Hyatt Regency Saipan’s management and team leaders, in separate interviews, reiterated the hotel’s dedication to serve the island community.
“Hyatt is more like a family,” said Bobbie Deleon Guerrero Sablan who has been with the hotel for 37 years now. “And to me, it is my second home. I have three kids who have grown up with Hyatt and up to now, my grandkids too, they love Hyatt.”
Sablan, who started working for the Hyatt as a 22-year-old front desk cashier, is now the hotel’s accounting manager.
Hyatt Regency Saipan General Manager Nick Nishikawa, right, Human Resources Director Josephine Mesta, third right, Accounting Manager Bobbie DLG Sablan, second right, Food & Beverage Director Tyrell Pauling, second left, and the rest of the executive committee members. Contributed photo
Hyatt Regency Saipan Executive Sous Chef Zen Tomokane, right, front row, and the other department heads. Contributed photo
Hyatt Regency Saipan General Manager and the Sales & Marketing staff. Contributed photo
Hyatt Regency Saipan’s front office staff. Contributed photo
Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Culinary Department.
Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Housekeeping Department. Contributed photo
“Hyatt values the local workforce a lot,” she said. “Today, majority of our employees are locals or U.S. workers. There are other local workers who have been with the hotel longer than me,” said Sablan who is being recognized this year as one of the Hyatt Saipan’s longest-serving employees.
“Everybody is just like family. We value that, and we respect one another. We take care of all our employees, whether local or from somewhere, we are one heart. It is always a family,” she added.
“It is a great company and I’m hoping that Hyatt will still stay here.”
Hyatt’s current 40-year lease agreement with the CNMI government expires in Dec. 2021.
Growing pains
One of the Hyatt’s most important goals is to help the Commonwealth bring more U.S. workers into the private sector workforce.
For Hyatt’s Director of Human Resources Josephine Mesta, it isn’t an easy task, but the hotel is succeeding.
Mesta, who has been with the Hyatt for 27 years now, said, “We have gone through a lot of growing pains. When I first joined the company, there were only 20% U.S. workers. It took us nearly 20 years to increase our workforce to 98% U.S. workers.”
She added, “It took a while but it was interesting to see the evolution of the company and the island as a whole. We had to force the issue by getting involved with the community such as providing support to the Northern Marianas Technical Institute by allowing our managers instruct Hospitality and Culinary classes.”
Mesta said the Hyatt’s most important assets are its employees. “We do what it takes to take care of our employees so they can be their best,” she added.
Amid the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 restrictions, the hotel’s staffing level has decreased tremendously, she said.
“But our team is known to make things happen and make dreams and wishes come true, and thus far, God is on our side, because we always manage to deliver our commitment,” she added.
I think God wants us to stay afloat for a reason. As they say, a family that prays together stays together. In our case, a family that works hard for the betterment of all stays together.”
Executive Sous Chef Zen Tomokane first worked at the Hyatt as a student in 1999 and was hired as a kitchen helper in 2002.
“Hyatt set a goal of employing more local workers,” he said. “Now we are up to 98% local manpower. Achieving that goal was difficult. There was a lot of resistance and a lot of things one must get used to. But the Hyatt sticks to its goals and tries its best to make sure they happen.”
For his part, Hyatt Regency Saipan General Manager Nick Nishikawa said, “I appreciate my staff very much. They are my family.”
Management, he added, “treats everyone like family and that is why we have many employees working for the hotel for many years now. They have loyalty to the company, commitment and the most important thing is they love the Hyatt and they are very proud to be working at the Hyatt.”
Through the years
According to Nishikawa, “I think we are the only hotel company that has been here for 40 years under the same brand name.”
For the past 32 years, the Hyatt has been operated by Saipan Portopia Hotel Corp.
Nishikawa noted that most if not almost all of the other hotels on Saipan have either changed brand name or ownership.
Nishikawa himself has been with the Hyatt for 26 years now and the GM for Hyatt Saipan for 12 years.
“Despite the difficult times we’re still here,” he said.
This year, in particular, has been very difficult, he added, but “we’ve kept our doors open, and we remain committed to the island.”
Nishikawa said no one knows when things will finally go back to normal, but he added that the island is much safer compared to the states and other island jurisdictions, thanks to the measures implemented by the CNMI government.
“And we have many local people supporting us. During disasters and now this pandemic, many hotels have closed, but we remain open,” Nishikawa said.
“And when we open the rooms and the restaurants, we need staff to work. We lose money every day, but we have to take care of our guests because we have pride — we are Hyatt.”
In the past, Hyatt also participated in many community activities, including sports and other cultural events.
The Saipan Marathon, for example, is among the biggest island events that the Hyatt sponsors. The hotel also hosts golf banquets and community-based fundraising activities, including Make-a-Wish Foundation events.
“We are here for the community,” Nishikawa said.
