Saturday Briefing

By Dr. Richard Kelley

At Outrigger and OHANA hotels, we have a long tradition of supporting the men and women who serve our country in the U.S. armed services – Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard – and, as we approach Veterans Day, November 11, it is appropriate to review that history, renew our dedication, and share a few thoughts about today’s military.

In fact, our personal and corporate loyalty dates back to before the “official” birth of our company in 1947, the year the little Islander Hotel opened its doors on Seaside Avenue in Waikiki. In 1941, our founders, Roy and Estelle Kelley, were operating apartments in Waikiki and invited two of their tenants, Capt. John Schultz and his wife, Martha, to join them for breakfast on the morning of Sunday, December 7. Capt. Schultz arrived in his gleaming dress white Navy uniform and, when the bombs began to fall, he rushed to his ship in Pearl Harbor to begin World War II, as possibly the “Best Dressed” officer on duty at the moment. (That tale is humorous now, but at the time, nobody was laughing.)

We continued our support of the military through World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and we are still doing so in many ways, as our troops are currently engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Recently, David Carey and I had an opportunity to visit military installations to get an up-close, personal, and better understanding of what our uniformed personnel are currently facing.

David visited Hurlburt Field, near the larger and better-known Pensacola Naval Air Station in the Florida panhandle. (World War II history buffs – I’m one too – may be interested to know that Hurlburt was the field where Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle trained his “Raiders” for short-runway takeoffs and landings before his carrier-launched raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942.)

Today, Hurlburt is the home of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The men and women stationed here are trained to conduct global special operations missions ranging from precision application of firepower, to infiltration, resupply, and refueling of special operations forces around the world. Similar in ability and employment to Army Special Forces and Navy Sea-Air-Land forces (SEALs), Air Force Special Tactics personnel are typically the first U.S. military forces to enter combat and often find themselves deep behind enemy lines in demanding, austere conditions, usually with little or no support.

My travels took me to Washington, D.C., where I spent the day at the Pentagon listening to high-level representatives from all branches of the service including:

• Gen. Gene Renuart, Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command
• Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff
• Gen. George Casey, Army Chief of Staff
• Vice Adm. William “Doug” Crowder, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations

Both David and I were reminded of and greatly impressed by the quality and dedication of the members of our armed services. David was struck by how capable the young men and women in our all-volunteer forces are. He found them “remarkable and inspiring.” All of them face unbelievable challenges these days, particularly those who are involved in operations in Iraq and the remote regions of Afghanistan.

The numbers of those who have been killed or have suffered traditional wounds in Iraq and Afghanistan are easily documented. However the effects of repeated deployments and of powerful roadside Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have produced many non-traditional casualties, including:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and similar mental conditions from the stress, strain. and shock of combat.
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with multiple, microscopic injuries within the brain resulting from nearby explosions that may not produce lacerations or fractures.

Just this week, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) hosted a first-of-its-kind national summit to address the mental health care needs of America’s military personnel, families, and veterans, harnessing the programs, resources, and expertise of both departments to deal with the aftermath of battle.

The effects of PTSD and TBI are long-term, insidious and severe. According to a report in the New York Times, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, retired Gen. Eric Shinseki, noted that more veterans have committed suicide since 2001 than have been lost to combat deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Both David and I came away from our visits with a renewed respect for the members of our armed forces. We pledge that we will continue to offer any type of support we can, following the example set by Roy and Estelle Kelley in 1941 and the years that followed.

By The Human Resources Service Center

The Outrigger ‘ohana gathered at the OHANA Waikiki East on Tuesday, October 27, to honor and recognize Employees of the Quarter for the Third Quarter of 2009. David Carey, Barry Wallace, Dr. Chuck Kelley, and Department Heads extended their congratulations and offered words of praise to all of the distinguished honorees and nominees. Read the rest of this entry

By Ka‘ipo Ho

I am attending Kapi‘olani Community College’s Ho‘okipa Me Ke Aloha Hawaiian cultural immersion program, and we recently completed a segment on the wa‘a, or Hawaiian canoe, that was both refreshing and a timely reinforcement of what the canoe symbolizes in Outrigger Enterprises’ culture. Read the rest of this entry

By Nancy Daniels

On October 22, more than 300 visitor industry professionals, government officials, and other invited guests gathered at the Royal Hawaiian Theater for the Waikiki Improvement Association’s (WIA) annual meeting, during which winners of the Ho‘owehiwehi Awards were announced. Walking away with one of three Ho‘owehiwehi Lihi Awards presented that afternoon was Outrigger Hotels & Resorts for the Outrigger Reef on the Beach’s just completed $110 million transformation. Accepting the award on behalf of Outrigger were President and CEO David Carey, General Manager Bill Comstock, and Senior Projects Manager Bob Finan. Read the rest of this entry

By Pila Hanson

This past week, Outrigger held a lunch to honor eight of our Supervisors who recently received their Certified Hospitality Supervisor (CHS) designation from the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA). Read the rest of this entry

By Una Murray

The annual Digicel Coral Coast Carnival was held from 17 to 24 October, and included a float parade and various performances throughout the day. The event finale was the much anticipated crowning of the Miss Digicel Coral Coast Queen. The competition for the crown was strong this year, with six Queens vying for the title. Read the rest of this entry

By Bill Peters

(Dr. Richard Kelley is traveling. His column will return on October 31.)

Outrigger’s Worldwide Contact Center in Denver has become greener than ever. In fact, as a distinct physical location that can be found on a map, it has ceased to exist. All its employees are now doing the Center’s work from their respective homes, tied together and to Outrigger and the rest of the world by purely electronic means. Read the rest of this entry

By Patsy Narimatsu

It was a picture-perfect evening on Thursday, October 15, when the Outrigger Beachfront Division unveiled its new wedding packages, while at the same time showcasing the Outrigger Reef’s stunning Voyager Deck as the newest oceanfront wedding venue. With the availability of the Voyager Deck at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach and the expansive lanai fronting Suite 123 at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, Outrigger’s beachfront properties now have two of the most memorable oceanfront settings on Waikiki beach for weddings.

Nearly 80 guests, comprised of wedding planners, meeting coordinators, vendors, and Outrigger executives, gathered at the exclusive Wedding Launch event. The Voyager Deck was set as it would be for an intimate, oceanfront wedding. Guests were greeted at a reception table, just as they would at a real wedding. They then mingled, while enjoying passed hors d’oeurves and chilled lychee martinis. The popular wedding trio Soul Bucket provided entertainment, and Billy V from Hawaiian 105 KINE and Sunrise on KGMB was the evening’s emcee.

Tables were set beneath a clear tent, and each was beautifully decorated with peach silk table linens, the finest of dinnerware, and a stunning floral centerpiece courtesy of University Flowers. The dinner buffet was top-notch, with Chef Harold Beltran, Food and Beverage Manager Dietrich Chillous, and the Kani Ka Pila Grille kitchen crew and wait staff showing off their skills. Everyone’s eyes lit up when they saw the colorful and tasty candy bar, and guests couldn’t resist snapping photos of the charming wedding cake surrounded by individual red velvet cupcakes.

A special addition to the evening was a fashion show of the all-new bridal fashion line from in-vogue local label, Fighting Eel, known for its simple, chic, and romantic line of dresses. Models passed through a lace-draped bamboo trellis decorated with fresh florals, then strolled among the tables for everyone to enjoy.

From comments received that evening and a flurry of follow-up emails asking for more information about the new wedding services, we can safely say the wedding launch was a success and our beachfront properties can look forward to a new avenue of business.

Many weddings can take a year to plan, but the professionals at the Outrigger Reef pulled together the wedding launch event in just a few weeks thanks to the efforts and hard work of a great team. Special mahalo to Gay Shinbara, Ricol Akana, Chef Harold Beltran, Dietrich Chillous, and Nurhan Enustun. We also need to say a big mahalo to our vendors who were generous in showcasing their special products and services, including wedding planner Linda Saito, Royal Party Rentals (tent/chairs), photographers David Miyamoto and Arna Johnson, University Flowers and Spinning Web for the exquisite florals, and Le Saison (linens).

By Kathy Hansberry

Waikiki Beach Walk continues to showcase Hawaii’s best island talent through free concerts and entertainment, including the weekly Sunday Showcase music series, the Ku Ha‘aheo Hula Performance every Tuesday. Read the rest of this entry

By Kathy Hansberry

Last week, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts and OHANA Hotels & Resorts celebrated the birthday of the late Princess Victoria Kawekiu Lunalilo Kalaninuiahilapalapa Ka‘iulani Cleghorn (1875-1899) with a special lei draping ceremony on Friday, October 16, at the Princess Ka‘iulani Triangle Park across from the OHANA Waikiki East hotel. Read the rest of this entry