TheBuzz
TheBuzz
A Hawaii
hospitality firstPacific Beach Hotel rooms coordinator Yuriko Dunn is back from Philadelphia, where she was presented with an award as the Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year in the large property category by the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
This was on the heels of a similar honor from the Hawaii Hotel Association, but the new award is nationwide and it's the first time a Hawaii hotel or lodging industry employee has won it.
Dunn was cited for her role in organizing and staffing a communications center for Pacific Beach guests following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The center became a gathering place complete with computer terminals for Internet and e-mail access. Computers with Japanese operating systems were added so Japanese guests could send e-mail and staff could print and post Japanese language newspapers, "We literally taped them up on the walls," Dunn said.
As time went on frustrated visitors also needed a place to "vent" in both English and Japanese. "Because I'm a single mom and I don't have a lot of money, all I can do is give of myself or my time," she said.
Corine Hayashi, president of Pacific Beach parent company HTH Corp. expressed pride in her nearly 14-year veteran employee. "Yuriko is a wonderful role model, who has great respect for her co-workers, our guests and vendors," Hayashi said. "She is a humble person, who exemplifies the aloha spirit without any expectation of recognition or reward."
Dunn says: "The award, I don't think it's only mine. Everybody supports me and that's why it's everybody's award." She credits her parents, George and Mitsui Furuno, for playing a major role in helping the center help its guests by stepping up the grandparent duty for 8-year-old son Jared.
In the first week of April mother and son arrived in Philadelphia; Mom was interviewed by National Public Radio affiliate WHYY, there was the award luncheon, a structured schedule relating to the convention and a bit of sightseeing. The two took in the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia Zoo, the Museum of Natural History and several historic buildings. Before coming home, there was the de rigeur stop at Disneyland and Universal Studios. "My son's ready to go back," she said.
As for the service she received as a hotel guest: "It was different. Hawaii is just so unique."
"We have that aloha spirit, we're down to earth versus more professional," Dunn said. "Although they're nice you don't get the warmth that you would feel here. It was a good eye-opener for me."
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com