Thank you for visiting the WAA website!
Yes, people did make the difference!
Sincerely,
Ray Sylvester
Westin 1965-1998
WAA President
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.
Asia / Pacific 35; Canada 76; Europe 40; Mexico 143; Other 21; U.S. 701
The closed group Westin Alumni Facebook page with 600 members is not a function of WAA, however 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.
Recollections of a Lucky Fellow 1989
October 2021: San Sebasitan del Oeste, Mexico
First row: Elsa (Jose Luis Toledo’s wife), Eric Bacmeister, Sue (Santiago Gutiérrez’ spouse), Santiago Gutiérrez.
December 2019: Annual reunion of Camino Real Hotel, Mexico City.
William D. Ellis, David Evans, Brian McGinnis, Richard Whaley, Larry magnan, Frances Vitulli and Dan McClaskey
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
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
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.
June 2018: Hans Bruland, Bill Moyer, Jim France and Bob Wilhelm met for lunch at the Old Dominion Yacht Club in Alexandria, VA.
May 2018: Bayshore bunch met at the H2 Rotisserie & Bar in Vancouver.
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.
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
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
1888-1960
Secretary-Treasurer
1930-1955
Early Partners
Harold E. Maltby
First Company Vice President
1930-1954
Peter Schmidt, Sr.
First Company Chairman
&
President Olympia Brewing Co.
Adolph Schmidt
The Schmidts were looking for other investments after the brewery's closing 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
1912-2007
Chairman
Gordon Bass
1910-1996
Vice-Chairman
Third Generation
.
Harry Mullikin
1927-2011
CEO & Chairman
Fourth Generation
Larry Magnan
CEO & President
The Westin Building
Seattle, WA
Westin Hotels & Resorts
Corporate Headquarters
1981 - 1999
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
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!