small talk. He has seen people from completely different walks of life form real connections here.

“That’s what makes it special,” he said. “It’s not surface level.”

When he talks about the team, it is clear how much pride he takes in the people around him. He made a distinction that stuck with me. There are employees who show up, do their job, and go home. And then there are people who care. People who go beyond what is required because it matters to them.

“That’s what moves a place like this forward,” he said.

You can see that belief reflected in the staff members he speaks about.

Over 17 years, John has touched nearly every part of this property. He has overseen projects that we take for granted today. The addition of three tennis courts. The expansion of Pebble Creek’s patio. New family locker rooms. Studio renovations. The walking trail. The café expansion. Most recently, the new pergola. And projects members don’t always see, such as a new pool chiller.

Each project added something physical to the club. But behind every one of them was the same intention. Take care of the place. Do things the right way.

The reality of his role, though, was never as straightforward as a project timeline.

“I might start something at 8:00 a.m.,” he told me, “but every ten minutes something changes.”

At Stone Creek, priorities shift quickly. A project can wait if something more urgent comes up. If the café cannot cook on the grill, that becomes his problem. If something breaks, it gets fixed. Immediately. Because if one department cannot function, it affects the entire experience.

“We’re a team,” he said. “You can’t just worry about your job.”

That perspective extends to how he sees the club compared to how members experience it. Members come here to unwind. To relax. To enjoy. Staff sees it differently.

“We’re looking for what’s wrong,” he said. “They’re looking for what’s right.”

And if he has done his job well for the past 17 years, members rarely notice anything that goes wrong at all. 

As we talked about his retirement, there was a pause. Not hesitation exactly, but reflection.

John has always looked forward to this moment, retiring with his wife, Amy. Amy retired this year as an RN. He has plans to spend more time with his parents, John and June, who are 91 and 86, and his sister Judy and brother-in-law, James. And with Jasper, his 11-year-old, four-legged son, who he is finally going to take on those long overdue walks along the lakefront.

But stepping away is not simple. Stone Creek has been his life for 17 years. A job that is always on. Always in the back of your mind. Always one call away.

“There’s a part of me that’s ready,” he said. “And a part of me that knows this is all I’ve done for a long time.”

Even so, he is confident in what comes next.

John is passing the role to Chris Cook, someone who already understands what this job requires. After retiring from the fire department, Chris is stepping in full time, bringing the same sense of responsibility and service that defined John’s career.

John does not say it lightly, but he believes Chris is the right person for the job. And that might be the most important part of this transition.

While John Villani is stepping back, what he built does not leave with him.
It lives in the standards. In the culture. In the way people show up for each other. In the details most people will never notice.

Seventeen years ago, he helped open the doors. Now, he leaves behind something that continues to open them for everyone else.

While this is a transition, it’s not a complete goodbye. Members will still see John around the club, as he will continue working one day a week, sharing his knowledge and helping guide the next chapter.