Employee Salute

Employee Profile: Todd Ashcraft

General Manager of Lake McDonald Lodge

By: Seth Eagleton

Employee Salute

We would like to introduce our readers to some of the stand-out members of our team here at Glacier Park, Inc. Check back for more of our Employee Salutes in the future. 

     There is something to be said about an employee who has the merit and perseverance to work their way up from the bottom of the ladder.  When you occasionally meet a manager who can claim this attribute, they are usually someone who genuinely cares a lot about those around them.  It doesn’t happen very often, but Todd Ashcraft is one of the elite few.  At times, people hold the position they do because they have learned the traits necessary to accomplish their responsibilities. With Todd, it’s easy to see that he is the General Manager of Lake McDonald Lodge because he is naturally hospitable.  Todd started with the company 18 years ago working in the laundry facility of Glacier Park Lodge. Since then, he has worked a number of positions throughout the park including bellman and transportation manager before reaching his current post as General Manager of Lake McDonald Lodge.

      I recently had a chance to visit with Todd as he gave a mini-tour of the Lake McDonald Lodge. One of the first things I noticed was that his staff felt comfortable interacting with their leader, which says a lot. And with all his time working in Glacier National Park through the years, you better believe he has some good stories to share. He mentioned a guest who awoke to a loose horse giving her the stare down through her window, and a staff member who had a stare down with a mountain lion outside of her dorm window! He mentioned that his biggest claim to fame (or infamy) was when he sunk his own boat twice in one week. The first time was because of an unknown leak, and he’ll take credit for that. The second time he passed responsibility off on a well meaning employee who disconnected the boat’s battery to avoid possible shorting out. Unfortunately, the bilge pump was relying on power from that same battery, and down went the boat again. Oops! 

     Most of the employees under his direction are college age and at a time in their lives when they are making some critical life decisions. He rejoices in the right decisions and cringes to hear of the poor ones.  He wants to see these kids do well. All in all, he is the kind of boss who not only knows how to work all of the positions he oversees, but isn’t afraid to jump in and get his hands dirty when needed. Todd Ashcraft, we salute you! 

Lake McDonald Lodge, the property that Todd oversees.