Honolulu,
HI � December 2004 � Halekulani Corporation, which owns and manages both
the Halekulani and the Waikiki
Parc hotels on Oahu, announced that Fred Honda will be retiring from his
position as General Manager of Halekulani. The announcement was made by
Peter E. Shaindlin, Chief Operating Officer of Halekulani Corporation.
Mr.
Honda, who assumed the position of General Manager of Halekulani in July
of 2000, will formally retire from his position once a successor has been
appointed. Halekulani Corporation has commenced a search for Mr. Honda�s
replacement.
Said
Mr. Shaindlin, �Fred Honda is an exemplary professional who has made an
outstanding contribution to Halekulani. Halekulani is one of the finest
and most acclaimed luxury resorts in the world, thanks in no small measure
to Fred�s valued contributions and expertise. Our guests and staff have
benefited greatly from his unwavering commitment, his tireless work ethic
and his passion for excellence.� Continued Mr. Shaindlin, �Fred has pursued
the highest of standards as well as being an example for us all, and he
will be greatly missed. Fred has been, and will always be, a wonderful
ambassador for Halekulani, not only on a local level, but nationally and
internationally as well. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for
his passion, his commitment and his enduring contribution.�
�It
has been a great honor and privilege for me to have been a part of the
storied history of the legendary Halekulani, following in the footsteps
of the best hoteliers in the nation. With the combined efforts of management
staff and their employees, we survived 911 and brought Halekulani back
to national and international prominence. It is a very rewarding satisfaction
to know this happened on my watch. I came here to Halekulani to make a
difference by utilizing my hotel and travel experiences in the State and
abroad. I will remain as the General Manager of Halekulani until my replacement
has been appointed and devote my time and energies to my wife Julie and
family. I will definitely miss the hotel, the personal interaction with
the hotel guests, the employees and all the loyal residents who frequent
our dining establishments. I can never adequately thank my management team
and property staff, as well as the management of Halekulani Corporation,
for their steadfast confidence and support over the years. I will greatly
miss them, one and all,� said Mr. Honda.
Mr.
Honda joined Halekulani in 1999 as Director of Operations, and was appointed
General Manager in July of 2000. During his tenure, he oversaw a multi-million
dollar renewal of the property, as well as the creation of the spectacular
new Vera Wang Suite at Halekulani, the renovation of the Royal Suite and
the development of the successful and highly acclaimed SpaHalekulani. From
1997 to 1999, Mr. Honda served as General Manager of the Kapalua Bay Hotel
on Maui, which, at the time, was under the management of Halekulani Corporation.
Previously, Mr. Honda served as Executive Manager of Hawaii�s oldest private
club, the Oahu Country Club. From 1993 to 1997, Mr. Honda was Vice President
and General Manager of Cathedral Hill Hotel in San Francisco and served
on the board of directors and executive committee of San Francisco�s Convention
& Visitors Bureau. Mr. Honda previously served as Vice President and
General Manager for Amfac Hotels and Resorts at the Keauhou Beach Hotel
and Hotel King Kamehameha. Mr. Honda began his hotel career with Sheraton
Hotels on Oahu and Maui. Mr. Honda is currently the Hawaiian/Pacific Islands
Regional Bailli of the Chaine des Rotisseurs and was recently awarded the
Gold Medal Award for Excellence. A charter member and officer of Les Amis
d�Escoffier Society of Hawaii and SKAL, he resides in Honolulu with his
wife, Julie.
About
Halekulani
Consistently
ranked among the world�s best hotels, Halekulani is a member of The Leading
Hotels of the World, Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, and Okura
Hotels & Resorts, three exclusive organizations comprised of the very
finest hotels, pursuing service excellence and standards of the highest
quality. Readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine named Halekulani
the number one Pacific Rim resort in the publication�s 2003 �Reader�s Choice
Awards.� In 2004, Halekulani again received top honors from Condé
Nast Traveler, scoring higher than any other U.S. resort in the publication�s
2004 �Gold List,� which also ranked Halekulani the number one resort in
the U.S. for location and the number three resort in the U.S. for food.
Readers of Travel + Leisure ranked Halekulani as the number one
hotel in Hawaii in the �Top 25 Hawaii� category, fourth in the �Top 100
Overall� category, and �Best Hotel for Service in Hawaii� in the publication�s
2003 �World�s Best Awards Readers� Survey,� in which Halekulani�s ratings
were higher than any other surveyed property in the United States and Canada.
In addition, SpaHalekulani earned the coveted Mobil Four-Star rating in
2004 � the highest rating bestowed upon any spa in the new guidebook from
America�s most trusted travel advisor, Mobil Travel Guide, titled America�s
Best Hotel & Resort Spas. Halekulani is managed by Hotels &
Resorts of Halekulani, a brand management division of the Honolulu-based
Halekulani Corporation, which also manages Waikiki Parc Hotel. For reservations
and information contact your travel planner or the hotel at (800) 367-2343
or (808) 923-2311 or visit Halekulani�s website at www.Halekulani.com.
For
Further Information, Please Contact:
Halekulani
Joyce
Matsumoto
Director
of Public Relations
Tel:
808.931.5031
Fax:
808.931-5012
Evins
Communications, Ltd.
Kimberly
Sundt
Vice
President, Travel & Hospitality Group
Tel:
212.688.8200
Fax:
212.935.6730 |