Outrigger on the Lagoon - Fiji Named Top Five-Star Resort By Peter Hopgood. March 13, 2010

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1 March 13, 2010 Outrigger on the Lagoon - Fiji Named Top Five-Star Resort By Peter Hopgood There were smiles all round on Friday night, February 26, at the annual AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards with Outrigger on the Lagoon - Fiji winning two prestigious awards. AON is one of the world s largest insurance groups, and we were honoured to receive awards for Best Deluxe Accommodation, together with the highly coveted Frontliner of the Year award, that went to our Executive Chef, Shailesh Naidu. Shailesh s win is significant in that he is our second staff member in as many years to win the award, with our Public Relations Manager, Una Murray, winning the award in While we know how skilled, creative, and personable Shailesh is, we were all thrilled that his exceptional talent as a chef, together with his professional conduct with team members and dedication to food excellence, was formally recognised by the AON judging panel. Continued on page 3 Air Pacific s CEO John Campbell presents Executive Chef Shailesh Naidu with the AON 2009 Frontliner of the Year award A Tsunami of Work, Expertly Accomplished By Dr. Chuck Kelley (Dr. Richard Kelley is traveling. His column will return next week.) It was around 10 o clock Friday night, February 26, when I received an unexpected call from Jerry Dolak, Director of Security. He was informing everyone on the emergency call list that there had just been a severe earthquake in Chile, and that Hawaii was in the path of what might be a devastating tsunami. This meant we had roughly 13 hours to prepare. Thank goodness for the previous years of effort and planning! We were ready with a written and practiced plan in place. Everyone already knew their assigned roles and responsibilities, which would consume every waking hour from that moment forward. As it turned out, we were all extremely fortunate that the tsunami turned out to be not much more than a curious surge that sloshed around the islands for a few hours. Little, if any, damage was done and no lives were lost. There was no way of predicting this lucky outcome, however, which is why it was necessary to prepare for the worst (a Chilean quake in 1960 spawned a tsunami that killed 61 people in Hawaii). The actions of our team throughout the ordeal were outstanding in every way, and I would like to highlight just some of the wonderful cooperation and team spirit throughout our organization that I either experienced or heard about. Continued on page 4

2 Happy Birthday! Mar 24: Edward William Kawewehi, Tracey L. Nakama, and Jhon-Jhon S. Pelayo. Mar 25: Florence Marisa Alo, Francisca V. Lim, Respicio P. Batangan, Lourdes M. Queen, Mi Ok Son, Yoly P. Ingeniero, Cho Ji Pae, Mona Chalmers, and Alohalani S. Alapai. Mar 26: Timothy D. Bruns, Jamie C. Wong, and Brent K. Kawae. Mar 27: Stanley W. Trueman, Nuengruethai Peacock, Joseph Kijone, Damien R. Arceneaux, Welfredy Baoit, Monte Carlo Q. Mallen, Robin Y. Zukeran, Josephine R.P. Christian, and Merlin M. Cabading. Mar 28: Cy N. Yamamoto, Elena S. Perez, Lois K. Shore, Bertram B.N. Chock, and Richard P. Ehinger. Mar 29: Malinda L. Conley, Renato Dela Rosa, Tanya L. Scanlan, Divina Garcia, David R. Lee, Jesse W. Pennington, Mildred M. Courtney, Dolly Del Rosario, Nani J. Naish, Robert M. Finan, and Joy K. Uchida. Mar 30: Roseminda U. Tangonan. is published by and for employees of Outrigger Enterprises Group. Editor-In-Chief: Richard Kelley Senior Editor: Pila Hanson Assistant Editor: Kathy Foley Contributing Writers: Employees of Outrigger Enterprises Group Visit us online at: Submit suggestions, comments, and news tidbits to Pila Hanson at or via interoffice mail to OEH/Executive Office, or contact her at (808) Outrigger Hotels Hawaii An Equal Opportunity Employer Employment Opportunities If you are interested in the positions listed below and meet the qualifications, you may apply online. Please go to click on ABOUT OUTRIGGER, then EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. We only accept online applications for the open-listed positions from internal candidates. If you have any questions, please call Chad Teramae at (808) Application deadline for the following positions is March 19, Guest Service Representative (Full Time) Must have at least one year customer service and cashiering experience, preferably in the hospitality industry. Must have basic computer skills and be able to type 30 wpm. Must also be a team player with excellent communication skills and flexibility to work any day and shift. Japanesespeaking skills required. Bell Person (Full-Time) Must have at least six months customer service experience and be able to lift 70 lbs and work any day and shift. Bell Clerk (On Call) A minimum of one year previous customer service experience required. Must have excellent communication and computer skills, and be able to work any day and shift. Sales and Marketing Assistant (Full Time) A minimum of two years administrative/account service experience in a fast-paced environment. Must be able to multi-task and facilitate progress on multiple and varied projects. Must also have excellent verbal, written, and communication skills and computer proficiency to include, but not be limited to, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Political Fundraisers If you are interested in obtaining information regarding Hawaii politics, please call the OHH PAC Hotline at and leave a message on the recorder. Thursday, March 18 Representative Clift Tsuji District 3 - South Hilo, Panaewa, Puna, Keaau, and Kurtistown along with Representative Kyle Yamashita District 12 - Pukalani, Makawao, Olinda, Pulehu, Kula, and Ulupalakua 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. The Mandalay 1055 Alakea Street

3 Outrigger on the Lagoon - Fiji Named Top Five-Star Resort Continued from page 1 Outrigger on the Lagoon s Special Events Coordinator, Ilisoni Vibose, who was also a finalist for the Frontliner award, tries to wrestle the major award from winner, Shailesh Naidu. The gala awards evening was attended by over 350 guests from Fiji s tourism and business industries and has become one of the country s most anticipated annual tourism events honouring the individuals and businesses who make significant contributions to Fiji s tourism industry. Our two latest awards are also testament to our continual improvements to guest services through resort upgrades, introduction of new and innovative services, and consistent approach to staff training. While we are very proud of these latest awards, our beautiful resort is only as good as the people behind it. On behalf of the Outrigger ohana, I congratulate each and every one of our staff members who have made these awards possible. Outrigger Blood Drive By Ashley Cabradilla With more than half of us needing blood during our lives, maintaining a safe and adequate community blood supply is important to everyone. By donating blood, you ll help ensure that it is available for all who need it, and you ll help save up to three lives. Everyday in Hawaii, hundreds of patients count on volunteer blood donors for their very survival. The donation process is safe and usually takes about an hour. There is some paperwork, a confidential interview, and a mini physical, but the actual collection of blood takes only five to eight minutes. Outrigger s next Blood Drive is scheduled for: Friday, March 26, a.m. - 2 p.m. OHANA Waikiki East Hotel Lobby Conference Room If you are interested in donating and would like to make an appointment for the upcoming Blood Drive, please contact Ashley Cabradilla at or by at ashley.cabradilla@outrigger.com. Condolences Our deepest condolences to Milgros Robiniol on the passing of her son Pfc. J.R. Salvacion, who was midway through his first 12-month combat deployment to Afghanistan. J.R. was assigned to Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, from Fort Carson, Colorado. He was the first American soldier with Hawaii ties to be killed in Afghanistan this year.

4 A Tsunami of Work, Expertly Accomplished Continued from page 1 Good preparation is always a key to success. To prepare us for just such an emergency, Jerry Dolak, along with Neal Nakashima (Corporate Director, Risk Management), maintains an active Crisis Management Team, an Emergency Command Center, and a detailed list of responsibilities and actions for many types of emergencies all spelled out in our Crisis Manual. Now more than ever, we appreciate those annual drills! When Jerry first heard of the threat, it was already the end of a long workday. He immediately sprang into action and began alerting everyone. Then he stayed at the Command Center helm, coordinating actions throughout that night and the following day, going without sleep for many long hours. In the Waikiki area, our Wackenhut Security Officers immediately reported to work and throughout the situation, kept in close contact with Operations at all properties. They did a commendable job, reassuring guests and answering their questions. Many times I saw anxious guests approach the Security Officers and after a brief conversation, walk off looking calmer and more relaxed. The hotels and condos within the potential flood zones had the longest list of emergency tasks. Not only did they need to evacuate all guests from the danger zones, but they also had to move anything valuable and in danger of being damaged. That included getting cars out of garages, a job that was done astoundingly well, thanks to the help of our Bell Staff and vendors, such as Elite Services, who came in early and started shuffling cars around at 3 a.m. It was no simple matter they had to remember where they moved the cars to, which key went to which car, and how to find a specific car later when a guest asked! Our Front Desk agents everywhere were swamped with guest inquiries. I observed that the most urgent requests came in the wee hours of the morning. That s when mainland relatives, who were already awake and watching the national news, called our guests on their cell phones and told them Where am I going to You gotta get outta there! The general alarms had not yet eat? Our vendors teamed gone out in Hawaii. Our poor sleepy and frightened guests up with our staff and immediately called or came down to the Front Desks. I watched our Front Desk agents skillfully and calmly reassure people and answer questions. As the day wore on, guests continued to flood the Front Desk with questions like: Where can I eat? What stores are open? Is my activity still on? Will my flight be cancelled, and should I go to the airport? Our agents never showed fatigue or frustration, as they kept answering the same questions over and over. Guests who didn t speak English needed special help. To assist, Ritsuko Tsunashima-Kukonu, of the Outrigger Reef on the Beach, came in at 5 a.m. and, working together with Gina Reeves, the Reef s Front Office Manager, got important messages out in Japanese and handled requests for information updates from the Japanese media. Continued on page 5 In addition to handling guest requests, our Front Desk agents were also working through a long list of emergency preparations, such as copying files, moving computer equipment, and transferring cash to secure locations. They made announcements over the PA systems and posted up-todate bulletins in the lobbies. Guests appreciated these efforts, as demonstrated by this thank-you note from a Canadian guest at the Outrigger Regency on Beachwalk: From the bottom of our hearts, we wanted to thank the girls at the reception that morning because they were truly lifesavers: reassuring, supportive, giving us the necessary information of what to do and our choices. Our Housekeepers also had more than their fair share of work that day. When they woke up and heard the news, they came in early, many missing their breakfast and family time. Throughout the day, they not only cleaned rooms and kept things orderly, as guests were shuffled onto higher floors, but they also took the time to talk with guests and provide information. Later, at the end of the long day when they would normally be winding down, there was a mad rush to clean the rooms that had been occupied way beyond the normal checkout time. Many stayed late, without complaint, getting the job done in time to welcome new arrivals. The Engineering and Maintenance departments were charged with a long list of vital safety functions. Smiling and working quickly, they prepared emergency equipment, shut down electrical equipment, and made sure no one would be stuck in elevators. One of our guest s primary concerns was, Frequent return guests Selma and Ed Davis survived the Hawaii tsunami kept guests happy. Duke s restaurant employees came in at 3 a.m. and started cooking. By the time the tsunami finally hit, they had already prepared and served almost 500 meals to guests and employees. While many other convenience shops in Waikiki were closed, Outrigger Shops (Ku ai Markets) stayed open and served guests who were anxious to stock up on drinks and snack foods. Owner Steve Norstrom was seen personally handling the cash register! I also heard that Nippon Bento and Pai s Deli worked around all the inconveniences and obstacles to successfully prepare muchappreciated lunches for employees. Because all previously scheduled guest activities would be cancelled that day, Outrigger Activities Sales Agents

5 A Tsunami of Work, Expertly Accomplished Continued from page 4 came in and worked extra hard handling cancellations, refunds, and re-bookings. In every hotel, guests had many urgent questions, and everyone did an outstanding job of answering them as quickly as possible. Our Denver Reservations department impressed everyone, acting as Communication Central, distributing consistent and timely updates to all properties and around the world. Reservations Agents also handled many individual questions from customers by phone and e- mail. Lois Shore, VP, Distribution, contacted our Outrigger Hospitality Specialist Travel Agents to keep them in the loop, earning many compliments from our travel partners. In the new world of electronic communications, many guests sought information on the Internet. Nancy Daniels and our PR team were there for them, sending out information through social media channels, telling people what was going on minute-by-minute. Thanks to their efforts, guests who wanted to know which shops were open at Waikiki Beach Walk quickly found the answer on Facebook and Twitter. At the condominium properties, our teams did an outstanding job of not only ensuring guest safety, but also reassuring the condo owners their units were in the most capable of hands. Many owners took particular interest in the situation and got personally involved. At the Outrigger Royal Sea Cliff, one owner even called to see if he could relocate the guests renting his room to his private residence on higher ground! At the Outrigger at Lae Nani and Outrigger Waipouli Beach Resort & Spa, several owners reported to Vicki Valenciano (Lae Nani s Resort Operations and Owner Services Manager) that they were impressed with the way Outrigger handled the situation and felt secure in their decision to participate in the Outrigger rental program. Everywhere, our hotel Management teams did a truly exceptional job of handling the situation. They provided the experience and leadership that made the whole event safe and uneventful. At the Embassy Suites - Waikiki Beach Walk, General Manager Bob Yeoman used the Pavilion and Grand Lanai as a safe gathering place for guests to mingle, enjoy a beverage, and watch the news on the large-screen TV. Both Chuck Okazaki (General Manager, Outrigger Kanaloa at Kona) and Paul Horner (General Manager, Keauhou Beach Resort) expressed the feeling of unreality they experienced, as they finished going through their emergency checklists, turned off the lights, locked the gates, and walked off the property. Like the captain of a ship, they coordinated all activities and stayed to the very last safe minute. Thankfully, in the end, there was no great tsunami inundation, but the exercise did prove our team is organized, motivated, and prepared. Mahalo to everyone who came in early, missed meals, brought in food, took on extra responsibilities, worked long hours, and pitched in. We enormously appreciate everything you did. Well done, team! Jacky Gong, Ivy Kwok, Barry Wallace, Barbara Lam, Cindy Castillo, Ray Cheng, Kelvin Shiu, and Doris Chu reporting for duty A rare sight ~ a deserted Waikiki Beach Another rare sight ~ a deserted Waikiki street

6 Outrigger s Excellence in Safety Awards Program By Dr. Chuck Kelley At the First Quarter Corporate Safety Committee Meeting, Neal Nakashima introduced the new Excellence in Safety Awards Program. The purpose of this new program is to recognize and reward properties that have exceeded pre-established safety performance goals and have shown commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. Thanks to the dedicated effort of all our safety committees and the commitment of all our employees to work smart and work safe, we have experienced outstanding results this last year. The winners of the 2009 Excellence in Safety Awards are: Bronze Award Outrigger Reef on the Beach Although the Outrigger Reef on the Beach team had one of the highest total hours worked by employees, they did an outstanding job controlling their workers compensation claims. They also completed all of their required training sessions, safety meetings, and property surveys. Silver Award OHANA Waikiki Malia The OHANA Waikiki Malia Hotel went the entire year with no reported workers compensation injuries. They bettered their allocated incident target rate and completed all of their required training sessions, safety meetings, and property surveys. Gold Award OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber The OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel went a remarkable 519 days with no loss time and had only $125 in workers compensation losses for the entire year. They bettered their allocated incident target rate and completed all of their required training sessions, safety meetings, and property surveys. Congratulations to these three teams and all the employees who work safe and make Outrigger a great place to work! 6 Bronze Award Winners Kimberly Agas, Mandy Cruz, Dr. Chuck Kelley, and Myra Kuboyama Silver Award Winners Herb Fernandez, So o Tana, Divina Garcia, Nora Weatherwax, Henry Rodrigues, and Dr. Chuck Kelley Gold Award Winners Virginia Asakawa, Jim Hodges, Loan Montgomery-Freitas, Darnell Zablan, Taryn Wong, Jo Ader, Masako Sawyer, Randall Morisako, Pam Yagi, Dr. Chuck Kelley, and Dean Nakasone