Outrigger Enterprises Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Jim Heather as general manager of the Honolulu Airport Hotel and Best Western? The Plaza Hotel. Both hotels are located within a mile of the Honolulu International Airport and are managed by Outrigger. Heather will be responsible for the day-to-day operations and staff management of the two hotels, as well as planning, organizing and directing all hotel services and ensuring a balance between customer satisfaction, effective business management and financial viability for each property.
Heather returns ?home? with this appointment following a year in Phuket, Thailand, where he was resort manager for the Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort. While in Southeast Asia, Heather helped implement the pre-opening plan for the Laguna property before assuming responsibility for the resort?s operations after its opening in April of this year.
Prior to Thailand, Heather was general manager at the Outrigger-managed Keauhou Beach Resort on Hawaii Island. Previous to that he managed the Courtyard? by Marriott? Waikiki Beach on Oahu when it was part of the Outrigger portfolio. Heather has also spent time as general manager of the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach on Oahu and the Outrigger Kanaloa at Kona on Hawaii Island. He began his career with Outrigger in 1998 as director of rooms for the Outrigger Guam Resort. His experience in the hospitality industry also includes management positions with Hilton Hotels in Guam and Crowne Plaza in Tokyo, Japan.
?Jim is a well-respected member of the Outrigger management team who brings a wealth of experience to his new post,? said Barry Wallace, executive vice president of hospitality services for Outrigger Enterprises Group. ?Over the past 15 years he has honed his industry knowledge, management style and desire for the best in hospitality at Outrigger properties near and far. We?re delighted to have Jim back in Hawaii and leading our airport hotels.?
Heather holds 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.