Fresh Faces at GHRA: Elections Bring New Leadership to the Forefront!

The Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association has revealed the outcomes of its 2025 Board of Directors’ election and the appointment of officers.

Sophia Chu, the general manager of Hyatt Regency Guam, was chosen unanimously as the board chair; David Baldwin, the general manager of Dusit Beach Resort, assumed the role of first vice chairman; Sudipta Basu, the general manager of Guam Plaza Resort and Spa, was appointed as treasurer/secretary; Ken Yanagisawa, president of P.H.R. Ken Micronesia, Inc. and the general manager of The Tsubaki Tower, became the hotelier vice chairman; Frank Cruz, general manager of Guam Fast Foods, Inc., was appointed as restaurateur vice chairman; and Christine Baleto, president of Docomo Pacific, was elected as vice chairperson of the Allied Industry Chapter.

Additionally, among the elected board members and directors are Dean Huntsman, regional vice president of Operations of Dusit Guam and General Manager of Dusit Thani Guam Resort; Seong Cho, general manager of Holiday Resort Guam; Darren Talai, president of International Dining Concepts and Seafood Masters Inc.; and Edson Lai, vice president of Quality Distributors.

“I am eager to collaborate with the newly elected board members and officers in 2025 to provide leadership and direction on pressing matters as we persist in our recovery efforts alongside public and private stakeholders,” stated GHRA President Mary P. Rhodes. “The GHRA extends gratitude to its members, corporate sponsors, and vendors who have contributed to making 2024 a success, and a special acknowledgment goes to our outgoing board members who have served faithfully under the GHRA board, including Ms. Marie Guerrero and Mr. Jim Herbert.”

GHRA is dedicated to being a proactive corporate citizen within the community.

The fundamental objectives of GHRA are to uphold the highest standards of service and quality in the hotels and restaurants of Guam, advocate for fair legislation and government regulations related to business operations, enhance business-community relations through constructive engagement with Guam’s residents, and highlight the significance and advantages of the island’s visitor industry to the territory’s economy, as stated in a release from the association.

Established in 1972 with a small group of hoteliers, GHRA is a private, nonprofit trade association. It later amended its bylaws to incorporate restaurants and allied members. Currently, the association boasts over 300 members.

For more details, contact GHRA at (671) 649-1447, email [email protected] or visit www.ghra.org.