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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stacy Pope
CONTENTS
EDITOR David Putnam ASSOCIATE EDITOR Priscilla Pérez Billig CONSTRUCTION EDITOR Alfonso Rivera DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Barry Redmayne SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Charlene Gray Jennifer Dorman Rodney Fleming Lynette Ching
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ADVERTISING ADMINISTRATOR Lorraine Cabanero CONTROLLER Tracy Kalahiki ACCOUNTING MANAGER Piilani Kaalekahi PRODUCTION MANAGER Blanche Pestana SENIOR DESIGNERS Ursula A. Silva Kim Martin Jillian Roque
JULY/AUGUST 2014 Volume 29 – No. 4
6 8 12 16 22 25 28 33 33 34
Halekulani Celebrates 30 Years Digital Pursuit It's Expo Time! Women at the Top Technology in the Kitchen Meet Chef Sheldon Simeon News Briefs Talk Story with George Szigeti Clean Talk with Rose Galera At the Table with Roger Morey
CIRCULATION MANAGER Chelse Takahashi PRODUCTION SUPERINTENDENT Abe Popa SENIOR PRESS OPERATORS Bill Yiulin Dean Onishi POST PRESS MANAGER Chris Castelli DIGITAL PRESS MANAGER Don Takashima MAILROOM MANAGER Aaron Popa Chairman & President CARL HEBENSTREIT Publisher & CEO KEN BERRY COO & Assistant Publisher FAITH FREITAS Associate Publisher BARRY REDMAYNE
287 Mokauea St., Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 Tel: (808) 848-0711 • Fax: (808) 841-3053 www.tradepublishing.com © 2014. No reproduction without permission. Statements of fact and opinion made in stories, columns or letters submitted by freelance writers and other contributors are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Trade Publishing Co. ASSOCIATIONS
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25 CHECKING INN
Like many industries, hospitality is changing quickly. Technology has seeped into every corner, helping us do everything from attracting new visitor markets to tracking food inventory down to the last lemon slice. In this issue of Hawaii Hospitality, we take a look at some of the latest tech trends. Also, the number of women in hospitality leadership positions has grown exponentially over the last 20 and even 10 years. In our pages you’ll meet 17 Hawaii women who’ve reached the top and can tell you what it takes to make it. Alongside these positive industry transformations, one thing remains constant: the people we serve. It’s why we’re here. “Relationships are at the heart of hospitality,” says Kelly Hoen, general manager of The Royal Hawaiian. In Hawaii, a land brimming with both team spirit and aloha spirit, this is where we can and should excel. Don’t forget the Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality & Foodservice Expo on July 9 and 10. It’s an incredible opportunity to check out the latest goods and gadgets from hundreds of hospitality and restaurant vendors, plus mingle and network. We hope to see you there!
Aloha,
Stacy Pope Editor-In-Chief
Hawaii Hospitality July/August 2014 ■
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ON THE COVER
Hawaii's female GMs in the spotlight Cover Design: Ursula A. Silva
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Halekulani CELEBRATES S YEARS PHOTOS BY CHANDRA LUCHETTI
A
n invite-only event executed with Halekulani’s white-glove perfection, the five-star Waikiki hotel pulled out all the champagne stoppers May 22 to celebrate 30 years. Seen and heard: four Hawaii governors; Halekulani’s corporate leadership from Japan, who bowed graciously to every guest that entered the ballroom; rows of chefs preparing everything from caviar and oyster dishes to handmade chocolates; and members of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, who performed onstage throughout the evening.
Aaron Mahi, Cathy Foy Mahi, Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Donna
Emme Tomimbang, Sean Morris and Lena Morris
John Miller, Kanoe Miller, Tandy Moore, Vicky Cayetano and Ben Cayetano
Albert Chong, Clarence Izuo, Lisa Yamamoto and Craig Yamamoto
Howard Hamamoto, Bobby Ichikawa, Ken Mizuno and Keith Kurahashi
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Hawaii Hospitality July/August 2014 ■
Danielle Yafuso, Mary Suenaga and Myles Shibata
Bebber and Gov. Neil Abercrombie
Sheryl Seaman, Sharon McPhee and Scott Dewar
Yoshinori Maeda, Hitoshi Saito and Satoshi Hironaka
Jerold Peters, Lola Cohen, Stanford Lee and Laurie Akau
Randy Hiraki, Lynne Kinney, Ken Mizuno, Coleen Mizuno, Grace Kido and Kip Kamoto
Gary Kai, Tom Brower, Sharry Menor-McNamara and Enrico Fontana
Liane Sunn, Rick Blangiardi and Debbie Anderson
Ruth Rittmeister, Hans J. Strasser and Marie-Claire Strasser
Fred Honda, Bill Wilson and Gary Kai
www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com
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DIGITAL PURSUIT Testing new online strategies targeting Asia's coveted visitors
BY PRISCILLA PÉREZ BILLIG
A
mid a steady increase in visitors from China, Korea and Taiwan, Hawaii continues to refine its digital presence. Of particular interest is the tourist from China, where a rising middle class, softening travel restrictions and growing social transformation has made it the largest contributor to global tourism revenue. To attract visitors from Asia to Waikiki, PacRim Marketing Group, Inc. cross markets client brands with advertorials, blogs, videos, posts and promotions on multiple social media platforms, combining and connecting with websites in what it calls an “omni-channel” approach that differs from English-language search engines and blogs. It uses campaigns and sweepstakes to boost client brands, advertising and promotions. PacRim’s Asian language social media posts 8
Hawaii Hospitality July/August 2014 ■
point to either hotel and dining websites or to its Chinese, Korean or Japanese portal websites, which help travelers make reservations or arrange a dining experience. “Currently there is a huge shift in the way social media is being used in China,” says Dave Erdman, president and CEO of PacRim and PRTech, LLC. “WeChat (Weixin in Chinese) is increasingly being used for day-today communication and to connect consumers with brands. While at its core it’s an instant messaging service, WeChat also has robust social networking elements that make it very unique and effective.” WeChat provides mobile multimedia communication with text messaging, hold-to-talk voice messaging, broadcast messaging, photo and video sharing, location sharing and contact
information exchange. As mobile usage increases throughout Asia, the traveler is looking for responsive web design that offers easy reading and navigation across all IT devices.
BY THE NUMBERS “Chinese tourists spent more than $102 billion last year on overseas trips,” says Shao Qiwei, head of China’s National Tourism Administration. “The United States received 1.47 million Chinese visitors in 2012, and the number is increasing by 35 percent each year, a figure that puts it far ahead of any other country. Chinese travelers also spent $8.8 billion last year in the U.S., making America the top spending destination for Chinese tourists.” Chris Thomson, president and CEO of Brand USA, the official U.S.
tourism and marketing organization, predicts China will be the top tourist source for the U.S. in 2018 with the number of visiting Chinese reaching 4.7 million annually. Currently Hawaii’s tourism industry sees a steady increase in visitor dollars. The Chinese tourist spent an average of $407 a day during the first four months of 2014, the highest among the visitor markets. Approximately 130,000 Chinese visited Hawaii last year, up 20 percent from 2012, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA). That figure is expected to grow in 2014 by more than 37 percent. Well known among Hawaii tourism industry professionals is the cultural tradition of family and friends giving the Chinese traveler money to purchase mainly information technology products and luxury brand-name goods. This increases the daily expenditure, very similar to what was seen when Japan first emerged as a visitor market for Hawaii in the 1970s and 1980s.
“Chinese tourists spent more than $102 billion last year on overseas trips.” -Shao Qiwei According to the HTA, scheduled seats from China, Korea and Taiwan climbed 19.3 percent from April 2013, boosted by 3,645 new seats out of Taipei and increased service out of Shanghai. There were 5,259 new seats out of Beijing to Honolulu with nonstop service three times a week from Air China, which began in January, and the launch of nonstop service three times a week from Hawaiian Airlines beginning in April. Supported by new air service, arrivals from Taiwan nearly doubled over last year’s April figures to 1,209
visitors. HTA helps to market these routes and is in negotiations with airlines to start other origination points, such as Guangzhou and Tianjin. It is also in talks with existing carriers about building flight frequencies. Hospitality businesses, such as hotels, restaurants and shopping malls, have begun to prepare for the new emerging Asian markets. They are translating websites and brochures, hiring sales people who speak Asian languages and taking cultural protocol training to better understand conditions for conducting business in these markets, says Dave Uchiyama, HTA vice president of brand management. He advises that once the visitor arrives at a hotel, accommodations should include trained, language-fluent front desk personnel or guest services and translated menus and other pertinent information.
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and booking online and on mobile devices, PacRim now offers to develop all its Asian language websites in responsive web design, which can be viewed on any digital platform, including all mobile devices, Erdman says. He adds that Prince Resorts Hawaii has made all of their Japanese language websites mobile responsive for tablets and mobile phones based on an increase of 30 percent in mobile-device visitors to the websites over last year.
“The benefit of ‘responsive’ design is that Prince Resorts Hawaii’s websites can now be viewed in full without any distortion on any mobile device." - Yumiko Tsutsumi “Currently, WeChat is much more popular than Weibo in China,” says Michelle Dan Zhai, editor and writer for PacRim’s MyHawaii.cn. “However, many luxury brand retailers still prefer to use Weibo for public relations purposes because it is an open platform. Compared with Weibo, WeChat is a closed platform because people share information with their friends only. Outside people will have no access to those messages. In that case, it is not as good for public relations or branding.”
Dave Uchiyama
“The benefit of ‘responsive’ design is that Prince Resorts Hawaii’s websites can now be viewed in full without any distortion on any mobilee device, including tablets and any type of smart phone,” says Yumiko Tsutsumi, senior project manager and lead web developer on the project at PRTech. “Viewers can navigate through the site and make bookings on their mobile phones.” PacRim recently opened an official WeChat account, which links to its Chinese language website www.MyHawaii.cn. Erdman adds that the social media marketing mix to attract visitors from Asia to Waikiki is changing anvd his company constantly monitors and measures trends in Asian social media via analytics and their own marketing professionals from China, Korea and Japan. Since 2009 the China-based microblogging services giant Weibo leads the communication pack with social chat sites and platform sharing. Weibo uses a format similar to Twitter and is now traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
C.J. Chen
“We started to see translation work grow in demand when the direct flights began a couple of years ago from China and Korea,” says Chen. “We provide social media services to reach the flexible independent travel, or FIT, market with a custom-written ‘tweet’ service for the traveler. This builds the connection between business and travelers. Nowadays everyone has a smart phone.” BCM also operates Hawaii-Day Wedding. “We provide wedding planning and multimedia services to China clients who want to have their own beautiful Hawaiian wedding,” Chen says. He projects that the Chinese wedding and honeymoon market will double within the next three years. “The Chinese market is totally different from the American market,” Chen says. “Social media is different. In China people cannot use YouTube or Facebook. Imagine that WeChat is Instagram, plus Facebook, plus Twitter, but all on a mobile phone. That’s a very powerful tool.” HTA’s Hawaii Tourism China has introduced two WeChat accounts.
BCM International, a local multimedia marketing consulting company for the China and Korea markets, offers Asian language translation and creative design service. Owned and operated by C.J. Chen since 2006, BCM’s services include Asian language web design and social media for hospitality industry giants such as Starwood, Hilton, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Aston, Royal Hawaiian Center, HTA China and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. Dave Erdman
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Hawaii Hospitality July/August 2014 ■
representatives are fluent in Japanese, Chinese and Korean. We also have a veryy ppopular Weibo account (Chinese p media platform) that is used to social medi information with Asian guests.” share inform According to Chen, not all of Waikiki’s hospitality businesses have in-house staff that can handle evolving social evolvi media services. medi “I bbelieve that will change as businesses include this in marketing m tool in their t budgets, hire staff or hire firms like ours tto represent them,” he says. “W “We believe WeChat has the edge to overcome a lot o of blackouts that Weibo ca cannot, such as personal interaction, dealing directly with the client, and providing instant communication.”
Hawaiitourismchina was created for communication between agents and shares the latest destination messages; g Hawaiitourism is meant for the tourist, focusing on destination introduction and culture sharing. HTA invites industry partners to share their ir information with tour agents and tourists through these two o channels. Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa, along with most ost major lodging groups with directors of development for Asian markets, arkets supports and works with HTA to educate and grow Asian markets. Like many Waikiki hotels, Hyatt features an Asia Pacific Guest Services Team to assist guests from these countries. “We continue to provide the cultural experiences that our guests have come to recognize as truly unique to the Hawaiian Islands,” says David Martinez, director of sales and marketing at the Hyatt Regency. “Many of our guest service
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Hawaii Hospitality July/August 2014 â–
Showcasing
Our No.1 Industry Ne products, New inventions entions and services will draw thousands in July to the Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality and Foodservice Expo BY JACKIE M. YOUNG
C
elebrating its 20th anniversary this July, the Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality & Foodservice Expo promises to be the best ever. It will preview samples of new food products and services not found elsewhere "because they haven't yet been released," quipped producer Ken Kanter last month during an interview with Hawaii Hospitality magazine. The Expo is still recovering from the recessions of 2001 and 2008, says
Kanter, exposition director of Douglas Trade Shows, Hawaii's largest and oldest trade show management company, "but we're on the road to recovery. Last year there were over 500 booths and 4,454 attendees. This year all 506 booths are spoken for and we're expecting a 4 percent increase in attendance–maybe 4,700 or 4,800." “The basics of any sales/purchasing relationship is that face-to-face experience for your audience to connect personally with your product,” explains Kanter. “In a trade show like ours, we bring everyone together with a common purpose: Buyers want to buy and sellers want to sell. We’re like a timeshare shopping mall.” Trade shows are also educational. “You can learn new things, test new products, see what your competition is doing—even solve a problem you didn’t know you had,” adds Kanter. “Do you know how you can test for bed bugs besides waiting for someone to complain? Dogs. They can smell the bugs out. And that dog is in our show!” Kanter is no stranger to managing events, both large and small. Born in
Chicago 67 years ago, his first job when he was 14 was managing a snack bar for a swimming and tennis country club, even though he wasn’t legally old enough to do so. A stint in college playing bass guitar for a rock ’n’ roll band led to his becoming apprentice company manager for a New York production of the musical “Hair.” The stage manager for that company moved to Hawaii and in 1973 invited Kanter to come over as the director of audience development (and later general manager) of the Hawaii Performing Arts Company (now known as Manoa Valley Theatre). That position transformed into other theater, trade show and technical opportunities. By 1981 Kanter became a client of Doug and Jan Williams, owners of Douglas Trade Shows. He also has served on the board of directors for the International Association of Exhibitions and Events, during which he wrote its code of ethics and chaired its long-range planning committee. “Doug has been my mentor all this time,” says Kanter. “I’ve learned so much from him about marketing, and I’m still learning from him every day. It’s a complex field.” So complex, in fact, that it took the company two years to be in the
“Buyers want to buy and sellers want to sell. We're like a timeshare shopping mall." www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com
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black and four years to clear any revenue since taking over the two former shows—the Pacific Hospitality Expo and the Hawaii Restaurant Association Expo— that laid the groundwork for the Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality & Foodservice Expo. In the 1980s the Hawaii Hotel Association (now the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association) ran the Pacific Hospitality Expo, and the Hawaii Restaurant Association ran the Hawaii Restaurant Association Expo. But the shows had started to decline, and by 1994, between the bad economy and Iraqi War, the shows looked like they wouldn’t survive, with numbers that had dwindled to about 1,000 attendees each. Both associations approached The Expo has become a sales and marketing venue for hundreds of companies. Douglas Trade Shows. “At first they only wanted us to help supermarkets with delis, country clubs exhibit spaces for a maximum of 570 sell booths, but Doug wanted or commissaries. booths, with 4,100 attendees. to take responsibility for the whole “By expanding our definition of “We could only have pulled that off show,” says Kanter. “We believed in the industry, our show is now a sales if some of our main exhibitors, Hawaii the show, so we invested our time and and marketing venue for hundreds of Food Manufacturers Association and money in it for the long term.” companies, both local and from the HFM FoodService, agreed to anchor In 1995, after an analysis of what mainland,” he adds. The expo’s target the Arena, and they did. For any event, prices sellers could afford for booths audience has similarly expanded. “We you have to have a balance of attendees and what products attendees were want not only head chefs and hotel to exhibitors and lots of people on the interested in seeing, Douglas Trade managers to attend, but anyone who floor,” explains Kanter. “We needed a Shows opened the Hawaii Hotel and can influence purchasing decisions draw to bring folks into the Arena.” Restaurant Expo at the Sheraton in the industry, such as information That year the name of the expo Waikiki. “We sold out all 200 booths, technology specialists, caterers, banquet was changed to the Hawaii Lodging, and we had 2,950 attendees,” he notes. managers, housekeepers, engineers Hospitality & Foodservice Expo. The By 1996, it was clear a larger or maintenance supervisors, food new name reflected an emerging trend venue was needed with additional and beverage managers and assistant that showed it was no longer effective parking, so the expo moved to the managers,” Kanter says. to limit the industry to only large Blaisdell Exhibition Hall where it What techniques does the company hotels or restaurants; that “lodging” continues today. At its peak around employ to address the changing could also include schools with dorms, 1999-2000, the expo had expanded sales market? “Although we still hospitals, the military or small B&Bs; to the Arena in addition to using the use information from the hotel and and that “restaurants” could also include Exhibition Hall, and had added 160 restaurant associations,” he says, “we no longer expect them to have all the Locally Owned Company potential housing or food facilities we might be interested in, so we also Providing search the Internet, the Yellow Pages, Comprehensive Drain Line government directories, we put ads in & Grease Trap Services. trade magazines and we still do faxing, direct mailings (this year over $40,000 was Including: spent in postage alone) and e-mail blasts. • Environmentally Friendly “When we do mailings, we try to Bacteria Treatment for Drain Lines make the job titles specific, not generic, • Drain Line Camera Work as we get a better response that way. • Installation & Repairs of Grease Traps We used to mail by ZIP code to target • Grease Trap Pumping Service certain geographic areas, but now that we’ve expanded our definition of the CALL (808)848-0513 industry, we don’t do that anymore.” 14
Hawaii Hospitality July/August 2014 ■
As for activities, the expo would feature working seminars—but Kanter found that they would pull the audiences off the floor and the booths would see a concurrent dip in attendance, so the seminars were dropped. “Instead of spending our money on the cost of seminars, we now direct it into audience development,� he explains. The expo is still trying to recover from the two recessions of 2001 and 2008, when attendance and booth rentals were either down or flat and the company had to use its own money to keep prices stable to encourage growth. Booths will be featuring samples of new food products as well as products and services ranging from linens, uniforms and menus to swimming pool supplies, point-of-sales systems, waste management and disposal, refrigeration and alarm systems. A sampling of the exhibitors includes HFM FoodService, ChefTec/Culinary Software Services, Double “D� Knitting and Glove, Inc., World Cinema (providing television and entertainment programming for hotels), Tori Richard, Meadow Gold Dairies, Shangri-La Tea Company of Hawaii,Y.
Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality & Foodservice Expo July 9 & 10 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Neil Blaisdell Center www.douglastradeshows.com Ken Kanter
To reach Ken Kanter: 261-3400 on Oahu toll-free 1-888-376-1516 kanter@lava.net
Hata & Co., Noh Foods of Hawaii and Orbit Sales (furnishings and accessories for hotels and restaurants). Kanter emphasizes the exceptional value of the expo for decision-makers within the restaurant and hotel industry. “Where else can you talk to a wide variety of experts from the industry— live and in real time—except at a trade show?� he says. “It’s an all-in-one event where you can compare prices and
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AT THE
WOMEN
TOP
Female hotel general managers describe what it takes to succeed BY STACY POPE
A
lthough the hotel industry employs a majority of women, including a significant number who are department managers, it’s no secret that women are vastly underrepresented in top executive positions. Is that “glass ceiling” still holding women back from reaching the top? A recent HVS study published in the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly suggests that it is not. Instead, HVS’s survey of 100 male and female global industry leaders revealed that personal priorities might now be holding greater influence over advancement opportunities. The most frequent self-imposed barriers involved family and household responsibilities, as well as work-life balance. Prominent workplace barriers included a lack of mentorship and careful career planning. The positive takeaway from the study is that if today’s women wish to serve in executive positions, the opportunity is there to do it—especially if our hotels and resorts support the development of women as leaders. 16
Hawaii Hospitality July/August 2014 ■
At Hawaii Hospitality magazine, we decided to do our own survey to see what Hawaii’s female general managers had to say on the subject. We heard from 16 GMs—including seven who currently oversee some of our largest and most luxurious properties—on everything from how they reached the top to what it takes to stay at the top. You’ll also find insightful comments from industry leader Patricia Tam, one of Hawaii’s most distinguished executives. We hope their responses encourage all women in Hawaii’s hospitality industry to continue to aim high in their careers. What motivated you to work toward a general manager position, despite the fact that hotel leadership in Hawaii remains predominantly male?
“I never considered the odds— only the challenge I was presented,” says Turtle Bay Resort’s Danna Holck. Many years ago when my general manager asked about my career aspirations, I told him I wanted to be a GM. His response was, ‘That will never
happen.’ I remember it as if it were yesterday. When I asked why, he said, ‘You’re Asian (at the time I didn’t know what that meant because I was from Hawaii), you’re female and you’re petite.’ That was enough motivation for me, who was raised by a hard-driven, outspoken, never-take-no-for-an-answer kind of father. And since then, I worked very hard to overcome the stereotypes and earn my place in this competitive field.” “From the age of 16, I knew I wanted to be in the hospitality industry,” says The Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas’ Angela Nolan. “And when I interned at The Westin Maui during college, I knew that I wanted to become a general manager. I worked my way up within Starwood by showing a tremendous ability to balance a passion for my calling with life’s sometimes-harsh realities. The moment I realized that my high school goal had been accomplished was truly surreal for me.” “As I moved up the ranks from one position to another,” says Waikiki Parc’s Julie Arigo, “my motivation was to learn more about the travel
Danna Holck
Angela Nolan
industry and the art of hospitality. I enjoy all aspects of the business of making guests happy during their travels. And, I’ve had tremendous support along the way: my family, friends, colleagues and especially my mentors. They’ve inspired me and have been a big factor in my ambitiousness. Additionally, I get bored when not challenged, and being in a leadership role provides me with a lot of motivation!” The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas’ Denise Wardlow says that great mentors—both men and women—helped her develop the leadership competencies needed for success and encouraged her to reach her goals. Wardlow also notes that
Denise Wardlow
Starwood Hotels and Resorts Hawaii has supported women interested in leadership roles. A good example, she says, “is the Na Wahine Kuilima group formed with the support of the top leaders in our company. This group was made up of high-potential females who encouraged us through mentorship, community outreach, networking and support. It helped our women leaders recognize personal and professional barriers and how to overcome them." What factors prepared you for the role of general manager or strongly influenced your career path?
Nolan believes that mentors have been key in her career development.
Kelly Hoen
“Through their expertise they guide you throughout your career, provide trusted advice when you need it and serve as a confidant during those times when you ‘just aren’t sure.’ It’s a great feeling to know that you have someone who has watched your career flourish, shared in your journey and in some way helped shape you professionally.” The Royal Hawaiian’s Kelly Hoen says that as a woman in a relatively male dominated industry, “a focus on leadership and my personal development as a leader has been vital.” She points out that there are three key areas of leadership she continues to strengthen every
JULIE ARIGO: A New Organization For Women Waikiki Parc General Manager Julie Arigo means business when it comes to women reaching the top in the hospitality industry. Arigo is establishing Hawaii’s first local chapter of Women in Lodging (WIL), a national association exclusively for female hospitality executives. The new chapter, called Women in Lodging & Tourism, will help provide expanded opportunities for women to connect with top national professionals and participate in new educational and mentorship programs, and will promote women’s leadership within the lodging industry. “The goal of the organization is to help women obtain leadership competencies that contribute to the achievement of overall career growth,” says Arigo. “Our recruitment phase is now through August, and
we’re expecting many women will be interested in becoming a member, since it will also be in support of our overall vision for the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA).” In addition to organizing the new chapter and serving as chairperson for the HLTA over the last year, Arigo is an active member of the University of Hawaii Travel Industry Management School’s Travel Advisory Council, Soroptimist International of Honolulu and National Association of Professional Women. In her spare time—when she has it—she runs marathons, mountain climbs and paddleboards. In 2013 Hotel Management magazine named Arigo “One of 25 GMs to Watch,” and the Organization of Women Leaders has awarded her with the title of “2013 Outstanding Woman of the Year in the Private Sector.” www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com
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day: relationships, culture (of the organization) and results. “Strong relationships are at the heart of hospitality,” Hoen elaborates. “We all recognize the importance of forming strong emotional connections with our guests, owners, customers, communities and each other. Also, a strong culture is the foundation for our success. Resorts and hotels with a winning culture attract and retain the best talent and, in doing so, position themselves as industry leaders. It’s also about delivering exceptional results. This is where the alignment of our priorities comes together. We all win when we work toward the same goals and help each other get there.” “My father was in the military, so we moved around quite a bit when I was growing up,” says Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort’s Tracy Walker. “I loved moving and seeing new things, and I’ve always had a huge case of wanderlust. The hotel business allowed me to continue to feed that craving, to move and experience new locations and cultures.” Arigo gives credit to her mentors and supervisors for providing training, guidance and opportunities to advance, and says that her involvement in organizations such as the National Association of Professional Women and the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association have enhanced her knowledge of the visitor industry and broadened her professional and personal network. “I was one of those kids who wondered why we had to learn certain subjects like math and geometry,” says Holck. “In high school I avoided these classes as often as possible. As a GM, I now realize how important numbers really are. I look forward to readying my profit and loss statement and have learned to love numbers. It’s important to be able to analyze numbers because they depict a story of successes and opportunities.” Do women bring unique qualities, abilities, knowledge or other strengths to the role of general manager that may give them an edge in this position?
Hilton Waikoloa Village’s Debi Bishop thinks not—but does believe that women are different in their approach. “Maybe a bit softer,” she adds, then says: “They call me the velvet hammer!”
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Tracy Walker
Debi Bishop
Karen Villarmia
Pam Yagi
Wardlow says that women tend to come across as more compassionate and have a unique quality of balancing relationships and business. “When you think back to a time before women had professional business careers, they almost always had to balance raising families with keeping the household affairs together, including being the liaison with neighbors and community. It does translate into the business world as someone who runs a good organization as well as ensuring the business is a nice place to work plus a great community and industry partner.” Arigo agrees there may be something special women bring to the table. “I believe women in business and leadership roles bring great qualities that complement an organization mainly comprised of men. The skill of being expressive allows for increased open communication. Women tend to be nurturers, which can translate to more patience in developing and coaching. We also tend to practice multitasking, so when we’re brought into a work environment, we can juggle a multitude of tasks while still remaining focused.”
Are there doors that still need to open for Hawaii women to reach the top of the industry?
“I believe there are many doors open for women,” emphasizes Wardlow. “You have to recognize the opportunities and believe that you’re the right person for the job. Sometimes women don’t want to come across as boastful or bragging, so we don’t talk about the great things that we’re doing. Take credit for the wonderful things that you bring to the table and ensure that the right people know about it. Women also tend to second-guess themselves—it’s in our nature to want to be sure we can do it,” she adds. “We need to be willing to take risks and understand there are some unknowns that can be worked through, rather than looking for a guarantee.” “I don’t believe there are any doors that are shut to women,” says Walker. “I would say take every training and mentoring opportunity seriously and just go for it.”
PATRICIA TAM: A Model of Achievement Patricia Tam has set the bar high for women in Hawaii’s hospitality industry and proved the sky’s the limit. In 1987 she made history as Hawaii’s first female hotel general manager, overseeing the Waikiki Parc, and in 1993 she was promoted to general manager of Halekulani. Tam has since been listed among the 200 Most Powerful Women in Travel. She currently serves as chief executive advisor for Halekulani Corp. When asked what encouraged, motivated or inspired her despite the fact that at the time no other women in Hawaii had achieved as much success, Tam says, “I believe that any and all of my motivations and inspirations are tied in to my happy childhood, upbringing and education in a nurturing and supportive environment, where I learned that I particularly loved to help people help themselves. To this
day, I’m constantly inspired by those around me, including the strength of my mom, family and work colleagues. In this spirit, there is no limit to anyone’s potential in their career. “Not many women were in top hotel managerial positions when I first became general manager of a luxury hotel,” she acknowledges, “but I looked at it as an opportunity to prove oneself, take that big step toward creating your own success. And it was important for me to never fail—that was my constant measure of success. I had learned the disciplines of honest hard work, consistency of purpose and approach in leadership to be standard and universal, and I try to stay true to these parameters even to this day.” Tam says that empathy and listening are the most critical values to general manager success, especially in a service industry that mandates strong
What qualities should a general manager have to be successful?
providing exceptional guest service. If a guest has an issue, I’m able to fix it and make sure they have an unforgettable time while they’re here with us. Plus, working with all of my staff and homeowners is truly a pleasure. “Finding that perfect harmony between my staff, guests and owners of the properties we manage isn’t always easy. However, I strive to make sure everyone feels valued.”
Karen Villarmia OHANA Waikiki West “A successful general manager must be able to manage employees efficiently and effectively and bring out the very best in all of them. Solid communication, relationship building and coaching skills are key. “Communication is so important because you need to be able to be clear about your needs, expectations and opinions to people in all areas of the operation. Being able to build strong relationships with coworkers and staff sets the foundation for friendly rapport, and most of all trust. “Great general managers are also good coaches. It’s all about finding each individual’s unique talents and helping him or her channel those skills toward productivity.” What is the most satisfying aspect of your job as general manager? What is the most challenging?
Sheila Gerbig-Hussey Outrigger Aina Nalu “The most satisfying and rewarding part of my job is that I’m able to directly enhance a guest’s stay by 20
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Do you believe that women in a general manager position can still “have it all”—a career, family and more? If so, any suggestions on life balance or the juggling act?
Pam Yagi Hokulani Waikiki By Hilton Grand Vacations Club “I believe that women in general manager positions truly can have it all. I struggled with a little bit of selfimposed guilt when my children were younger, since I didn’t always do the typical mom duties like attending all their school field trips. But I was fortunate that my husband was happy to help out, and I learned that my kids were just glad to have one of us along on the field trip. It takes a bit of time to find your own work-life balance, but this really helped to define our family roles.”
people-to-people skills. “These are two of the most difficult skills to teach, so there really is an inherent component to being a good leader.”
Kahealani Colón Aqua Bamboo Waikiki & Aqua Pacific Monarch “Women as general managers can certainly have it all. For me, the key is a healthy life balance. The biggest contributors that I have found to a healthy life balance at work are to empower your team, help them make sound decisions and teach the importance of continuing education and self-improvement. By developing the people you manage, you can be confident that your hotel is in capable hands when you need to step away. “At home, having a family that understands my position and the depth of my responsibilities is key. Their strong support of my career is vital to being a successful general manager.” What advice can you offer women in the industry who want to become general managers?
Nora Weatherwax OHANA Waikiki Malia “Customers come first, always. Anyone who wants to be a general manager one day should focus on people skills. Take as many classes as possible on customer service and get hands-on experience at the front desk, and learn as much as you can about the other departments. Working in the
Kahealani Colón
Sheila Gerbig-Hussey
housekeeping department for even one day will show you how invaluable housekeepers are to the operation. “Relationships are everything. When you have an opportunity to network and meet new people, take it. Most of all, you should love what you are doing. Be creative, persistent and confident. Express kindness and compassion to everyone you meet, and live and speak from your heart.” Patty Maher Aqua Palms Waikiki “Learn as much as you can and don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions. That’s how I got where I am today—by learning the job hands-on from great teachers, asking questions and working hard.” Malana deSilva Aston at Poipu Kai “Every position and department in the hotel industry relies on the other. Learning the nuts and bolts of each department will serve you. I’m a handson manager; I’ve enjoyed working side by side with employees and have gained a
Malana deSilva
Carol Hanna
Nora Weatherwax
Patty Maher
wealth of knowledge by doing so. It’s an opportunity to get to know your staff and learn the difficulty and time it takes for the tasks they’re asked to perform. “Have an open-door policy. If you haven’t heard from your staff, go see how it’s going. I’ve been fortunate to work for upper managers that are good leaders; follow their strengths. And be passionate about what you’re doing and be honest. Keep the big picture in mind.”
“I share my errors openly with my staff to show my own vulnerability and to show that no one is perfect. I aim to set the tone of using any issue as a training opportunity and not a blaming opportunity to foster teamwork and reduce the tendency to cover up problems. “Keeping the work environment lighthearted and fun is of the utmost importance.”
As a woman, do you think you bring special insights or skills to your career that enhance your ability to be a leader? What is your leadership style?
Lynette Eastman Aqua Oasis, Aqua Waikiki Pearl & Hokele Suites Waikiki “Being a woman absolutely brings special insight to being an effective leader. We bring nurturing instincts like patience, empathy and creativity to our careers, which has given us the edge in maintaining unity in the workplace. “My leadership style leans toward creative management of employee empowerment by cross training between various job functions, with the immediate goal of having well versed employees in all job duties. This gives employees confidence and enables the team to work efficiently in all aspects of the operation within the hotel, across our three hotels and across the entire company. The long-term goal is to offer advancement from within the ranks as opportunity presents itself. “In the end, what qualifies you as a leader is when you turn around and there is someone following you.”
Carol Hanna Outrigger Royal Sea Cliff “My style of leadership is best described as democratic. I encourage open participation and prefer to get feedback and ideas from my staff rather than thinking that I have all the solutions. The end result is a staff that feels more vested in our guests’ level of satisfaction, plus a more efficient operation.
Lynette Eastman www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com
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RESTAURANT TRENDS
WAITER, There's an App on Hawaii’s food and beverage industry is increasingly incorporating technology that does everything from track inventory to showcase room service selections BY SUZANNE ROIG
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s a longtime chef and restaurateur, Tom Jones knows the value of good ingredients. It’s what helped him create tasty dishes as co-owner of Gyotaku Japanese Restaurants on Oahu. But these days his recipe for success includes a heavy-handed dash of technology. With an array of software programs now available, Jones can track inventory, what menu items were popular on any given day and even access the information from his cell phone. It’s part of a major technology-based shift in the hospitality industry that has
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helped Hawaii restaurants and hotels better cater to guests. “It takes a lot of front-end work to set up and maintain it, but we have every single recipe down to the lemon in the iced tea glass calculated,” Jones says. “Two different programs upload data, so at the end of the month we know what we used—and what we should have used—down to the gram.” Gyotaku, which has four restaurants on Oahu, could not succeed without this, he says. “The days of not using tech are long gone.”
Also gone are the days of spreadsheets, hand tallies and clipboards as a way to track trends and other vital information in the food and beverage business. Today’s restaurants must communicate on the customers’ terms via social media and mobile ordering, but also tabletop electronic ordering and payment. It adds up to good news for customers, restaurant officials say, because it makes for an interactive, realtime experience. Restaurant-goers are not shy about using social media to post their views on their dining experiences,
“From seemingly innocuous items such as reefer-fan speed controls to glitzy iPad-like order-taking devices, industry leaders understand the value of 21st-century technologies.” – Roger Morey, Hawaii Restaurant Association
My Tablet
Brian Hunnings
from the quality of the meal to the attentiveness of the servers to the ambiance of the restaurant itself. These impromptu reviews, in turn, provide valuable feedback to those managing the food and beverage industry. Embracing technology is key for Hawaii’s visitor industry, with 70,000 hotel rooms and resort condominiums and 3,000 restaurants in the state. Each year we attract more than 8 million visitors from around the globe and most, if not all, have some knowledge of technology, says Roger Morey, executive director of the Hawaii Restaurant Association. “Technology is an important component of the restaurant industry systems to inventory control and security, local restaurateurs are on top of their game,” Morey says. “From seemingly innocuous items such as reefer-fan speed controls to glitzy iPad-like order-taking devices, industry leaders understand the value of 21st-century technologies.” At the five-star Halekulani, technology is allowing the hotel to tailor each guest’s stay to his or her own particular tastes, says Liana Mulleitner, director of marketing for Halekulani Corp. With just a few keystrokes, the hotel can share information among all its departments about a guest’s allergies and what alcoholic drinks are preferred as well as any guest room preferences.
“Our computer systems help us profile our guests from their itinerary to their preferences,” Mulleitner says. “We can even turn on the air conditioning before a guest arrives in his or her room to the temperature that the guest prefers.” In Hawaii, Starwood Hotels and Resorts is about to implement its latest use of technology: specially designed guest-room iPad compendiums that will replace those in-room paper-based binders guests have traditionally flipped through to learn about hotel services, order in-room dining and more. The new system has been in development at Starwood for some time as a pilot program, and is now being officially unveiled at the Sheraton Waikiki. The Moana Surfrider, Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Princess Kaiulani will soon follow. When it comes to food and beverage service, these digital tablets make the dining experience especially appetizing. Not only can guests use them to order room service, including pre-ordering, they can also view images of the dishes offered and menus in various languages. And they’re easy to update. “It’s really cool,” says Brian Hunnings, Starwood Hotels and Resorts area director of food and beverage for Hawaii and French Polynesia. “It’s a great new way to connect with guests and it makes things more streamlined. From an experience standpoint, there’s an entire
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Starwood’s new in-room iPad compendiums will allow guests to order food up to the room and more.
generation of people who would rather communicate with us digitally than in person or via the phone.” Guests’ food and beverage preferences can also be recorded through the digital system. Hunnings notes that this is another huge benefit for guests, as well as for the hotel. Once guests’ preferences are digitalized, the hotel can tailor its offerings. “This allows us to be more efficient in ordering and scheduling of staff,” he says. And when guests return, the hotel is able to offer them more appropriate food and beverage amenities. In tandem with the in-room compendium, Starwood is also introducing the Aloha Guide, an app developed in partnership with Qmania
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for mobile phones and tablets that enables guests—as well as non-guests— to explore and engage with Starwood’s 11 Hawaii properties. “The mobile technology allows users to start exploring what we have to offer from their phones. It’s also able to answer questions in real time regarding where to eat or what to see and do,” Hunnings explains. In the F&B milieu, the multilanguage app puts Starwood-property dining information in users’ hands, including videos of chefs creating signature dishes, access to table bookings and more, he adds. “There’s such an evolution with mobile apps. The Aloha Guide allows everyone to view property maps and obtain mobile
coupons from their mobile phones. It eliminates the need for printed coupons completely. It’s about providing options in as many arenas as possible that our guests have a comfort level with.” Starwood is currently running a special campaign through the end of the year to launch the new app, Hunnings says. Every time users redeem one of the discount/coupon offers at one of its restaurants, bars or spas, they are automatically entered to win a monthly prize of 10,000 Starwood Preferred Guest Points and a voucher for a four-night stay at any Starwood hotel in Hawaii. “iPads, tablets, mobile devices. This is how we all communicate now,” he says. “I just don’t see a downside.”
Secrets of a Lauded Chef A shining star in Hawaii's food scene, Big Island Chef Sheldon Simeon racks up impressive accolades, including 'Best New Chef' in the Pacific and Northwest U.S. BY PAULA BENDER
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hef Sheldon Simeon has his father to thank for his approach to food. He recalls that, from smallkid time, big celebrations always took place at their house in Hilo: baby luaus, birthdays, graduations, holidays, weddings—you name it. His dad was in charge of cooking mass quantities of favorite Filipino and Hawaiian dishes for family and friends. Simeon and his older brother were the sous chefs. “We grew up cooking. It was second nature to us,” Simeon says. “When we were in elementary school we knew how to hold a knife.” Simeon emulates his father’s passion for nurturing through nutrition. In a recent conversation with his father, Simeon remarked his dad cooked all day but never sat down to eat. His father replied: “Just the sheer joy of people eating the food I cooked is more than enough to fulfill my hunger and desire.” For Simeon, those are words to live by. His small-town roots, humility and flare for Hawaiian and Filipino dishes have made him a shining star in Hawaii’s food scene and the next “name to know.” He’s got the creds. In 2011, Simeon was a semifinalist for two James Beard Awards (“the Oscars of the food world,” says Time magazine), in both the Rising Photos by Ashley Takitani Leahey
www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com
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“The hardest challenge to being a chef is balancing the work with being a loyal and loving husband and a great father.”
Star Chef and Best New Restaurant categories. In 2012, he won the Rising Star award from StarChefs.com for Concept Chef. In 2013 Simeon appeared—and place in the top three—on Bravo’s hit TV show,“Top Chef: Seattle.” In 2014 he was named among Hawaii Magazine’s top five best Hawaiian chefs and voted Food & Wine magazine’s 2014 People’s Best New Chef for the Pacific and Northwest. Not bad for a Big Island boy. Simeon began his career at Disneyland, but was at Maui’s Star Noodle and the award-winning Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop in Lahaina where his skills were recognized. He now operates two Maui restaurants: Migrant Modern Local Cuisine and Mala Wailea, both at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. Both establishments showcase Simeon’s reverence of
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promoting fresh foods from local farmers and producers of meat and fish. In high school Simeon thought about going into drafting because he was good at mechanical drawing and design. He changed his mind when his brother, who was three years older, went to culinary school and did well. Simeon decided to give culinary training a shot. “I figured I had some talent, so it was natural for me to go,” he says. “And you know, anything they wanted to teach me I was happy to learn. When I was told to peel 150 pounds of onions, I was happy because I got to use my knife. When we broke down stoves, I liked it. Culinary school was when I knew I really enjoyed this industry.” He ended up attending Leeward Community College’s culinary program and
graduating from the University of Hawaii Maui College’s Culinary Academy. “While we were growing up we worked with all kinds of fresh foods, slaughtered the cows, pigs and chickens and used all the innards, and cleaned the tripe. All that was normal to us,” Simeon says. “But at the academy it was weird to see others freak out about all the blood and guts.” Simeon still goes to culinary school these days, but now it’s to assist with events. He says it’s easy to spot the students who’ll be successful. He points out that cooking isn’t for the weak; days can run as long as 15 hours, with plenty of stress, and chefs can expect to work weekends and holidays. “Students who are in it for the glamour are in it for all the wrong reasons,” Simeon says. “You have to love
cooking, because it’ll be a long time before you become a chef. It takes a lot of sacrifice.” Simeon credits the support he gets from Janice, his wife. “The hardest challenge to being a chef is balancing the work with being a loyal and loving husband and a great father,” says Simeon, who has four children. “Opening and running a restaurant takes a lot of passion. It engulfs our lives. Without the key ingredient—a supportive wife—it would be much more difficult. I don’t think the food would be that good. And I don’t think I would be a great leader to my team if I’m not a great husband and a good father.” In his own kitchen, Simeon prefers board shorts, a hibachi and sand under his toes as he tosses back a beer while
grilling dinner. As an executive chef, he brings a similar laidback style into his professional kitchens. As a result, there is an openness among the staff as each member focuses on the main mission: Making people happy with food. “An ideal kitchen isn’t about the equipment,” he says. “It’s a place where people are happy to work and look forward to being there. For me, work isn’t a choice, but a privilege we should be happy about. Everyone is into it, into each other’s company, working as a family; and it’s all about the food.” So what about the food? How does he come up with dishes that make people go "mmmmm"? Simeon admits that he’s often motivated by the food in the pantry that needs to move. He operates on a hunch of what will work, relies on his roots for inspiration and
uses his palate for confirmation. And this is where the give-and-take in the kitchen kicks in. “I get opinions from my sous chef and my cooks. If they have an idea or I need help with a dish, we ask each other and we taste,” Simeon says. “A lot of times making a great dish comes out of pure necessity. We might need to move out a product or an accident happens. So many awesome dishes are created when we break the sauce or char something by mistake.” Simeon says his friend Chris Sy, owner of The Breadshop, says it best: “Food is at its purest when borne out of necessity.” “I love that,” the broad-smiling chef says. “Don’t wallow.”
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NEWS BRIEFS Outrigger Plans $100M Renovation Outrigger Enterprises Group will invest $100 million to revitalize Outrigger Reef on the Beach in Waikiki. The plans include razing an existing five-story structure on the beach and replacing it with 34,000 square feet of open recreation space, enhanced swimming pools, landscaped lounging areas and open-air dining facilities. A new tower, set back from the shoreline along Kalia Road, will add more than 200 full-service hotel rooms to the property. Construction is expected to begin in 2017 and be completed in 2019. The revitalization is estimated to result in 400 new construction-related jobs, 100 new hotel operations jobs, $235 million in new spending and $700,000 in additional real property taxes for the City and County of Honolulu.
The yellow arrow indicates the planned renovation area.
Manzo Joins Aqua Kauai Beach Resort Stacy Manzo has been named director of sales for the oceanfront Aqua Kauai Beach Resort by Aqua Hotels and Resorts, a division of Aqua Hospitality. “We’re very excited to have Stacy on board leading our sales efforts,” says David Sosner, general manager. “Her extensive experience in the hospitality industry as a resourceful revenue producer is exactly what we are Stacy Manzo looking for, so we couldn’t be happier.” Among her responsibilities, Manzo creates special promotional packages, develops partnerships and cultivates relationships with meeting planners, corporate clients, key wholesalers and consortia accounts. Most recently she was account director of leisure sales at Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas and Sheraton Kauai.
HLTA Selects Board of Directors The Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, headed by president and CEO George Szigeti, has selected its 2014-2015 Board of Directors. Key positions include Kelly Hoen, The Royal Hawaiian, chairperson; Ben Rafter, Aqua Hospitality/Aston Hotels & Resorts, chairperson elect; Dean Nakasone, Outrigger Reef on the Beach, vice chairperson; and Stephen Kaaa, First Hawaiian Bank, treasurer. Jule Arigo, Waikiki Parc Hotel, is the immediate past chairperson.
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Rafter Named CEO at Aston Ben Rafter has been named president of Aston Hotels & Resorts. He will continue as president and CEO of Aqua Hospitality and Aqua Hotels and Resorts in Hawaii, according to Vacation Holdings Hawaii, the parent of both companies. He has been president and CEO of Aqua since 2008. Ben Rafter
The Buzz Is Bees at Hyatt The buzz is at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa, where in July 80,000 bees will have their honey harvested for the first time. The bees live in a house built last November on the resort rooftop and typically dine on local lehua and kiawe blossoms. The hive is part of Hyatt’s focus on bringing the freshness of natural products to guests. “It’s important that we provide organic alternatives for our guests and the public,” says Executive Chef Sven Ullrich. The resort will incorporate honey or honeycomb into everything from spa hand cream to signature drinks. Why so many critters? “A single bee only produces one quarter of a teaspoon of honey,” notes Ullrich. With 80,000 Hyatt will include honeycomb in its bees, Hyatt will harvest only 10 poolside cocktail service. gallons of honey per year.
Executive Level at Hy’s Now Open Hy’s Hawaii has completed renovations to its restaurant at 2440 Kuhio Ave., where it has served Waikiki for more than 35 years, to create a more modern space while maintaining the classic steakhouse ambiance. The former Green Room closed Feb. 15 to begin renovation and reopened April 27 with the unveiling of the Executive Level. The space has been maximized with the use of elevated booths, gold chandeliers and dark mahogany wood paneling. The upstairs Executive Suite can hold up to 30 people and will be used for seating during dinner service when not booked for a private event.
Hy’s new design includes the Executive Level.
The Grand Islander Breaks Ground Hilton Worldwide and Blackstone launched construction of The Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations Club® in a groundbreaking ceremony June 3. The 37-story building, a 418-unit vacation ownership tower, will be constructed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort adjacent to the Tapa Tower along Kalia Road. The tower is expected to be completed in early 2017 and create more than 1,000 jobs. Hilton Grand Vacations will handle vacation ownership sales and marketing. The Grand Islander will have one-, two- and three-bedroom suites and penthouses. Sales are expected to begin later this year.
Kathy Hansberry
Sheryl Tsugawa
Richard Oshiro
Outrigger Enterprises Expands Staff Outrigger Enterprises Group has announced four staff changes. At Outrigger Reef on the Beach, Kathy Hansberry has been named promotions and public relations manager, Sheryl Tsugawa is now assistant general manager and Richard Oshiro is director of sales and marketing. Mary Loy Mary Loy was promoted to director of sales and marketing for the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach. Hansberry, who joined Outrigger in 2005 as public relations coordinator, will manage the company’s corporate sponsorships and other event marketing promotions in concert with the director of public relations, sales and marketing, hotel operations, corporate partners and event planners. Tsugawa will assist in the operation of the hotel by supporting operations staff in maximizing guest satisfaction scores, operational efficiency and hotel profitability. She joined Outrigger in November 2010. Loy has been Outrigger’s regional director of sales since 2002. She previously was sales manager at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach and front office manager and assistant hotel manager at the then Outrigger East and West hotels. Loy began her career at Outrigger in 1982 as a summer intern. Oshiro joins Outrigger from the Miramar At Waikiki, where he was executive assistant manager and director of sales and marketing.
Chowfin Joins OVB Karishma Chowfin has been named director of travel industry sales for the Oahu Visitors Bureau (OVB). Previously she was the director of sales at Joie de Vivre Hotels, where she led the repositioning of the Coconut Waikiki Hotel to the Joie de Vivre Hotels brand in 2012. Additionally, Chowfin played a key role in the relaunch of the Shoreline Hotel Waikiki after its renovation in 2013.
Karishma Chowfin
Lobby of The Grand Islander in Waikiki. Rendering courtesy of Group 70 International, Inc. www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com
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“Celebrating Life’s Little Achievements... One Lei At a Time”
THE 8 1 9 M O O WAA ST R E E T SU I T E 2 0 2 H O NO LU LU, HI 9 6 817 P h o n e . 8 0 8 . 8 47.110 7 | WWW. TH E O RC H I D L E I . C O M | Fa cs i m i l e : 8 0 8 . 8 4 3 . 2 2 2 5
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Crack open your menus with fresh flavors…comfort food… and safety you can count on! Booth # 305
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Booth # 252
SafeEggs.com/foodservice
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Visit the City and County of Honolulu’s
Storm Water Quality Branch’s booth to learn more. Businesses and property owners are responsible for storm water quality whether that work is performed in-house or contracted out. We’ll have some fun prizes too!
© 2010-2014 National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc.
Booth # 252
For industry tours and tastings email INFO@MAUIWINE.COM
Discover your academic journey with the Hospitality & Tourism Education Department at Kapi‘olani Community College
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For more information please contact: Sheryl Fuchino-Nishida, KCC Hospitality Counselor 808.734.9716, fuchino@hawaii.edu
TALK STORY WITH GEORGE SZIGETI Expo Helps Businesses Work Together As the saying goes, “Time sure flies when you’re having fun,” and those in the hospitality industry know there’s never a dull moment in our business. This year is no exception. And while the tourism industry is working hard to address the softness Hawaii has experienced in the first quarter, I remain optimistic that by working together and adapting our products and services to the needs of today’s discerning customers, we will be a positive force in helping get our economy back on track. One event that continues to do a great job bringing our industry stakeholders together is the Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality and Foodservice (HLHF) Expo. Now in its 20th year and taking place July 9 and 10 at the Neal Blaisdell Center, the HLHF Expo has become one of Honolulu’s most anticipated annual events and provides invaluable networking and learning opportunities to move businesses forward. As the largest trade exposition in Hawaii, it’s also the only event providing access for industry buyers to a full range of products and services for the state’s most important economic sectors. Last year’s Expo drew nearly 4,500 buyers representing the purchasing needs of Hawaii’s hotels, restaurants, caterers, attractions, colleges, concessions, convenience stores, country clubs, government agencies, health clubs, hospitals, interior designers, nightclubs, military housing, food service, supermarkets, shopping malls, schools and many others.
The exhibition was impressive, with hundreds of vendors showcasing their latest innovative products, equipment and services ranging from energy-efficient bathroom fixtures and paper goods to air conditioning, point-of-sale systems and remodeling. The marketplace’s design to bring buyers and vendors together in an efficient manner on the showroom floor ensures maximum productivity enjoyed by all attendees. The reality is that everyone throughout the Aloha State benefits from Hawaii’s $15 billion tourism industry. The Expo brings together those who can make a difference— not only for the good of their businesses, but also for the betterment of our home as a whole. I would like to thank everyone involved in the Expo, and especially Douglas Trade Shows, the buyers and the exhibitors for their continued support after all of these years. Please encourage your colleagues, associates, friends and family who have a stake in the industry to get involved. Finally, save the date for the Hawaii Lodging Tourism L d i and dT i Association’s (HLTA) Scholarship Golf Tournament on Aug. 14 at the Hawaii Prince Golf Club. Registration information is available at www.hawaiilodging.org. George D. Szigeti is president and CEO of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association (HLTA).
CLEAN TALK WITH ROSE Cleaning for Health: A Pathogen Alert for the Hospitality Industry Community-acquired infections are threatening Hawaii’s hospitality industry every day, and the effects can be serious for guests, staff and properties. The spread of viral and bacterial infections such as these is prompting a need for more education and monitoring, and for better hygienic practices at our restaurants and hotels. Community-acquired infections include Legionella, norovirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), tuberculosis (TB) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Considering that some of these microorganisms are capable of surviving on surfaces for several months, the instance of contamination is high—so disinfecting environmental surfaces in addition to cleaning is essential. What’s the difference between cleaning and disinfecting? Cleaning removes foreign material; disinfecting reduces the number of pathogenic microorganisms. In hotel guest rooms, food service areas and recreational and common areas, disinfecting for the health of guests and employees must be a primary concern along with cleaning for appearance.
Unlike healthcare facilities, the hospitality industry is not as aware of the dangers of infectious diseases. To date, for example, no recognized organization has created standards for cleanliness in lodging. There are no universally accepted cleaning definitions. Technology measurements, such as ultraviolet lights, ATP tests and microfiber systems, are just beginning to appear on the market. Research on guest room cleanliness has prompted a change in cleaning for health in hotels, and media coverage and public reaction have increased demands for higher standards of cleanliness on the part of hotels. Traditional housekeeping cleaning methods are no longer enough. New systems and advanced technologies are needed to face new microbial invaders. Housekeeping managers and supervisory personnel must become well versed on infection prevention and communicable diseases, and the hospitality industry needs to develop advanced cleaning procedures and processes that address infectious diseases as part of ongoing training programs. A good model is the Hong Kong Hotels Association’s “Guidelines on Infection Control & Prevention in the Hotel Continued on page 34 www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com
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AT THE TABLE WITH ROGER MOREY What’s Causing All the Allergies? Does it seem that kids are more allergic these days than in the past? As a matter of fact, allergies are more prevalent and severe today than 30 years ago. The answer as to why isn’t definitive, although theories abound. Here are three to consider.
We’re too clean. Is cleanliness the blame? Maybe. The “sanitation supposition” suggests that children aren’t exposed to enough dirt, bacteria and other infectious agents early on, and their under-stimulated immune systems go on the offense when exposed to benign substances such as food. Their “lackadaisical” immune systems then falter, causing foods commonly found in everyone’s diet, such as peanuts, eggs, wheat and milk, to stimulate allergic reactions. Hawaii Restaurant Association Studies have
shown that children in daycare centers, a known germ stronghold, have fewer allergies than those raised at home with less contact with other kids.
We’re too dirty. All the smog and other types of air pollution might also be making allergies worse, particularly asthma. Nonetheless, while there is evidence for the link between pollution and allergies in a test tube, it has not been shown to be true in studies of large populations of people.
Global warming. There’s evidence that the rise in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, with its accompanying warming temperatures, could be a cause of increased allergic reactions. Studies have shown that plants are flowering earlier in the year and total pollen production is increasing. One study found that not only had pollen levels increased in the area, but also that the population in that area exhibited an increase in sensitivity to pollen. A longer and more intense pollen season could exacerbate symptoms. So what’s one solution? You might buy a dog or move to a farm. Modern research into the health records of children with pets, and primarily dogs, discovered that those kids were less likely to develop allergies and asthma than other children. Additional studies have supported this connection—not just with pets, but livestock as well. Roger Morey is the executive director of the Hawaii Restaurant Association (HRA). Learn more about the organization at www.hawaiirestaurant.org.
From page 33
MarketPlace
Industry,” available online in English. Based on the association’s survey results, it includes key sections such as: • Concept of Communicable Diseases • Preventative Measures Against Communicable Diseases • Facts About Common Communicable Diseases • Outbreak of Communicable Diseases • Infection Control Measures in Special Facilities
“Hawaii’s Air Duct Cleaning Professionals”
Avoid fire hazards, Maintain indoor air quality, Save energy. Serving All Islands PHONE (808) 832-1178 ASCS, VSMR, CVI, CECS, NADCA & IKECA Member
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Hawaii Hospitality July/August 2014 ■
®
To view the complete publication, visit www.chp.gov.hk, click on the “English” tab at the top of the page and Infection Control Corner in the menu at left, then select “Guidelines on Infection Control & Prevention in the Hotel Industry” from the Institutions and Businesses segment of the page. Rose Galera is the president of the International Executive Housekeepers Association, Hawaii chapter. Reach her at 678-8021 or galerar002@hawaii.rr.com. or www.rosegalera.com
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©2014 Cetis, Inc. Product specifications and descriptions in this document subject to change without notice. Cetis™, Teledex are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cetis, Inc.
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