The Woodlands, Houston, Texas – February 2021 – BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Thomas Donovan vice president and managing director for the landmark Turtle Bay Resort situated at the northern tip of Oahu’s legendary North Shore. The resort is currently undergoing a transformational renovation and is scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2021.
“I am so pleased to welcome Tom to our company and to Turtle Bay Resort,” said Greg Champion, president and COO for BENCHMARK®. “This represents a return to the Hawaii market for him. Tom brings vast operational and marketing experience to his new position and a keen understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities presented by luxury resorts in the Hawaiian Islands. He is a terrific choice to lead this landmark resort into its successful future, cultivating a deeper connection with the unique ambience and culture of the North Shore.”
“I very much look forward to helping lead the future of this remarkable resort, the North Shore’s only luxury property,” said Tom Donovan. “The success of the local community is important to the overall accomplishments we intend to achieve. We look forward to partnering with our local resources, from North Shore farmers, fishermen, practitioners and agricultural partners to the vast cultural offerings here. The North Shore is a tight-knit community and we prefer to keep it as self-sustainable as possible while maintaining its unique personality.”
Mr. Donovan brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the hospitality industry to his new role. Prior to his current position, he served as managing director at The Resort at Pelican Hill, located in Newport Coast, California, where he helped to take the resort through a substantial renovation while continuing to grow revenue significantly.
He served in the same role for the Grand Wailea Maui, a Waldorf Astoria Resort. Previous to this, Donovan was vice president and general manager for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Kapalua, also on Maui. While at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Mr. Donovan helped to spearhead the renowned Celebration of the Arts, which was honored with the cherished Kahili Award of Excellence presented by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Donovan is relocating to Oahu’s North Shore with his wife Brandy and their two Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Dude and Iwe, who were born in Pupukea on Oahu. For them, this is a welcome homecoming.
Spanning nearly 1,300 acres of beaches, gardens, and still-wild public spaces, Turtle Bay Resort is the ideal escape for travelers seeking to experience the soothing and captivating magic of Oahu’s North Shore community. Turtle Bay Resort has a longstanding reputation as the go-to Hawaiian destination for world-class surfing, championship golf courses, locally inspired food and beverage offerings, and sustainably-minded wellness programs at their award-winning spa. With an ethos centered on the concept of Aloha ʻĀina, a love of and nurturing care for the land, Turtle Bay Resort’s hotly anticipated transformation will coincide with the launch of new nature-oriented and biocentric programming for locals and visitors alike. For more information, please visit www.turtlebayresort.com.
