Our People

On The Scene has established a reputation for earning our client’s trust through Chicago knowledge and expertise, consistent repeatable client satisfaction and a passion for what we do.

The On The Scene staff

John Stachnik, General Manager

John Stachnik is General Manager for On The Scene destination management.  He is responsible for the overall financial performance and high level of service quality provided by On The Scene.  John strongly believes that superior customer service and attention to detail are crucial to meeting our client’s goals and objectives.  Before joining On The Scene, John spent 9 years in a variety of sales and consulting positions in the business software solution industry.  He established a proven track record of meeting or exceeding sales goals and objectives and received several awards for outstanding performance and contribution to the success of the company.  He is a participating member in industry associations such as ADME and MPI.  John received a B.A. in Logistics Management at Michigan State University.

Jay Weidner, Director of Sales and Marketing

A 16 year Travel Industry Veteran, Jay Weidner, Director of Sales and Marketing for On the Scene Destination Management joined the company after four years of internet travel sales.  During his four years he worked extensively with major travel providers such as The Mark Travel Corporation, United Airlines, American Airlines and all of the major hotel corporations in the Central United States.  Prior to LastMinuteTravel.com, Jay was the Vice President of Sales for Mayflower Tours, A USTOA member based in Downers Grove, Illinois.  While at Mayflower, Jay moved through the ranks of the sales department before ultimately heading the sales and distribution growth of the entire division.  He also served as the General Manager for one of the Mayflower Group’s divisions, New Directions tours based in suburban Detroit.  Jay received his B.A. in Communications from John Carroll University in Cleveland.

Sara Ruby, Event Manager

Sara comes to On The Scene with multiple years of experience in the DMC industry in Chicago.  Before her DMC work in Chicago, Sara did programming and convention management for youth groups in the Midwest.  She also worked for 5 summers creating programs and planning off-site trips for a camp in Indiana.  After planning programs for kids, it was finally time for Sara to move to Chicago and start planning for adults!  Sara graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Political Science, where she was also a tour guide.  She brings her experience of coordinating tour programs, convention planning, and program creation to On The Scene, with experience on all sides of the industry.

Annika Clutch, Event Manager

Annika brings years of travel and hospitality industry experience in Europe, Washington D.C., and Chicago to On the Scene.  Before joining the On the Scene team, Annika opened the Park Hyatt Washington as the Assistant Front Office Manager /Head Concierge.  She also spent five years planning major events in Europe and the U.S. for a wide range of clients, including those in the pharmaceutical, automotive, mass media, and entertainment industries.  Annika is a DePaul University graduate with a B.A. in International Studies.  Her Latin American Studies concentration included a research project in El Salvador and volunteer work for the Marjorie Kovler Center for the Treatment of Survivors of Torture.  Annika speaks German and French, and is actively building her Spanish skills!

Jamie Orr, Event Manager

Jamie Orr is our newest Program Manager from the University of Northern Iowa. With a degree in Leisure, Youth and Human Services-emphasizing in tourism, and a minor in Fine Arts, she has taken an interest in the field of Event Coordination. During her years of school, she worked in customer service at local hospitality facilities as well as becoming the catering supervisor at a prestigious event facility. This allowed her to plan and implement programs and events for large and small groups of all ages. After a three-month internship, Jamie has joined On The Scene full time.

Lola Fernandez, Accountant