Brian Nowak is a key figure at Nowak Tours, a family-owned business specializing in student educational travel, where he serves as president and second-generation owner, having purchased the company from his father, Jerry.

He is deeply involved in planning school itineraries, managing client and staff relationships, overseeing operations, and ensuring clients receive high-quality, educational travel experiences with all logistics handled by the company.

Mike started with Nowak Tours in 2002. He is responsible for generating trip quotations, promotional materials, and much of the day-to-day business operations of the company.

Tom started with Nowak Tours in 2010 after retiring from his career as a teacher and administrator with Brooklyn City Schools. Tom assists with the planning and reservations of student tours.

Bob Francis worked 20 years in the typesetting & printing industries, then another 10 or so with Dale Carnegie Training. In January of 2016, joined Nowak Tours as the Transportation & Lodging Manager. Growth prompted a shift to focus on Lodging and Security over the last few years. 

He lives in Seven Hills with his wife, Luanne. Hobbies include golf, Motorcycling and Stamp Collecting. In mid-February 2026, Bob will be shifting to a part-time position during the busy season!

Wendy started with Nowak Tours in 2016 and has over 30 years of experience in the group travel industry.

Wendy is responsible for sales and coordinating all travel for adult groups.

Anthony Dennison brings an extensive background in transportation and motorcoach travel to the Nowak Tours team.  Whether it was driving, managing the operations of the bus company, or working out the details of the tours, he did what was needed to make the travelers’ journey as smooth as possible.  

As the Transportation and Lodging Manager, he deals directly with our hotel vendors and bus companies to make arrangements for our tours.  He is looking forward to working with our awesome group leaders in making their trips memorable for years to come.

Amy Taylor has been with Nowak Tours since 2022. Her job consists of daily contact with group leaders, working with parents on reservations and payments, and she is responsible for all fundraising and scholarships for schools. Amy assists with invoicing for the school group trips and handles all secretarial needs in the office.  

Cindy Volk, RN, joined Nowak Tours in July 2022 after retiring from a 40+ year nursing career at St. Vincent Charity Hospital and Cardiovascular Medicine Associates, Inc. 

She is the Finance Manager and is responsible for the management of all incoming and outgoing payments, including salaries for all of Nowak Tours employees and Tour Managers. She is an avid dog lover and lives right here in Valley City.

Evan Bainbridge is our main tour coordinator for all non-Washington DC school trips. He handles all logistics, from accommodations to itineraries, ensuring every trip runs smoothly and guests have a memorable, stress-free journey.”

Frank Dorazio is a Sales Executive at Nowak Tours with more than 35 years of experience working with K–12 school districts and higher education institutions. Prior to joining Nowak Tours, he spent seven years at FinalForms as an Account Executive, partnering with school districts across the country. 

Known for his consultative approach and long-standing client relationships, Frank has built a successful career delivering solutions that meet the unique needs of educational organizations. He holds degrees from The Ohio State University and Kent State University and lives in Lorain, Ohio, with his wife and four children.

Georgine Combs started with Nowak in 2022.  A former teacher, she now works “seasonally” answering the phones during the busy fall, winter, and spring.  She is responsible for managing all aspects of our travelers’ accounts and payments.  

She also assists parents and group leaders with any questions and helps to keep our tour managers’ files organized and up to date.  She loves working with everyone at Nowak, especially her son, Joshua (Transportation), and her brother, Bob (Lodging).

Joshua serves as the Transportation Coordinator at Nowak Tours. For the past two years, he’s been dedicated to helping our clients secure the transportation they need for safe and enjoyable trips. Joshua’s role allows him to combine strong customer service with careful coordination, ensuring every detail runs smoothly. Joshua takes pride in making travel stress-free and reliable for our clients.

Jennifer Gannon is a Tour Coordinator that has been working with Washington D.C. Student Trips for the past 17 years. She completes the itinerary with confirmed reservations and ticketing. 

Jennifer negotiates and makes the payment to the various itinerary dining and attractions. She coordinates with the Tour Staff before, during, and after the student trip. Jennifer makes changes with the itinerary when needed. Jennifer handles all of the Washington D.C. dietary requests and accommodations.

Jerry Jannazo comes to us from the telco industry. Recently retired, he joined our sales team and now helps plan and deliver enjoyable educational experiences for student groups.

Mark Kurz retired in July 2025 after 42 years in public education, serving as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal at both the elementary and middle school levels. I joined Nowak Tours the following month, in August 2025.

During his 24 years as principal of Olmsted Falls Middle School, I worked closely with Nowak Tours and participated in 22 Washington, DC trips with our 8th graders (missing only two years due to COVID). He was fortunate to have Jerry Nowak, founder of Nowak Tours, accompany him on his very first trip, and Brian Nowak, President of Nowak Tours, joined him on his final one.

In his current role with Nowak Tours, he oversees the assignment of tour managers for student trips, recruits and onboards new tour managers, and maintains our print and digital resources for schools.

Stefanie Bitto, with a degree in Education and a passion for travel, has been part of the Nowak Tours team since 2007. After working in Special Events and Group Sales at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

She returned to Nowak Tours part-time while raising her family of three boys. Stefanie coordinates meal orders, dietary needs, Capitol tour reservations, and other behind the scenes logistics. She loves helping students gain independence and create lifelong memories through travel.

Michael Stetz is a vital part of the Nowak Tours team, bringing extensive technical expertise to the company. After serving for many years as an outside contractor, he joined the Nowak family full-time in 2018.

With a robust background holding certifications in Microsoft, Cisco, and Network Security, Michael manages all technology aspects for the company. He works closely with Mr. Mike Jannazo on the development of the new Nowak software, ensuring cutting-edge tools for operations. Additionally, Michael provides comprehensive technical support, working with all office users to troubleshoot issues and answer questions regarding their technology.