Saturday BriefingPage �

December �3, 2008

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Continued on page 8

Waikiki Beach Walk® Wins Prestigious ICSC Award

By Barbara Campbell It is with pleasure that I share the exciting news that Waikiki Beach Walk has received a prestigious Design and Development Award from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). The award was presented on December 3 at the ICSC’s 32nd International Design and Development Awards gala ceremony in Phoenix, Arizona. I was honored to accept the award on behalf of Waikiki Beach Walk and Outrigger Enterprises Group. Joining me was Ron Altoon of the architectural firm Altoon + Porter Design Architects, LLP, who oversaw the overall design of the project. Since its inauguration in �977, the ICSC International Design and Development Awards program has recognized outstanding projects for excellence in the creation of new retail projects and in the expansion

Ron Altoon (Altoon + Porter), Barbara Campbell, Gary Dempster (Altoon + Porter), and Eric Kisshauer (Pankow)

Raymond Bickson and Dr. Richard Kelley

Terror and Tourism Once again the world is watching, appalled, as terror, riots, and violence disrupt Travel & Tourism around the world. There were the bloody attacks late last month on hotels and a train station in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and the closure by rioters of two airports in Thailand. Currently, Greece is enduring riots that have brought that country to a standstill. It is one thing to read about events in faraway countries in a newspaper or watch them on TV, but everything takes on a whole new meaning when friends and loved ones are directly involved and, often, endangered. Raymond Bickson, Managing Director and CEO of Indian Hotels, owner of the venerable Taj Mahal Palace & Tower in Mumbai, is a personal friend whom I have known since his youth in Hawaii. (He’s a �973 graduate of Saint

Saturday BriefingPage 2

Saturday Briefing is published by and for the employees of

Outrigger Enterprises Group.

Editor-In-Chief: Richard KelleySenior Editor: Marie CasciatoAssistant Editor: Lehua Kala`i

Contributing Writers: Employees of Outrigger Enterprises Group

Visit us online at: www.saturdaybriefing.outrigger.com/

Submit suggestions, comments, and news tidbits to Marie Casciato at

marie.casciato@outrigger.com or via interoffice mail toOEH/Executive Office,

or contact her at (808) 92�-660�.© 2008 Outrigger Hotels Hawaii An Equal Opportunity Employer

Employment Opportunities

If you are interested in the positions listed below and meet the qualifications, please apply online at outrigger.com. If you have any questions, please call Eric Ishikawa at (808) 92�-6989. Application deadline for the following positions is December �9, 2008.

Director of Sales and Marketing (Full Time)

At least five years or commensurate experience in hotel sales and marketing management is required. Knowledge of hospitality sales, market positioning, market segments, advertising and promotion, internal marketing, and distribution channels is essential. Must be able to establish and manage the relationship with the Hilton brand and monitor and maintain all major booking channels, including Global Distribution System and related websites. Must be sales-oriented and financially savvy, have excellent presentation skills, and be effective in communicating both verbally and in writing.

Housekeeper-Public Area (Full Time)

Must be able to work flexible shifts and days. Experience in cleaning public areas preferred.

Happy Birthday!Dec 3�: Neil T. Murakami, Martha R. Delisa, Shannon M. Nolder, Rebecca D. Vicente, Julia P. Tambio, and Duy Q. Thai.

Jan 0�: Margarita R. Ortiz, Evangeline E. Lintao, Florencia P. Nicolas, Heather Haas, Rui Xiu Lin Li, and Espirita T. Sumibcay.

Jan 02: Clarita V. Pagtulingan, Karen L. Fong, Richard V. Fernando, Aurora S. Oraa, Maria Schuwer-Marous, Rodola A. Tangonan, Charlene Biho, Emmanuel T. Padigos, Correy K. Naumu, Scott S.L. Johnson, Shiu Hing Gong, Kyle S. Kawabata, and Sandy Y.S. Wong.

Jan 03: Beverly J.T. Fidel, Gui Hao Wu, Albert L. Kahookaulana, Debra A. Kelly, Tania P.O. Morrill, Amante Castro, Jr., and Lorna Agtarap-Benigno.

Jan 04: Sarah Y.H. Constable, Derrick W.M. Terada, Christiane A. Carson, Tamra P. So’o, Vivian H. Terazono, Chester L. Hoapili, Jr., Ginny G.J. Young, Henry Q. Quinsaat, and Eddie Vierra.

Jan 05: Hung Sheong Lau, Tammy K. Kalilikane, and Reyn K. Nakamasu.

Jan 06: Leinani Agres-Enguito, Arthur S. Corotan, and Suzanne Mendoza.

Do We Have Your Current Address?

At this time of year, we are all so busy with shopping, our families, and enjoying the holiday season, that we often forget to take care of some things. So, if you’ve moved this year - don’t forget to update your address with us! Your 2008 W-2 will be mailed to your residence at the end of January, so you should change your address information NOW with your Human Resources representative.

If you are not sure which address is listed, please contact your Human Resources department or the Payroll department at (808) 92�-6560.

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Cheeseburger Beachwalk Opens at Waikiki Beach Walk®

By Conchita Malaqui

Robert Kaskie, Executive Vice President Cheeseburger Restaurants; Barbara Campbell; Doug Revord, Oahu Area Manager, Cheeseburger Restaurants; Conchita Malaqui; Doug Rainey ,Vice President, Cultural Affairs & Protocol, Cheeseburger Restaurants; and Kunani Blake, General Manager, Cheeseburger Beachwalk

Waikiki Beach Walk welcomes another fun, casual, and very tasty dining and entertainment option to its selection of eateries, with the opening of Cheeseburger Beachwalk. The 6,000 square-foot restaurant opened to the public on November 20 after several days of preview evenings. Family and friends, along with some very lucky visitors who were just passing by, were invited to experience the restaurant, which provided the staff an opportunity to get acquainted with the service flow of the restaurant. Cheeseburger Beachwalk is located on the center’s second level at the top of the escalators on the mauka (mountain) end of the building and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails, and late-night snacks daily from 8 a.m. to � a.m. Operated by Cheeseburger Restaurants, the chain is known for its gourmet burgers and fries, as well as its selection of sandwiches, salads, and seafood. There are also a number of vegetarian options for patrons looking for alternative menu choices. Something unique to the Cheeseburger Beachwalk restaurant that is currently not available at other Cheeseburger Restaurants is the expanded dinner menu that includes additional entrée choices such as top sirloin, rib eye

steak, salmon, and mahi mahi, as well as a number of pasta dishes. Items are subject to change on a daily basis. Cheeseburger Beachwalk is open daily from 8 a.m. to � a.m., with breakfast served 8 a.m. to noon; lunch and dinner served from �� a.m. to �0 pm, and the expanded dinner menu available from 5 p.m. to �0 p.m. Happy Hour bar pricing is available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and again from �0 p.m. to closing. For reservations or information, call (808) 924-5034. Valet parking for up to four hours is available to Cheeseburger Beachwalk customers for $6 at the Embassy Suites - Waikiki Beach Walk® (20� Beachwalk) and the Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk (227 Lewers Street), with any same-day purchase from any Waikiki Beach Walk merchant or restaurant. We’re thrilled to have Cheeseburger Beachwalk as part of the Waikiki Beach Walk ‘ohana of shops and restaurants. Owners Laren Gartner and Edna Bayliff created a wonderful and successful concept when they opened their first restaurant on Maui’s popular Front Street over 20 years ago. We look forward to that success continuing at the Waikiki Beach Walk location.

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Outrigger’s Proud Team of Alaka‘i, Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a Leaders

By Ka‘ipo Ho

Robert Dutcher and Debbie Murakami described their team’s practical ideas for coping with challenging economic times

It’s befitting that we end this year by recognizing and honoring the team of creative minds behind our Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a celebrations and the true navigators of our Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a Voyage of Discovery, Renewal, and Inspiration. I’m speaking of our team of Alaka‘i, or Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a leaders.

Celebrating Who Our Alaka‘i Are: Our Alaka‘i walk amongst us, keenly disguised as ordinary Outrigger employees. Our Alaka‘i are managers, supervisors, and line-employees from our hotels, condominiums, and Company-Services areas. During our recruitment drive more than a year ago, over 30 individuals volunteered or were nominated by their manager or a coworker to participate as an Alaka‘i and take a lead role in re-engineering and re-energizing Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a in their respective areas. Today, that number has increased to more than fifty across the company.

Celebrating Where Our Alaka‘i Come From: They come from Hawai‘i, Denver, Guam, Australia, Fiji, Bali, and Thailand. Only a small percentage of our current Alaka‘i team experienced the excitement of our �994 launch of Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a, but this new team brings fresh insight and an exciting approach

Luana Maitland and Chad Teramae used vision boardsto explain their team’s ideas for energizing the workplace

to evolving Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a for the times. Two things have not changed over time—the diversity of talents and experiences these individuals contribute to the team’s efforts, and the commitment of this team to create a unique Outrigger experience for our employees and guests.

Celebrating What Our Alaka‘i Do: In addition to their daily job responsibilities, Alaka‘i have one mission—to support our company values and promote a culture of hospitality both in the workplace and the guest experience. The 6-Paddles process we’ve featured throughout the year is the basic framework behind those experiences, but the innovation and excitement at each event is purely the ingenuity of our Alaka‘i and their property and department teams. Back in January, the Alaka‘i brainstormed more than 50 different ideas to celebrate Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a, largely emphasizing the importance of taking care of our larger Outrigger family of employees.

At a celebration of Paddle 2 - “Celebrate Where we Come From,” Alaka‘i Napualei Saunders explains

the significance of Glenn Nagasako’s attire

Continued on page 5

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Outrigger’s Proud Team of Alaka‘i, Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a Leaders

Continued from page 4

Outrigger Enterprises Alaka‘i TeamFront Row: So‘o Tana, Robert Uchida, Ka‘ipo Ho, and Chad Teramae

Middle Row: Keali‘i Parker, Mercedes Lanza, Donna King, Kathy Hansberry, Maile Okuma, Napualei Lyons, Angela Brown, Florida Antonio, and Amy HoneyBack Row: Char Luning, Natalie Caceres, Gary Correia, Fran Basuel, Napua Ho, Tanya Scanlan, Leona Sa McDermott, Peggy Napaepae,

Elman Pagaduan, Luana Maitland, Ray Kanemori, and Robert Dutcher

Celebrating How Our Alaka‘i Achieve Their Mission: The short answer is, with love, compassion, and dignity, and doing the right thing in the right way at the right time. Did I happen to mention that our Alaka‘i are also navigators of change? The team met this past week to explore opportunities to energize the workplace and lead our Outrigger family through these tough economic times. We’re excited about putting their ideas to work. Our Alaka‘i may be ordinary individuals, but their efforts to re-energize Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a have been extraordinary by every means. Please join me in extending thanks to Outrigger Enterprises’ Alaka‘i: Abby Navarro, Amante Castro, Amy Honey, Angela Brown, Chad Teramae, Char Luning, Christine Kok, David Nishi, Diana Lene, Donna King, Eddie Vierra, Edwin Martinez, Elman Pagaduan,

Fernando Constantino, Florida Antonio, Fran Basuel, Fred Ford, Gary Sirman, Gary Correia, Gavan Conway, Jacob Pau‘u, Kalae Chang, Karen Gonzaga, Kathy Sylvester, Kathy Hansberry, Keali‘i Parker, Kim Phung Xiao, Lea Panes, Leona Sa-McDermott, Lina Taufa, Lono Padilla, Luana Maitland, Maile Okuma, Marianne Thesken, Mary Ann Andrade, Mercedes Lanza, Michelle Dubach, Naomi Maitinnara, Napua Ho, Napualei Lyons, Natalie Caceres, Nida Constantino, Peggy Napaepae, Primie Marzan, Ray Kanemori, Robert Uchida, Robert Dutcher, Shannon, Ka‘ahanui, Shantel Burns, So’otaga Tana, Tanya Scanlan, Terri-Ann Chew, and Tiana Augustin. We would also like to acknowledge the immediate supervisors of our Alaka‘i for their support and commitment, and to Darren Edmonstone, Pieter van der Hoeven, and our teams in Thailand and Bali for their successful endeavors to introduce Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a to our Outrigger Asia family. There is a Hawaiian proverb, “No task is too big when done together by all.” These words hold a powerful message that by pulling together, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to. After all, we are a family working together joyfully to attain our goals and aspirations—Our value of ‘ohana, family.

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My Wild Bangkok AdventureBy Jean E. Rolles

I recently traveled to Bali, Indonesia, to attend a five-day meeting of the East-West Center Board of Governors, and afterwards, some of the attendees and I traveled to Laos for a quick look at that beautiful country. I had carefully planned to leave the group two days early (November 24) so I could enjoy Thanksgiving with my family in Honolulu. All my good plans went for naught, however, as I got caught in the Bangkok airport mess

and was stranded for five extra days, trying every which way to leave Thailand and get home. My adventure began when I arrived at the Bangkok airport about � a.m. from Laos; it was only supposed to be a transfer point so I could catch a Japan Airlines flight to Tokyo and on to Honolulu. Instead, I found a wild airport scene of five thousand people dressed in yellow T-shirts screaming and chanting. (The disturbance, I soon found out, was a chaotic anti-government protest that wound up keeping the airport shut down for about �0 days, with full operations delayed several days longer!) Luckily, I was in the foreign arrival section, so it was closed-off and secure. I was told to grab my bag and run through the back parking lot to the Novotel Hotel, where I would be safe. I took a room and got four hours of sleep and then got up, dressed, repacked, and was ready to go at 6 a.m. for my flight. However, you could not get any information from the airport or the airlines as to whether flights were leaving as scheduled. The front desk told me not to go to the airport because it was not safe, as there had been some shootings, leaving four killed and 25 injured. We were literally locked in the hotel with private guards outside. The only news I could receive about the airport situation was from CNN! Finally, after two days, I could see not much was going to happen and decided I had to take action to get out of the country by ground transportation to reach an international airport in a neighboring country. The trains to Malaysia and Singapore take two days, and no seats were available. The airlines wouldn’t answer their telephones, so one could find out if they were operating flights out of Thailand’s two other international airports at Chiang Mai and Phuket. While I was debating what to do, Pieter van der Hoeven, the General Manager of Outrigger’s Serenity Terraces Resort in Phuket, called with the hope of a possible airline seat

November 26 at �:�5 a.m. I quickly hired a car with driver and drove �2 hours to Phuket, about 540 miles to the south, not taking time to eat and arriving at midnight, only to find out I did not have a ticket. Pieter arranged for a room for the night, and it was back to the Phuket airport first thing in the morning with Michael Cowan and Suntaree Suksamrit (nicknamed Khun Gai) of Outrigger’s Phuket office to another wild airport scene, this time, with about a thousand would-be passengers scrambling for seats. It was soon evident that there were no seats available, and thanks to Khun Gai’s negotiating skills, I was able to rent another car with driver to take me �75 miles further south to Penang, Malaysia. I quickly called Hans Allgeier of Outrigger Travel on my cell phone, and he was able to make a flight reservation for the next morning at 8 a.m. out of Penang. So it was back in a car, with a non-English speaking driver, in the rain and dark, racing to an unknown destination across an international border, not knowing if I could enter Malaysia without a visa. I thought I had been very careful by contracting with the car company to take me all the way to Penang with a credit card, so that if there was a problem, I could cancel my charge. However, it did not work that way. The company agreed they would provide a driver to the border and that another driver from their company would drive me on the Malaysian side, and I paid the full amount. What then happened is that I was driven six hours to Hat Yai, where I met up with a fairly unreliable-looking driver with a beat-up car, who took me to the border control and told me to get out of the car to show my passport. While I was at the control booth, he drove off, and I did not know what to do. So I started walking down the road in the dark and rain. About �00 yards ahead, I saw the driver with the trunk lid up showing my suitcase to some men who were hanging around a tent. I thought he was selling my suitcase, but in fact, he was trying to sell me! He was negotiating with total strangers to drive me to Penang and was going to keep the money for himself! The new driver was demanding $300. I told him I had paid for the whole trip and had a receipt, so the old driver finally paid him something (and I am sure he was keeping a lot for himself!). So off I went, in the pouring rain and darkness, with a total stranger and no record of the car or driver that ever could be traced. To make matters worse, my cell phone died about this time, and I wondered if I would ever be found alive! As we drove along, the driver started talking on his cell phone and during his conversation I clearly heard the words “30 minutes” in English. Now my mind was racing, thinking

Jean E. Rolles

Continued on page 7

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My Wild Bangkok AdventureContinued from page 6

that he was plotting something at a meeting spot down the road and all I had to defend myself was a small flashlight! We drove about two hours and about “30 minutes” from the Penang airport, the driver pulled off the freeway and into a dark lane. Stepping out of the shadows, a man in a baseball cap jumped into the car. The driver called him “my brother,” but they did not look alike, nor were they the same nationality. However, they did drive me to a grubby hotel by the airport, and I was very glad to run into the lobby where there were other people. My tale doesn’t end here. More adventures to come. The next morning, I was at the airport at 6 a.m. to pay for my ticket, but that became a huge hassle. The price started at $2,000, then jumped to $3,000, and finally, they wanted $5,000 – all for the exact same seats on the same airlines at the same times! Again, I called Hans Allgeier (who was trying to enjoy a vacation in Seattle). Hans and the ticket agent talked back and forth for an hour on my cell phone, only to have my flight to Japan delayed so that I would arrive at Narita after my flight to Honolulu had left. The only way to solve the problem was to stay another night in Penang. I asked the airline agent to help me find a decent hotel, and he had to make five telephone calls, as the town was booked solid. When I finally got to the hotel and tried to check in, both of my credit cards bounced because the banks thought they were getting charges from strange countries. Visa has an out-of-country telephone number on the card and quickly cleared my credit with the hotel. Mastercard only has the local downtown Honolulu number, so I had to go through the automated answering service and had to hold for ten minutes to finally get a human voice to switch me to the fraud department. That gentleman told me he was getting charges from Myanmar and had cancelled everything, including the airline ticket that I just spent an hour acquiring! After giving him a geography lesson, pointing out that Malaysia and Myanmar were two different countries far apart, he reinstated my account and airline ticket, and I finally got to go home the next day, November 30 – five days later than originally planned. It is a difficult time for Thailand. Bangkok is a major airline and cruise hub for all of Southeast Asia, and the airport is still not fully functioning. The rioters stranded over 3�0,000 visitors and set back their country’s tourism industry for years to come. People left with bad memories, as they had to endure considerable extra costs and inconvenience. Americans were especially upset about missing Thanksgiving with their families. We all lost the entire value of our return tickets, as the airlines considered the events at the airport an uncontrollable, unpredictable “force majeure” situation. I was lucky, as I made it out in five days, while others were trapped for more than �0 days. All the airlines suffered large financial

Jean Rolles’ overland route from Bangkok to Penang, via Phuket. The 710-mile trip is nearly twice the distance between San Francisco

and Los Angeles – over much poorer roads!

losses, as their planes were trapped at the Bangkok airport, and they could not serve their routes in the region. The staff at the Novotel Hotel at the Bangkok airport should be commended. The first few days they all had to work double shifts and calm confused visitors who were frightened and angry. Their smiles and understanding words helped immensely to minimize panic. I am also very thankful for the help I got from Pieter van der Hoeven, Michael Cowan, and Khun Gai of Outrigger’s Phuket office, and Hans Allgeier of Outrigger Travel. They inspired me to find a way home.

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Waikiki Beach Walk® Wins Prestigious

ICSC AwardContinued from page 1

or redevelopment of existing projects, both internationally and domestically. Waikiki Beach Walk was up against tough international competition. Also nominated in the category representing new projects and renovations smaller than �50,000 square feet were shopping centers in The Netherlands; Salzburg, Austria; Fukuoka, Japan; and Kansas City, Missouri. This is only the second time an entry from Hawaii has won this prestigious accolade, and we were happy to share the news with Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who has been a staunch supporter of the redevelopment project since the conceptual plans for Waikiki Beach Walk were first presented to the Honolulu City Council nearly ten years ago. When told of the award, Mayor Hannemann said, “Receiving international acclaim for Waikiki Beach Walk is a triumphant achievement. I am pleased to have been personally involved in pushing this project forward, both as the Planning Committee Chair of the Honolulu City Council, and now, in my present capacity as Mayor. I couldn’t be happier about Honolulu receiving such a prestigious award. [. . .] I congratulate Outrigger Enterprises for its redevelopment at Waikiki Beach Walk. It has breathed new life into Waikiki for both our local residents and the many visitors to our island.” Open since May 2007, Waikiki Beach Walk has surpassed our dream of turning what was once an aging and deteriorating district into a vibrant and stylish entertainment, dining, and retail center. It’s exciting to know that Outrigger has been a leader in the renaissance of Waikiki, with Waikiki Beach Walk a shining example of a successful sweeping public-private effort that has revitalized Waikiki and restored its reputation as the world’s leading island resort destination. We are honored and proud that Waikiki Beach Walk has received this global recognition for supreme ingenuity, design, and development, but we certainly didn’t do it alone. Mahalo to the many individuals and businesses that played a part in the development of Waikiki Beach Walk.

Terror and TourismContinued from page 1

Outrigger Holiday Tournaments

Just Around the CornerBy Kathy Hansberry

Aloha Sport Fans! Along with the holiday season festivities, two great sporting events also come about during the months of December and January. This year, we are pleased to celebrate the longest-running, eight-team pre-season tournament in the country, the 45th Annual Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic being held December 27 through December 30, 2008. This year, the University of Hawaii’s Men’s Basketball team will host seven visiting teams from various schools on the mainland, including Colorado, Colorado State, Buffalo, George Washington, Coppin State, Pepperdine, and Vermont. Evening games will be played at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. throughout the tournament.

The �5th Annual Outrigger Hotels Invitational will be held January 8 through January �0, 2009, with the University of Hawaii’s Men’s Volleyball team facing off against USC, Ohio State, and Penn State. Game times are set for 4 p.m., with the UH team playing each evening in the 7 p.m. timeslot. As always, the Outrigger Marketing team will be present for both tournaments to excite the crowd with our ongoing popular on-court promotions. Mark your calendars for what is sure to be another year of fun and exciting tournaments. Hope to see you at the games.

Louis School.) He and his wife were dining there, when terrorists attacked the hotel on November 26, murdering dozens of guests and �2 staff members (in addition, seven others were injured). I can only imagine the fear he and his colleagues endured during those hours. I hope to hear the details from him in the near future. Closer to home, my sister, Jean Rolles, was caught in the middle of the riots and closure of Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. The saga of what she experienced in Bangkok and over the next several days, as she journeyed 700 miles overland, is terrifying and fascinating. It is printed on page 6. Thank you, Jean, for sharing this epic tale with our ‘ohana and readers of Saturday Briefing.