Home > 2026 Q3 Hospitality Issue
Amber Watt
What was your very first job, and what did it teach you about people? My job was working at the front desk for Drury Hotels, a brand that, if you know it, you know consistently rates with luxury resorts for […]
Cordon Stapp
What was your very first job, and what did it teach you about people? My first job was when I was 15, working on the beach in Waikīkī as a beach boy for Hawaiian Oceans. I was setting up umbrellas, […]
Derrin Abac
What part of your personality makes you especially suited for this industry? I truly enjoy the art of hospitality, the art of dining. I’m naturally professional, personable, and detail-oriented, which makes me well suited for luxury hospitality. Growing up on […]
Elliot K. Mills
When did you realize hospitality was your calling, not just your career? I realized my passion for hospitality through my early experiences working at the Sheraton Moana as a valet and busboy, as well as my internship at the Hilton […]
Holly Morikami
What was your very first job, and what did it teach you about people? My first real job out of college was working as an auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Being an auditor taught me that you can learn so much when […]
ʻIwalani Kūaliʻi Kahoʻohanohano
As a kanaka ʻōiwi, what does hospitality mean to you? Hospitality is an extension of our natural way of life at home. In Hawaiʻi, hoʻokipa means welcoming someone into your home and helping them feel a sense of belonging. That […]
Ihab Kherati
How has growing up or living in Hawai‘i influenced the way you serve others? I will never forget the very first words spoken to me when I arrived at the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach. A team member looked at me […]
Jeffrey Eslinger
What was your very first job, and what did it teach you about people? My very first job was at McDonald’s, and I still think about the training I received there today. The systems, the standards, the focus on consistency, […]
Jennifer Chun
What was your very first job, and what did it teach you about people? One of my first jobs was as a Student Teller for Kamehameha Federal Credit Union. It was an on-campus job, and we had our own special […]
Jerry Gibson
What legacy do you hope to leave within Hawaiʻi’s hospitality community? My mindset is that a successful visitor industry isn’t measured by the number of visitors we welcome, but by how much better life is for the people who call […]
John Pele
When did you realize hospitality was your calling, not just your career? Working in hospitality in Hawaiʻi made me realize that it was more than just a career for me—it became a calling through the values of aloha and mālama. […]
Kathy Gunderson
What part of your personality makes you especially suited for this industry? What makes me especially suited for this industry is my genuine passion for people combined with a strong sense of accountability and attention to detail. I naturally lead […]
Kimberly Leimomi Agas
What legacy do you hope to leave within Hawai‘i’s hospitality community? I’ve been fortunate throughout my career to work alongside incredible people and be part of an industry that creates opportunities for others. At Aulani, one of the things that […]
Matt Bailey
What was your very first job, and what did it teach you about people? My first job was working in my dad’s garage and gas station during high school. My dad had been an aerospace executive before he bought the […]
Ray Mark
What was your first job, and what did it teach you about people? My first job was at Nielsen Media Research, cold-calling households across the country to recruit them for the national TV ratings. It was a crash course in […]
Rena Caguioa
When did you realize hospitality was your calling, not just your career? I realized hospitality was more than just a job very early on—ironically, in the same building I now manage, Hotel Renew. I was born and raised in American […]
Shaun Ono
When did you realize hospitality was your calling, not just your career? I was born in Hawaiʻi but raised in Japan until I was 15 years old. When I returned to Hawaiʻi to attend Mid-Pacific Institute, I experienced the islands […]
Sheryl Tsugawa
How has growing up or living in Hawai‘i influenced the way you serve others? Growing up in Hawai‘i shaped every aspect of how I serve and care for others. Being surrounded by extended family taught me early on that we […]
Stephen Hinck
What part of your personality makes you especially suited for this industry? I simply LOVE the hospitality industry. I came to Hawai‘i when I was a teenager and got the chance to experience the magic of Waikīkī Beach. Needless to […]
Traci K. Bush
When did you realize hospitality was your calling? When I first started working with my dad at Waikīkī Beach Services, I thought I was just joining the family beach business. It wasn’t until later that I realized hospitality was at […]
Trevor Abarzua
What was your very first job, and what did it teach you about people skills? My very first job in high school was with the Parks and Recreation Department in my hometown of about 10,000 people. I spent my days […]
Yohei Takahashi
When did you realize hospitality was your calling, not just your career? I realized hospitality was my calling while working as a salesperson in the men’s apparel department of a department store early in my career. Fortunately, I became the […]
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