Veteran hospitality exec Kimberly Agas, the longtime general manger of Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, has a new role at the family-friendly Ko Olina resort.
Agas, who was in the GM position for more than a decade, has been named executive director, a newly created role Aulani says reflects the "continued growth of her leadership and the resort's impact in Hawai‘i."
Born and raised on O‘ahu, Agas, who attended Kamehameha Schools, says she's been working in Hawai‘i's hospitality and visitor industry for more than 35 years, having held leadership roles across resort operations and broader industry involvement.
She joined Aulani in 2011 and had the "opportunity to open the resort, continue to see it grow and really work with this team and the community over the last 15 years," Agas told Aloha State Daily.
Under her leadership, Aulani has "focused on delivering exceptional guest experiences, supporting local employment by creating meaningful career opportunities for Hawai‘i residents and expanding programs that foster professional growth and mentorship," a recent announcement from the resort notes. "Agas has also championed initiatives that integrate cultural education and environmental responsibility into the guest experience, including conservation and preservation efforts that reflect Aulani’s deep connection to place."
She'll continue to lead resort operations and expand her oversight to include broader strategic initiatives that aim to "strengthen Aulani Resort’s connections to the local community and hospitality industry," the announcement states.
Agas says she started as a resort manager, grew into the general manager position and now the executive director role. Along with working with organizations like the Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority — she's currently the co-chair of the HTA Advisory Board of Directors and chair of its Branding Committee — Agas told ASD, "it's just been a really great, great opportunity to be in this hospitality industry."
She previously worked with former vice president of operations Elliot Mills, but Agas, who became general manager in 2015, says since his retirement she has been trying to balance the work he did locally as well as her role, "then blending the two, which has been a lot and I've enjoyed it, but it is time now for us to hire a general manager."
Agas says the general manager will continue to focus on day-to-day operations at the resort — and there's plenty going on.
"Besides things [like] the front office and housekeeping, we have recreation, we have entertainment. On the entertainment side, ... we have animal programs, we have a childcare program. We have photography," she says. "There's a lot of different components here at the resort operations that the general manager will continue to take care of. I will continue to stay on with doing some of the community events, helping with some of the organizations that I currently serve on."
For her part, Agas says she'll also continue to manage others areas, like sales and marketing, public affairs and human resources, along with her other community and government affairs work.
And with the resort now 15 years old, Agas says Aulani also is in the planning phase of a large rehab project that will kick off in the future.
"That's also taking a lot of time, and I am helping to head that with my partners, which also includes Walt Disney Imagineering as we think about the rooms, so there's a lot of projects that still continue to go on, so ... we will continue to keep some of the work with the executive director and some of that work will be with the general manager."
As for the new general manager, the announcement says ideal candidates will have at least 10 years of progressive hospitality leadership experience, with a preference of five or more years in Hawai‘i. Learn more here.
Agas, though, says key qualities would be someone who's "passionate about what we do in hospitality, continuing to be a part of our Hawai‘i destination, where visitors are going to seek us out as some place that is not just to have some fun — more than just the sun-and-surf destination — but really some place that people will come because of our culture, wanting to understand the special place that Hawai‘i is, and we can share our culture, creating those unique experiences."
One of West O‘ahu's largest employers with more than 1,700 employees, or cast members, the 832-room Aulani opened in 2011 and sits on 21 oceanfront acres in Ko Olina. Its Ka Wa‘a Lū‘au celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
