The Conching family has become synonymous with Hawaii’s hospitality industry, but a family-wide venture into the field was far from premeditated.

Having lived and worked in Southern California, when it came time to start a family Jon Conching knew it was time to return home to Hawaii. There, he and his wife raised their three daughters Alexa, Cassie, and Courtney, and Jon began to cultivate his accomplished career in Hawaii’s Aloha industry. He worked with several companies including Hawaiian Adventure, Mid Pacific Airlines, Jaren Hawaii Travel, Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, Hilton Resorts in Hawaii and the West Coast, and the Hyatt Regency Waikiki before assuming his current role as Director of Sales & Marketing at the Turtle Bay Resort.

When it came time for college, each of his daughters went to pursue their separate interests on the mainland, Alexa to the University of Nevada, Reno, Cassie to Santa Clara University, and Courtney to Loyola Marymount University. It wasn’t too long before the sisters began their own careers in hospitality in various cities on the mainland.

“I don’t think I knew it at the time, but growing up with my dad in hotels created a natural comfort in the hospitality industry” stated Cassie, “We were fortunate to get an inside view of what it was like to work in hotels in Hawaii – the excitement, the drama, the travel, the relationships, the industry and the hard work that goes along with it.”

Knowing that she always wanted to “end up” back in Hawaii, Cassie began her career as the PR and Social Media Coordinator, followed by Catering Manager and Corporate Sales Manager, at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto. She returned home to Hawaii in 2011 where she has worked in Four Seasons’ Sales and Marketing department, becoming adept at keeping up with an ever-changing industry. She is currently a Sales Manager at Four Seasons Resort O‘ahu at Ko Olina, where she has been named a Presidents Club & Leaders Circle achiever, an accomplishment held only by the top ten percent of the entire salesforce of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

As Alexa began her career on the mainland as a reservations agent at the Silver Legacy Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada, and then as a Front Office Agent and Front Office Supervisor at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, she fell in love with the hospitality industry and the impact she was able to make on a guest’s travel experience. For her, the decision to continue her career in Hawaii was an easy one.

“Being able to work where I was born and raised, in the islands that I love and with my family means everything to me,” stated Alexa, “to be able to promote the destination of Hawaii like my family has done now for years is a legacy that I am proud to continue.”

She returned home in 2014 where she joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ Waikiki Team as a Sales Coordinator before joining the Hawaii Regional Field Marketing Team. She is now a Marketing Account Manager with Hawaii Regional Field Marketing Team, leading marketing strategy and execution for a diverse portfolio of hotels and resorts with Marriott International in Hawaii and the Southwest region.

After graduating college, Courtney began her sales career in Los Angeles before becoming a sales manager in Beijing, China. Upon moving back to Hawaii Courtney worked with a variety of top hotel groups, including the former Starwood Waikiki Complex and Hilton Waikiki Beach. She is currently an Account Director with Marriott International’s Waikīkī Complex where she focuses on the group market and works to ensure resorts, companies, associations, teams and other groups have extraordinary experiences in Waikīkī.

Despite the exciting travel opportunities she’s had, Courtney is content to be living and working where she was raised.

“While I’m always looking for my next adventure, I ultimately decided to return because Hawai’i is my home,” said Courtney, “It is where I feel most like myself; where I am centered and grounded.”

Is there anything that you’ve learned from your family that you’ve found valuable in your position/career?

Courtney Conching: “My family are my biggest supporters and being able to work side by side with them the past few years has been a blessing. From seeing my uncle on site-inspections, competing for business against my dad and sister and receiving marketing tips from my younger sister-it all has been an amazing experience. While we all have our own styles and personalities, our foundational qualities remain the same; they have taught me that being true to yourself and having integrity are most important. It doesn’t matter whom you work for, what position you are in or what the situation involves, it is never wrong to do the right thing.”

Cassie Conching: “Having my dad, my uncle & my sisters in the same industry, has created a strong sense of comfort, knowing that I can always turn to any of them for advice, support, really anything. It’s created an underlying comfort & foundation, knowing that my family is always there to support me 100%, and vice versa. I couldn’t think of anything better”

Alexa Conching: “One of the most important things my family has taught me is that you support and lift one another which is very important to me as well when I work on a team. My dad taught me to always be my authentic self, and my mom taught me to always push myself to work harder. My sisters taught me everything from elementary math word problems at the kitchen table to how to dress for my first interview. Being able to work with my dad, uncle and sisters in this industry is why I love what I do. The lessons I have learned from them will continue to resonate with me as we continue to work together.”

Jon Conching: “This quote has always been important to me and it goes something like “ your reputation can take years to build but can be torn down in an instant.” Family or otherwise, it’s important to act and live with integrity and honesty.”