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Contact: Glenn M. Faria
Innkeepers: The Salem Inn [Salem, Mass Spring 2000] For Diane and Richard Pabich, becoming innkeepers was never on their collective radar screens. But kismet brought about career and life changes rather unexpectedly. Diane Pabich was a dynamic Boston real estate developer with a Master’s degree in Mathematics. Richard was a software engineer for Raytheon whose repertoire included work on the Patriot Missile’s software. From these diverse and seemingly unrelated backgrounds, the Pabichs purchased three dilapidated townhouses in 1983. After extensive renovations and restoration, The Salem Inn opened in 1983. Since 1983, the innkeepers purchased The Curwen House in 1994 and The Peabody House in 1996, bringing the Inn’s room complement to 39 rooms and suites. These two historically and architecturally significant structures have been completely renovated with great historical sensitivity yet with an eye towards providing modern conveniences which do not fly in the face of historic preservation. Becoming innkeepers has been a somewhat
natural extension of the Pabichs’ former careers. Diane
often calls upon her natural talents and experience as a developer,
her knowledge of design, construction permitting, dealing with
zoning agencies, financing marketing and sales have all augmented
her natural instincts. Richard’s engineering background
led naturally to his developing a proprietary property management
and reservations software system for the Inn which later was
made available to lodging properties nationwide. The Pabichs are very hands-on innkeepers who also maintain a very full schedule of community service. Richard was recently appointed chairman of Destination Salem, the city’s new destination marketing organization, and recently became a trustee of the House of Seven Gables, one of Salem’s premier tourism assets. Diane is always active with civic affairs and can often be found at city offices or overseeing new projects at the Inn. The Pabichs often find themselves at the hub of much of the excitement in Salem these days. Primarily because, through the years, they have always been pro-active in the destination marketing efforts of Salem long before there was a Destination Salem. These innkeepers epitomize “big-picture” thinking and, although they modestly side-step the praise, the current “Salem Renaissance” is due, in no small part, to their collective vision and investment. The Pabichs live in Salem and have three grown children: a son, David, and two daughters, Jill and Wendy. |
