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Appointment

James Kareka has been named Director Of Sales at The Kahala Hotel & Resort

After more than a year as director of travel industry sales for The Kahala Hotel & Resort, James Kareka has been promoted to director of sales. Kareka and his team will continue to initiate service and product enhancements, continuing the legacy of the iconic resort while furthering the recent $52 million updates to rooms, suites, meeting space, lobby and public areas. A 20-year veteran of the travel industry, Kareka has served in a variety of roles developing corporate operations and account management. Prior to joining The Kahala, he was vice president of global sales for Casto and also served as business development manager for Classic Vacations for four years. Kareka was born and raised in Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula and attend San Francisco State University in pursuit of a career in Business and Human Resource Management.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Ian McPhee has been promoted to Hotel Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua

Bringing nearly 30 years of extensive industry savvy to the role, McPhee will continue to lead The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua’s Food & Beverage division -- including its six restaurants – in addition to Culinary, Meetings & Special Events, Spa, Retail and Rooms now under his guidance. Over the course of 14 years with the renowned brand, Mr. McPhee has continued to mark professional achievements, resulting in various leadership positions across the globe -- beginning with Banquets in Boston, then at the helm of operations and food and beverage divisions in Washington D.C., Georgetown, San Francisco, Osaka, Japan and ultimately settling in Maui -- where he has called home for the past year and a half. The breadth of property mixes also allowed McPhee to intimately oversee budgets, labor management and hotel standards.

Ritz-Carlton
Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Russell Kembel has been promoted to Director of Industry Relations at Hilton Waikoloa Village

Industry veteran Russell Kembel has been promoted to director of industry relations and national accounts for Hilton Waikoloa Village. This promotion is a strategic move by Hilton Waikoloa Village in order to effectively position the hotel in group markets, while supporting the in-market sales team. With an extensive background in the hotel industry, including senior sales manager for Westin Cincinnati and conference sales manager for O’Hare Hilton, Kembel began his hospitality career fresh out of college in 1996 with the San Francisco Hilton and Towers as a sales trainee. He graduated from Washington State University with a bachelor of arts in business administration-hotel/restaurant management. Kembel currently resides in Seattle.

Hilton Waikoloa Village
Waikoloa, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

George Tanzman has been appointed as Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort Lāna‘i at Manele Bay

Tanzman, a 20-year veteran of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, has worked in management positions in some of the most exclusive and luxurious destinations in the world, in North America, Asia and Australia. His international expertise and sense of adventure have garnered Tanzman highly coveted appointments at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Four Seasons Resort Nevis, Four Seasons Corporate Office Hong Kong, Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, and most recently at Four Seasons Resort Aviara. Over the course of his career, he has held positions in, or provided on site support, to well over twenty Four Seasons properties. Tanzman’s hospitality career began in 1990 at Four Seasons Hotel Boston, where he served as assistant housekeeping manager. Tanzman is a graduate of the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He also received a Master of Science in Business from the Isenberg School of Management from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism. He lives in Lāna‘i City with his wife Phelia and enjoys music, cooking, travel, and exploring Lāna‘i’s many off-the-beaten path adventures.

Four Seasons Resort Lāna‘i at Manele Bay
Lana'i City, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Sheryl Tsugawa has been appointed as Sales & Marketing Manager at the Holiday Inn® Waikiki Beachcomber Resort

Ms. Tsugawa comes to Outrigger from IHG, where she was most recently operations manager for IHG Army Hotels -- lodging units at Tripler Hospital and Ft. Shafter in Honolulu. Prior to that, she was an associate manager, development marketing for IHG’s corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia. In her new role, Ms. Tsugawa is responsible for coordinating and maximizing the IHG brand’s FIT market contribution and will focus on the property’s revenue performance from various transient sources. Additionally, as property champion, she will support all areas of Outrigger’s corporate sales and marketing team as it relates to the resort. After graduating from McKinley High School in Honolulu, Ms. Tsugawa continued her education and received her BA from Georgia State University with a double major in Psychology and Sociology.

the Holiday Inn® Waikiki Beachcomber Resort
Waikiki, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Rikki Grace has been appointed as Sales Manager at Hilton Waikoloa Village

A familiar face at Hilton Waikoloa Village, Grace began her career at the resort as an intern while attending Washington State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Hospitality Business Management. Grace found continued success at the resort in the human resources department. In her most recent role of training manager, Grace lead all Management Training Programs, achieved “green” on the Hilton Waikoloa Village Balanced Score Card Training Index every year as training manager, received a perfect score on the resort’s Quality Assurance Audit Training Documentation section for three years, and led the bi-monthly Business Partners’ Orientation for all on-property vendors.

Hilton Waikoloa Village
Kohala Coast, Hawaii, United States
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Appointment

Christof Luedi has been appointed as General Manager at Fairmont Orchid

Mr. Luedi’s previous post was at The Fairmont Kea Lani on the island of Maui where he held the positions of General Manager since 2001 and Regional Vice President, Hawaii since 2005. Luedi has more than 20 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry across the United States. An avid waterman with a passion for outrigger canoe paddling, Mr. Luedi will feel right at home on the Island of Hawaii. In 2003, Mr. Luedi together with local Maui community leader Kimokeo Kapahulehua, envisioned traveling the entire Hawaiian archipelago in a traditional six-person Hawaiian outrigger canoe, beginning on the Island of Hawaii. This dream became a reality in July of 2008 when the paddlers completed their final leg which marked the completion of a six-year, 1,650 mile archipelago journey.

Fairmont Orchid
Waimea, Hawaii, United States
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Appointment

Anthony Freda has been appointed as Resort Manager at The Kapalua Villas

Anthony Freda comes to The Kapalua Villas from Four Seasons Resorts Lanai where he was food and beverage director at the Koele Lodge and Manele Bay Hotels. Prior to that, he gained valuable management experience working at various four and five diamond properties including Four Seasons Hotels in Florida, Georgia, and New York; The Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Georgia, California, Hawaii and St. Thomas; Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Mississippi, and Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Jersey .

Outrigger
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Simeon Miranda has been appointed as General Manager at OHANA Honolulu Airport Hotel and Best Western The Plaza Hotel

Miranda comes to Outrigger with over 23 years of executive management experience with Hilton Worldwide and Marriott International. Most recently, he was general manager at the Marriott Suites Hotel in Anaheim, California. Prior to that, he was resident manager at the Hilton Waikoloa Village for four years. Previous to his time on the Big Island, Miranda was general manager at the Embassy Suites Resort in Lake Tahoe and the Double Tree and Red Lion hotels in Sacramento. Miranda earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Seattle University. He has been active in the hospitality industry and community through local memberships in visitor and convention bureaus and lodging associations, something he looks forward to continuing in his new position. He has served on the boards of Lake Tahoe-Douglas and Sacramento Rotary Clubs, was an education consultant for Junior Achievement in Sacramento, and is a member of Jazz Jubilee and Business Volunteers for the Arts in Sacramento.

Outrigger
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Susan Kaui Koehler has been appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing at Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk

Koehler joins the team at Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk after 18 years with Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel & Resort in Oxnard, California. She brings extensive experience with business development, sales-team training and management, plus familiarity with marketing beachfront resort properties from her time as senior sales manager, then director of sales and marketing. At the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel & Resort, Southern California’s only all-suite resort on the beach, Koehler led advertising efforts and developed promotions and packages targeting leisure and group segments. Additionally, she managed public relations efforts and supervised television and movie productions on property. Koehler previously held sales and marketing positions in California, targeting the Western region at Sheraton Hotels, Ramada Worldwide Sales, and Intercontinental Worldwide Sales. The Kamehameha Schools graduate earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Denver before beginning her career in California. Like many Hawaii-born individuals, Koehler has coveted the idea of returning home to continue her professional business career and is delighted to join the Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk team.

Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk
Waikiki, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Michele Brumblay has been appointed as Director of Catering & Conference Services at Makena Beach & Golf Resort

In her new position, Ms. Brumblay is responsible for overseeing catering, weddings and conference services for Makena Beach & Golf Resort. She comes to her new role with more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including several years within the Maui market. She previously served as director of sales for the resort.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
Maui, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Robert McConnell has been appointed as General Manager at Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach

McConnell joins the Outrigger Waikiki following five years as general manager of two Outrigger affiliate properties, the OHANA Honolulu Airport Hotel and Best Western The Plaza Hotel, where he oversaw multiple renovation phases and re-branded the OHANA Honolulu Airport Hotel. A proven hospitality professional with a strong work ethic and well-honed leadership skills, McConnell brings more than 20 years of management experience in the hospitality industry. He joined Outrigger Hotels & Resorts in May 1988 and has worked in a succession of management positions at various Outrigger properties in Hawaii, including night auditor, relief manager, assistant hotel manager, general manager, and group manager. McConnell also brings several years of international hotel experience, having served as general manager of several of Outrigger’s Pacific resorts in the Marshall Islands, Palau, and Fiji. McConnell is a Certified Rooms Division Executive and a Certified Hotel Administrator through the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association. In 1996 and 1997, he was the recipient of Outrigger Hotels & Resorts’ prestigious President’s Award.

Outrigger
Waikiki, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Michael Nisky has been appointed as General Manager at Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

Prior to his new post, Nisky served as general manager of the luxury JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong since 2004. He began his career with Marriott International in 1975 at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn in Arizona. He was responsible for opening and managing hotels, and was involved in the opening of four Marriott Hotels, including the first JW Marriott Hotel in South Korea where he was the general manager. Nisky also served as the area general manager in Denver Marriott Tech Centre; general manager of Singapore Marriott Hotel, and held senior positions in Marriott in Arizona, California, Colorado and Kauai where he was at the Kauai Marriott Resort in 1997. Nisky is a native of Phoenix, Arizona. In his spare time, Nisky enjoys mountain biking, traveling and skiing. He is married with two children.

Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Waikiki, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Henry Perez has been appointed as General Manager at Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Hilton Hawaiian Village

Perez, a veteran hospitality executive, brings more than 20 years of experience in hotel and timeshare management to Hilton Grand Vacations. Most recently, Perez served as area general manager for Aqua Hotels, overseeing hotels in Waikiki and Maui. Prior to Aqua, Perez was hotel manager of the Outrigger Guam Resort. He also served as executive vice president/chief operating officer and general manager of the Lawai Beach Resort on Kauai and has held executive positions at Embassy Suites, Marriott, Omni, Intercontinental and Crown Sterling properties in California, Hawaii and Florida. In 2001, when he served as general manager at the timeshare development, Lawai Beach Resort, Perez earned the American Resort Development Association's Registered Resort Professional (RRP) designation. Perez is a graduate of Miami Dade College with a degree in Hotel Management. He is also a graduate of the Embassy Suites and Marriott Hotels General Management training programs. A native of Miami, Florida, Perez has resided in Hawaii since 1993. He is married to Simone and has three sons.

Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Hilton Hawaiian Village
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Michael Lee has been appointed as Michael Lee Director of Sales & Marketing at Makena Beach & Golf Resort

Previously, Michael Lee was a partner of Hospitality Taskforce, a company that places sales, marketing, conference services and food & beverage professionals on special taskforces within hotels across the country. Prior to this, Mr. Lee served as assistant general manager and director of sales for Hilton at the Hampton Inn Tropicana, located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Lee has held the title of director of sales for Marriott at the Kauai Coconut Beach Resort. Before this he was employed outside the hospitality industry for a period, serving as executive vice president for Asia Pacific Environmental Technology. Earlier in his career, Lee was director of sales and marketing for the Four Star Westin Maui Hotel. On the mainland, he served as director of marketing for the Flamingo Hilton Las Vegas Hotel, and as director of sales for the Four Star Desert Inn Resort, a Sheraton Hotel located in Las Vegas. Prior to this he worked in sales for Sheraton properties on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai and in Los Angeles. Michael Lee attended Chaminade College and the University of Hawaii. He is a past recipient of the Partner of the Year Award from Hilton Sales Worldwide. Mr. Lee is a member of the Southern California and Aloha Chapters of Meeting Professionals International.

Pyramid Global Hospitality
Maui, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Barrett De Santos has been named Director of Sales at Honua Kai Resort & Spa

Ed Sowers, General Manager of Honua Kai Resort & Spa on Kaanapali North Beach, has named Barrett De Santos Director of Sales for the 628 suite luxury resort. As Director of Sales, Barrett will be responsible for the direction and management of leisure sales activities including retail, wholesale and online business partners. A native of the Island of Oahu, De Santos has nearly 28 years of hospitality experience, most recently as General Manger of Outrigger Aina Nalu Resort on Maui and six years as the senior sales manager for Outrigger’s beachfront division. Earlier, he held sales positions with Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel and Halekulani Hotel on Oahu, as well as the Royal Lahaina Resort and the former Embassy Suites Resort on Maui.

Honua Kai Resort & Spa
Maui, Hawaii, United States
Appointment

Timothy Clark has been appointed as Hotel Manager at Aqua Aloha Surf & Spa

Clark joined Aqua in late 2009 after working for over 20 years with Kyoya Company, Ltd. and Starwood Hotels Hawaii. He held a variety of management positions including Uniformed Services Manager at Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort and Director of Guest Services at Sheraton Moana Surfrider and Princess Kaiulani. A graduate of the University of Hawaii, Clark is certified in a number of hotel job skills training and Six Sigma processes which are a great resource toward improving guest experiences with Aqua Hotels.

Aqua-Aston Hospitality
Waikiki, Hawaii, United States