After a successful career as a Fortune 100 finance executive, Mary Passalacqua traded in her business attire and rigid corporate schedule for casual clothing and entrepreneurial life as an owner of Woolverton Inn. Since purchasing the Inn with her husband Mario in 2016 after years of preparation, Mary completely switched gears to embark on her “second act” and hasn’t looked back. 
She manages all aspects of this charming Bed and Breakfast in Stockton, New Jersey, with her husband and staff. Overseeing new additions and modern renovations to the picturesque property are among her responsibilities to ensure a first-class guest experience and invest for the Inn’s future prosperity. 
Previously Mary held leadership roles in finance at Honeywell, Avaya, Sealed Air and Zoetis while raising the couple’s three children, one of which was married at the Inn this summer. The impetus for her unconventional journey from accomplished financial executive to busy Inn owner started years ago. 
Growing up as the oldest of seven children in New Haven, Connecticut, she enjoyed a close-knit family of Italian heritage where bountiful meals and celebrations were common. Mary met her future husband Mario in college. As newlyweds they lived in Binghamton, New York, often spending weekends exploring quaint towns around the Finger Lakes while discovering the myriad pleasures Country Inns offer. 
Fast forward 10 years when they continued to enjoy getaways at B&Bs in Vermont, New York, and fortuitously in New Hope, PA. These visits sparked an interest in owning a B&B one day where her business acumen would be useful. She and Mario partook in a workshop given by Inn Partners and consulted with other innkeepers and experts so they would be prepared for the right opportunity.
In February 2016, Mary finally made the pivot, stepping away from finance to realize her lifelong dream by purchasing Woolverton Inn. This historic Bed and Breakfast dates back to 1792 gracing ten idyllic acres surrounded by 300 acres of preserved farmland and secluded forest. Minutes from Lambertville, NJ, and New Hope, PA, it features 14 luxurious renovated cottages and guest rooms, a new state-of-the-art conference center and a new tented outdoor event space and dance floor. 
Mary and her family took advantage of a chance to work and live in Milan, Italy, from 2009 – 2011. It was a transformative stay that directly influences their overall approach to hospitality. They were welcomed like old friends rather than strangers from abroad by local families, colleagues and shopkeepers alike, making them feel right at home. This special aura is woven into the guest experience. For example, occasionally the Inn hosts a Milanese aperitivo, to replicate when people gather in Milan’s lively bars, restaurants and cafés after work and before dinner over drinks, snacks and conversation. 
Prior to moving to Stockton in a home down the road from Woolverton Inn, Mary enjoyed restoring their historic 1895 colonial in South Orange, NJ. The Inn gives her opportunities to express her creative side by gardening, cooking and blogging. She also enjoys playing the piano, nature walks and bike riding. Mary earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Tufts University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Active in the community, Mary and Woolverton Inn are members of three Chambers of Commerce including Hunterdon’s, Delaware River Towns’ and Princeton Mercer’s.
