Did you find the hospitality industry or did the hospitality industry find you?
Well, a bit of both. I grew up in a popular tourist town in Washington but while I grew up around the industry, I actually went to college with a plan to pursue an engineering career. In short order I discovered engineering wasn’t for me and then discovered the hospitality program at Washington State University. I’d never before thought to make the industry I grew up with my career! As fate would have it, we were asked in one of my college courses to state our ideal career goal. Nearly 20 years ago, I selected “General Manager of the Westin Maui” as my goal!
What do you think is the importance of the hospitality industry and how do you feel you fit in?
Being a General Manager in West Maui during the recovery from the Lahaina wildfire has made it abundantly clear how critical the hospitality industry is for our local community. Without the jobs created to support our visitors, families who had lived here for generations had to make the difficult choice to move away from Maui. This has created a deep sense of responsibility for me. We do more than provide rooms and mai tais for visitors. Our responsibility is to create a sustainable hospitality industry that attracts visitors so our local people can continue to share the culture and live and thrive on our beautiful islands.
Are there any aspects that excite you the most about the hospitality industry and invigorate your team?
Hosting our large, incentive groups that push us to think creatively on how we can maximize all aspects of our resort. From headliner concerts, 1,000+ person pool deck receptions, to massive community giveback programs, these events push our teams to bring their A game, and we love it!
What do you feel are the most serious challenges facing the hospitality industry and how might they be resolved? What is the industry doing well?
The greatest challenge: Managing our industry in a way our communities feel the greatest positive impacts while minimizing the negatives.
What is the industry doing well: Our tiny island chain competes favorably with the best and most heavily funded destinations in the world. We must maintain this brand equity into the future; it is an invaluable asset to our state that we often take for granted.
What do you envision will take place in the hospitality industry in the years ahead and how might the local industry adapt or change?
My hope is we shift our approach to the hospitality industry to one that looks at proactive solutions to set up our future generations with a sustainable and thriving economy. Instead of labeling our concerns as “overtourism,” we should instead utilize the massive tax revenue stream that tourism brings to enhance our infrastructure to create the capacity to provide a wonderful experience to our local communities while maintaining and growing our world-class visitor industry.
