Welcome / Bienvenue / Willkommen / Bienvenido / ようこ
Celebrating  30 years of allowing "friends to keep in touch with friends";  the 14th anniversary of the WAA website!

Established 1991 / 1,020 Members / 25 Member Countries

Did you work for Westin, or one of its affilaite companies for a minimum of five years from 1930-1998? If so, you may qualify for membership.

Where Members Live

Asia / Pacific 35; Canada 76; Europe 40; Mexico 143; Other 21; U.S. 701

 
Thank you for visiting the WAA website!

Yes, people did make the difference!

Sincerely,

Ray Sylvester
Westin 1965-1998

WAA President

"In my judgement a lifetime with nothing to show other than the accumulation of wealth will never be as fulfilling as a life with vivid memories of the joys and warmth in the wealth of friends. Everyone can enjoy the wealth of friends".

Recollections of a Lucky Fellow 1989
 

Read a Biography on Edward E.  Carlson

December 2019: Annual reunion of Camino Real Hotel, Mexico City.
 

Dolores Avalos, Ana Bañuelos, Silvio Berron, John & Anna María Berthelot,

Carlos & Norma del Castillo, José Jové, Jorg & Elfi Neuenhaus, Germán & Gaby Ongay, Annabelle Ramos, Martha Remberg, José Manuel Rossas, Lorena Ruvalcaba, Laura Stringel, Alejandro Watson, Alejandra Zubiria.

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August 9, 2019: Huge group of fomer associates commemorate  the 25 years since the opening of the Westin Tokyo

 

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April 29, 2019: The usual suspects were at the Seattle-area lunch.

William D. Ellis, David Evans, Brian McGinnis, Richard Whaley, Larry magnan, Frances Vitulli and Dan McClaskey

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March 1, 2019: WAA Rocky Mountain group broke bread today in Denver.

Linda Swearingen, Tom Hosea, Bill Dougherty, Dean Tinker, Mike Micketti, Ulrich Schwartz, Bill Slawson

 

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October 1, 2018: Dallas a few Texas alums broke bread in Farmer's Branch
standing L to R: Joe Champ, Victor Gielisse, Larry Scheerer; seated L to R: Ray Sylvester, Larry Dustin, Bill Godgrey

 

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July 2018: Ottawa the hotel celebrated its 35th anniversary. On hand, among the 240 who attended the Saturday banquet, were:

L to R: Michel Geday, Vignan Chandra, John Finamore, Jan Connor, Timothy Whitehead, Pat Kelley, Liam Lambert.

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June 2018: Hans Bruland, Bill Moyer, Jim France and Bob Wilhelm met for lunch at the Old Dominion Yacht Club in Alexandria, VA.

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May 2018: Bayshore bunch met at the H2 Rotisserie & Bar in Vancouver.

From the window side clockwise:

Stan Yip, Jack Tillar, Heinz Lenger, Keith Stefanko, Jack Harding, Bruno Patassini, Amy Ng, Denis Forristal, Daphne Hampson, Steve Holliday, Jerry Pokocky

 

 

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November 2017: Westin Houston Alumni met  at the Hilton Hotel on the University of Houston campus. Following lunch, Dr. Mark Young, Director, Hospitality Industry Archives toured the group through the archives where the entire Westin Collection will eventually be housed.
 

From left: Bill Godfrey, Fernando Cuellar, Patti Voss, Ray Sylvester, Paul McDonald, Larry Dustin, Michael L. Horrocks, Stan Soroka, Zee Kereshi, Mary Monaco, Tom Snodgrass, Maria Guadalupe Trevino, Susan Trevino, Becky Bratton.

 

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September 2017: Mexico City, Mexico:  former HOCASA hoteliers were reunited to recognize the leadership of two hoteliers of origin that somehow another influenced their professional lives and bear witness to their gratitude and continued admiration: Héctor Pérez García, former Director of Operations, and Juan Berthelot, former Director General of Hoteles Camino Real.

April 2017: Oslo, Norway: Over 30 alums from SAS Scandanavian Hotel Oslo which opened in 1975 met at Posthallen Restaurant Bar and Cafe to celebrate friendships!

1st row.

Tom Fossengen, Anne Wallin Rødven, Ulla Mark Løvstrøm, Hanne Hagen, Kersi Porbunderwalla, Guri Lauritzen, Inken Lundgård, Judith Espeskog, Turid Kvalheim Flinder,

2nd row:

Johan Zinsli (profile), Eivind Dalvang, Sidsel Haavardtun, Lykke Bogen, Nina Kase, Rita Rasmussen, Sølvi (Knotten) Paulgaard, Kirsti Johansen

Last row 3 and 4:

Steinar Hansen, Kristoffer Breivik, Morten Fure, Truls Becker, Therese Klaveness, Liv (Herud) Becker, Karin Schanke, Edgar Valdmanis, Anna Thorud Hammer, Pål Gjelseth, Kirsten Månum Gløersen, Bjørn Solberg (just behind Kirstien), Thorleif Solstad

The closed group Westin Alumni Facebook page with 585 members is not a function of WAA, but all associates who worked for the Company during the years 1930-1998, and who have been vetted may be eligible to join. Visit the page.

Western Hotels  Managment Conference
July 18, 1931
Multnomah Hotel
Portland, Oregon

 
Front l to r: Frank Bruce, Harold Dupar, Troy Himmelman, Earl McInnis, S.W. Thurston, Peter Schmidt, Jimmy sells, Frank Dupar
Middle l to r: Harry Butler, Tom Gildersleve, Bud Zimmerman, Clyde Damaski, John Rowe, George Hogendobler, Harry Himmelman, Adolf Schmidt, A.D/ Ballinger
Back l to r: Ray Clark, Don Utley, Joe Hurley, Bill Hudson, Thad Pierce, Dolf Edmiston, Carl Morck
 

Westin Hotels & Resorts Managment Conference
1990
Walt Disney Swan Hotel
Orlando, Florida

Western Hotels, Inc
Western International Hotels
Westin Hotels
Westin Hotels & Resorts

1930-1998

Founders


S.W. Thurston
1885-1968
First Company President
1930-1955


Frank A.  Dupar
First Treasurer


Early Partners


Harold E. Maltby
First Company Vice President


Peter Schmidt, Sr.
First Company Chairman
&
President Olympia Brewing Co.


Adolph Schmidt
The Schmidts were looking for other investments after to the closing of the brewery due to prohibition
After the repeal of prohibition in 1933 Peter and Adolph Schmidt reopened the brewing company


From the FRONT Magazine celebrating the 30th Anniversary
of Western Hotels, Inc.
 

Second Generation




Edward E. Carlson
1911-1990
Chairman


Lynn Himmelman
Chairman


Gordon Bass
Vice-Chairman


Third Generation

.

Harry Mullikin
CEO & Chairman
 

Fourth Generation



Larry Magnan
CEO  & President

The Westin Building
Seattle, WA
Westin Hotels & Resorts
Corporate Headquarters
1981 - 1999
 

Here, U.S. Senator Warren G. Magnuson (seated one in from the right) examines a fair poster along with officials of the fair. Next to him on the right is Edward Carlson, chair of the World's Fair State Commission and promoter of the Space Needle. James Douglas, Vice President for Site and Building Development, sits at the far end.
 

1962 Seattle World's Fair Opening Day
 

Expo Chairman Edward Carlson, Joseph Gandy, Senator Warren Magnuson, Vice president Lyndon Johnson, Governor Albert Rosellini, unknown. Joh Glenn, unknown

Take a look at some of the past Front magazine covers. Jay Aven saved 59 Front magazines and has contributed them to the Westin Collection.
 

Prior to May of 1941 the Western Hotels employee communication publication was WHEM, Western Hotels Employees Magazine. In April of 1941, a company-wide contest was conducted to select a new name for publication. FRONT was the winning entry.

The Hospitality Industry Archives  (HIA) at the University of Houston has over 330 of the combined publications.

The annual message to members indicated the Board's decision to begin a project, in conjunction with the HIA, to digitize these publications. On February 6, 2019 WAA Treasurer, Michael Horrocks, presented a check for $2,500 to HIA Director Dr. Mark Young as a first installment to begin this process.

The outcome will be the ability for any interested party to go on line and  connect to the U . of H. servers to explore the history of the Company.

Click here for a sample FRONT Magazine in digitized format.

Your donation of $100 will help to make this a reality. Send your check to: WAA | 5130 Chevy Chase Drive|  Houston, TX 77056 THANK YOU!