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THE UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR GOVERNMENT HOUSE Charlotte Amalie, V.I. 00802 340-774-0001 May 29, 2025 VIA HAND-DELIVERY Honorable Milton E. Potter Senate President Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Virgin Islands Capitol Building St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802 Re: Nomination of Mr. Mark M. Wiechnik, Esq.— Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Commission Dear Mr. President: In accordance with the provisions of Title 3, Chapter 22 § 403 of the Virgin Islands Code, I hereby nominate Mr. Mark M. Wiechnik, Esq. to serve as a member of the Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Commission representing the District of St. Thomas-St. John. He is an attorney who brings a wealth of experience in renovation and rehabilitation of properties. In January 2025, he led the reopening of Hotel 1829 and restored the nearly 200-year-old landmark property. Accordingly, it is my pleasure to ask for the advice and consent of the Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Virgin Islands on the nomination of Mr. Mark M. Wiechnik, Esq. His resume and questionnaire are enclosed for your review. I respectfully urge the Legislature to take timely action to advance this nomination to prevent any delays in the official functions of the Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Commission. Your prompt and favorable confirmation will enhance the Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Commission to meet its demanding operations and the continued work to serve the people of the United States Virgin Islands. Sincerely, Albert Bryan Jr. Governor Enclosure Cc: — Senator Carla J. Joseph Chair, Committee on Rules and Judiciary Mark Wiechnik Accomplished professional in both the legal field and hospitality. Owner and passionate restorer of historic hotels. EXPERIENCE Kings Quarter Hospitality, St. Thomas VI — Owner August 2016 - PRESENT Co-founded Kings Quarter Hospitality, overseeing operations of Hotel 1829 and At Home in the Tropics, two historic boutique properties in St. Thomas. Led the reopening of Hotel 1829 in January 2025, restoring a nearly 200-year-old landmark property with a focus on historic preservation and modern guest experiences. Ansell, Grimm & Aaron, Princeton, NJ — Partner January 2015 - April 2020 Trial attorney primarily focused on construction litigation, representing business clients in complex legal disputes with a focus on strategic resolution. Provided counsel on various transactions, ensuring compliance with regulations and mitigating risks for clients in business and property matters. Conducted various jury trials with an excellent success rate. Herrick Feinstein, New York, NY — Partner April 2012 - January 2015 Trial attorney focused on construction litigation and condominium and homeowners associations. Representation of corporate clients in complex legal disputes with a focus on strategic resolution and regulatory compliance. Corporate counsel for associations, mitigating risks for clients in business and property matters. EDUCATION Seton Hall University School of Law, Newark, NJ — JD September 1998 - June 2001 Juris Doctorate awarded June 2001. New Jersey Bar December 2001. . The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ — BS September 1994 - June 1998 Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice - 1998 SKILLS Mediation and arbitration Regulation and statute interpretation MEMBERSHIPS New Jersey Bar Assn (2001-Present) Mercer County Bar Association (2001-2012) Virgin Islands Bar Assn - Application Pending St. Thomas Historical Trust Member (2019-Present) Downtown Revitalization Inc. (2020-Present) Legacy Treatment Center Member (2008-2018) President (2015-2018) sFfosssfss eos stegas­tatformed seottsggIoooacc coeeteedeeeeds Office of the Governor Questionnaire for Nominees to Departments, Agencies, Boards & Commissions 3|Page NOMINEE'S NAME: 44714 Wrecker 10. EMPLOYMENT RECORD: Please list, in chronological order, your complete employment record for the past ten (10) years, beginning with the present or most recent position. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] Employer Dates of Position Address/Phone # Supervisor Employment Ansell, Grimm and Aaron, | January 2015 - Partner 214 Carnegie David Byrne, Esq. PC March 2020 Center Princeton, NJ 00850 ; MJB Caribbean Ventures, | March 2020- Owner 25 Dronningens Self Employed Inc Present Gade 11. GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: A. List all federal, state, territorial or local government service, giving dates and type of service such as employee, boards, commissions, executive, legislative or judicial branches, consultant, voluntary service, part-time or honorary. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] B. List and attach a copy of all service contracts. you have held independently or been a party to with the Government of the Virgin Islands. Office of the Governor Questionnaire for Nominees to Departments, Agencies, Boards & Commissions 4|Page NOMINEE’S NAME: Maa pdwdhnile 12. BUSINESSES AND FINANCIAL INTEREST: List all businesses (for profit or not for profit), real estate and trusts in which you have at least a 10% interest or control of assets or serve as an officer or member of a board with voting rights. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] MJB Caribbean Ventures, Inc. - 49% owner. 13. QUALIFICATIONS: What in your opinion qualifies you to serve the People of the Virgin Islands in the position, which the Governor has nominated you? | have been a full time resident of the Virgin Islands for nearly 10 years. We now own two hist in Charlotte Amalie, and operate a successful business as well as live in the city. | have been the Downtown Revitalization, Inc. group for several years, and am an active supporter of the # Trust. | have undertaken personally the renovation and rehabilitation of properties in the histo with much success. As a construction litigation attorney | have experience reading statutes ar as well as architectural and engineering plans, attending hearings and dealing with complex SECTION Ii: HONORS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS 14. MEMBERSHIPS: List all memberships and offices held in professional, fraternal, scholarly, civic, charitable, and other organizations. New Jersey Bar Association, Mercer County Bar Association, Board Member of Downtown R¢ 15. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, TRUSTS, ETC.: List all government or private sector boards, trusts or fiduciary responsible positions on which you have served or are now serving. President of the Legacy Treatement Center Board of Trustees - a volunteer board of a $50 mi charitable organization that provides mental health services to children and adults in New Jers 16. HONORS AND AWARDS: List all scholarships, fellowships, honorary degrees, honor society memberships, and any other special recognition for outstanding service or achievement. Office of the Governor Questionnaire for Nominees to Departments, Agencies, Boards & Commissions 5|Page NOMINEE'S NAME: Marcle, (WyednaC 17. PUBLISHED WRITINGS: List all titles, publishers and dates of books, articles, reports, or other published materials you have written. American Bar Association Manual on Construction Defects - Reviewing Editor SECTION Ill: CHARACTER 18. Have you ever been the subject of a grand jury, police, and department of justice or any lly constituted government authority, investigation anywhere or at anytime? YES \WJNO If you answer is yes, please explain with details including date and location. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] 19. Have you everbeen arrested in any geographical location for any offense, including traffic violations? YES W|No If yes, please explain with details including offense, date of location and disposition. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] = ate Ae Pm i Om y wid er i. eS Se eT ers ee A ee) id: ——— Office of the Governor Questionnaire for Nominees to Departments, Agencies, Boards & Commissions 6|Page NOMINEE’S NAME: Mark [Anechc \f yes, please explain with details including offense, date, location and current status. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] 21. _Is there now or has there ever been a judgment entered against you? LJves W]no If the answer is yes, please explain with details on date, location and disposition or current status. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] 22. e you.ever been a respondent in any labor dispute or discrimination proceeding? Yes |W|NO If the answer is yes, please explain with details on date, location and disposition or current status. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] 23. Have you now or have you ever been a member of an organization or an associate of an individual advocating terrorism, overthrow of a g ment by force or the advocacy or subordination of any ethnic group or individuals? ES NO f If the answer is yes, please give details of dates, names of organizations, names of individuals and all pertinent circumstances. [Attach additional sheet(s), ‘if necessary, and reference this Office of the Governor Questionnaire for Nominees to Departments, Agencies, Boards & Commissions 7|Page NOMINEE’S NAME: Mark WJveexn 24. ~—_-Do you know of any individyz Organization or group, which can be expected to oppose your nomination? YES NO If the answer is yes, please list the individuals, organizations or groups by name and give the details of your belief for their opposition. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] 25. Do you have any outstanding and delinquent monetary obligations to the Government of the Virgin Islands or any other public or private entity, including but not limited to, personal income taxes, business taxes, real property taxes (commercial or residential), business license renewals, trade name renewals, annual reporting fees, professional organization dues, child support, judgments, debt Government of the Virgin Islands, includes but is not limited to the following departments, agencies and instrumentalities: the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Tax Assessor, Department of Justice Division of Paternity and Child Support, Board of Education, Economic Development Authority, U. S. Small Business Administration, Small Business Development Center, Police Department, Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, the Water and Power Authority, the Waste Management Authority, Department of Health, Department of Human Services YES V Ino If the answer is yes, please attach a detailed explanation of what outstanding and delinquent monetary obligations are owed, the reason for the delinquency, and the intended plan to bring the matter current. SECTION IV: CONFLICT OF INTEREST 26. Please explain your understanding of "Conflict of Interest" as it applies to the position to which you have been nominated to serve the People of the Virgin Islands. if = A conflict of interest is when the requirements of a particular position conflict with a persons personal interests, resulting in the possiblity of personal gain or enrichment. Office of the Governor Questionnaire for Nominees to Departments, Agencies, Boards & Commissions 8] Page NOMINEE'S NAME: Male Whredynil< 27. Do you own a business or real estate, or are you a partner or shareholder or affiliated in ay to sell or provide goods or services to the Virgin Islands Government? YES fe) If the answer is yes, please explain and give the name and location of these interest(s) and how you promise to remove yourself from any possible conflict. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] Sometimes we provide guest rooms to visiting govermnment officials, which is paid by the goverment or a government agency. 28. Does any close relative or spouse have a business or real estate interest(s) as described in question 25? Les [v ]No If the answer is yes, please explain and give the name and location of these interest(s) and how you propose to remove yourself from any possible conflict. (Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary.) ___ SECTION V: 408 PERFORMANCE ad a datas In no more han 150 wor peat outline i in priority order your f four ‘a specif shor and four (4) specifi | ng Office of the Governor Questionnaire for Nominees to Departments, Agencies, Boards & Commissions 9|Page NOMINEE’S NAME: Marcle. Wreelprl * In the short term, | would focus on providing specific written rules to all members of the public, who own historic properties, developing an online portal for submission of documents and appl as to the process for approvals and the complexity of the application and hearings. Long term, | would confer and engage with owners of downtown properties to provide advice aj funding, schedules, contractors and materials. Making it clear that in some instances synthetic available and encouraged in some instances by HPC. Also creating a system by which local cd donate their time and/or materials to repair historic properties downtown and receive either an donation. 30. As you must know, the Virgin Islands Government does not have the monetary resources to continue business as usual. Do you have a fiscal plan in place to deal with less spending and a streamlined system to deliver services to the residents of this Territory? |v Wes NO If your answer is yes, please give a brief summary of your plan. If your answer is no, please explain how you intend to operate your department with less money and deliver the services to the residents as required. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] While | am not privy to the budget of the HPC, the members of the Board can and do provide cost and can supplement and assist the paid members of the Commission. Providing advance and concerns answered online can reduce the amount of time members spend on administrativ provide more substantive issues the time they deserve. 31. What is your view and understanding of Equal Employment Opportunity and Sexual Harassment? [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] Equal Opportunity means hiring persons based purely on qualifications and not on immutable tl Sexual Harrassment, presumably in the context of employment means the prohibition against or requiring certain actions as a prerequisit to employment or advancement. 32. Have you ever been named as a party in any hearing, administrative, civil, and criminal, including EEOC, civil rights or sexual harassment? SNES LY¥_INo If yes, please explain in detail, giving date, venue, agency, and the names of the other parties and the ~ disposition. [Attach additional sheet(s), if necessary, and reference this question number] Office of the Governor Questionnaire for Nominees to Departments, Agencies, Boards & Commissions 10|Page NOMINEE'S NAME: Merle. Wied /L- 33. Is there any additional information that you believe would assist the Committee on Rules and the Judiciary in processing your nomination expeditiously? CERTIFICATION: This is to certify and affirm that all the statements contained herein and in any supporting documents or schedules or other such supporting documents or schedules executed at a later date as a part or addendum to this document are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and are made in good faith. Signed this _/ qth day of A/4, 20 AS Mark Wiechnik ” PUA Nominee’s Name [Print Clearly] Signature of Nominee [4 day of MNre Ce VAbbbtitagy a ottig * sae Tay s ‘ . Ve nimge AY, i Kate PUBLIC “ef _. * LaVerne Slack ~. .. 4, Commission Exp. March 18,2027 } : “( SAP “Notary: Public NP 596-23 : St Thomas/St. John District 3