Jim Heather Moves to Hawaii

I join Human Resources in congratulating Jim Heather on his appointment to General Manager of the Kanaloa at Kona on the Big Island.

Jim’s name may sound familiar, as he joined the Outrigger familia in Guam in 1998 as Director of Rooms. Jim was responsible for the pre-opening, opening and operations of the Rooms Division of our 600-room Outrigger Guam Resort.

Jim has spent the last twelve years in the hotel industry in the western Pacific working in Guam and Japan (where he learned to speak Japanese). Besides Outrigger, Jim has worked in other hotel chains such as Hilton, Marriott and Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza.

He first started his hotel career at the Asilomar Conference Center in Monterey, California, after graduating with an Economics degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Falling in love with the hotel business, Jim returned to college to earn a degree in Hotel Administration from the University of Las Vegas. He has also earned his CRDE certification from the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association.

On the personal side, Jim is a native of Newport Beach, California, and loves to play golf and tennis. “I grew up playing tennis and didn’t have much interest in golf until my wife (Rieko) gave me my first golf set for Christmas seven years ago. Since then, I have been addicted to golf, and my wife regrets the day she gave me that first set!” If anyone needs a tennis partner or a fourth for golf, give Jim a call.

Aloha, Jim, and welcome to Hawaii!