Brian Kautz, PGA - General Manager

At the age of twenty-five, Brian earned his first head professional job at The Pointe in Bloomington, Indiana. He later left the club arena to work for Pro Group, Arnold Palmer’s golf company. Eventually he came back to the club side of the business and held various positions including Director of Golf at the Estero Country Club in Florida and Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire, Michigan. As General Manager of The Dunes, Brian enjoys applying his wealth of knowledge and experience on beautiful Sanibel Island.

Dana Swanson, Certified Wedding Planner - Membership and Catering Sales Manager

Originally from Swedesboro, New Jersey, Dana joined The Dunes in 2014. In 2017, she earned the designation of Certified Wedding Planner and was promoted to the position of Membership and Catering Sales Manager. Dana graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Resort & Hospitality Management from Florida Gulf Coast University. Dana loves cultivating relationships with members and guests as well as planning every detail of life celebrations such as weddings, anniversaries and other special events.

RoRo Garat - Executive Chef

Chef RoRo has worked at The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club on and off for over 20 years. In his role as Executive Chef, he has been honored with top awards for his culinary creations, including Best Steak Sandwich at Sanibel’s famed Taste of The Islands event. RoRo’s signature steak and seafood dishes are among members and guests favorites on his globally inspired menu.

Roy Jones - Golf Course Superintendent

Originally from the UK, Roy studied Sports Turf Management before emigrating to the United States in 1996. His career in golf course management began with a one-year internship at The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club from 1994 to 1995. After gaining experience in various roles at different courses, Roy returned to The Dunes in 2011 as Assistant Superintendent and was promoted to Superintendent in 2019. With a deep passion for maintaining top-quality playing conditions, Roy brings decades of expertise in turf management, sustainability, and course improvement. His hands-on approach and commitment to excellence ensure that The Dunes remains a premier golf destination. Outside of work, Roy enjoys cycling and can often be spotted riding the roads of Sanibel during the quieter summer months. Fun Fact: Early in his career, while working at a celebrity tournament, Roy saw a player hit a poor shot off the tee. Without hesitation, he let them know they weren’t very good at golf—only to later realize the player was MLB Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers.

Zach Ninkovich - Food & Beverage Supervisor

Zach joined The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club 2015 as a server/bartender before being promoted to the role of Food & Beverage Manager. In this capacity he oversees all front of the house operations in food & beverage. Zach works closely with Dana in staging memorable events and member activities.

Chris Pais, PGA Life Member

Originally from Hillside New Jersey, Chris relocated to Southwest Florida fresh out of high school in the 1987 and began his career in golf at Wildcat Run CC in Estero. From there his journey included stops at Lake Sunapee in NH and Fiddlesticks CC in Fort Myers. Then came a stint of years working for prominent Southwest Florida homebuilders Worthington Communities and WCI Communities. Chris also spent the better part of a decade teaching and coaching golf for the nation's largest indoor lesson provider conducting over 1200 lessons annually. He has a daughter Emily and grandson Kenji that reside in Prescott Valley Arizona. Interests include boating, fishing, skiing, and the occasional round of golf.

MaryLou Holler, Director of Membership Services

Born in Brighton, Massachusetts, MaryLou went to school in Kent, Ohio. At the age of 23 she opened a restaurant in Manchester, NH. 1991 was the year she moved to Southwest Florida. In 2015, MaryLou came to The Dunes as a bartender/server, and took the position of Director of Membership Services in 2024. Her focus is engaging member participation in social functions.