PO‘IPU — More than 150 employees on Monday celebrated their 20 years of employment at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa in Po‘ipu. “These, and others, are employees that started with the resort when it opened in November, 20
PO‘IPU — More than 150 employees on Monday celebrated their 20 years of employment at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa in Po‘ipu.
“These, and others, are employees that started with the resort when it opened in November, 20 years ago,” said Carla Thomas, Hyatt human resources director. “I wasn’t here when the hotel opened, but there are 198 employees who are ‘charter members,’ starting when the resort opened.”
Thomas said normally employees are honored during a special monthly meeting at the resort, but because there were 152 employees marking 20 years of employment, they decided to let the employees have their own party.
Employees spilled over the Dondero’s restaurant at the resort, normally closed on Mondays, and enjoyed a special menu prepared by the Hyatt’s culinary department. The menu was graced by a specially prepared 20th anniversary cake designed by pastry chef Orly Yadao.
“It has been a long time,” said Gloria Ka‘auwai of the Housekeeping Department. “Remember the hurricane? We had to clean the rooms and the winds were actually blowing the pool water into the rooms while we were trying to clean.”
Additionally, each employee was presented with a clock, specially housed in a wood trophy case and individually engraved with the employee’s name to mark the milestone.
“We’ll be decorating the employees’ cafeteria to mark the Hyatt’s 20th anniversary on Kaua‘i so the other employees as well as our charter employees can enjoy the event,” Thomas said. “Chef Larry Eells, the executive chef for the Hyatt, will prepare a special menu for the day.”
Thomas said the other employees, some marking their 20th anniversaries in December and January, will be celebrated at the monthly meetings.
She said she thinks there were between 600 and 700 employees on the payroll when the resort first opened.
Doug Sears, Hyatt general manager, was in Chicago, Ill. for an owners meeting, but sent his congratulations to the employees via a special videotape which was projected on a large screen.
“Twenty years is a long time,” Sears said. “You have been through a lot. I wish I was there to congratulate each of you personally and shake your hand, but I’ll do that at our employee Christmas party.”
During his talk, Sears brought the employees to memory lane by naming each of the managers of the Po‘ipu property during its 20 years on Kaua‘i’s South Shore.
