Jerry Gibson

Jerry Gibson - Area Vice President, Hilton Hawaii

Jerry Gibson took the helm as area vice president of Hilton Hawaii in September of 2008.  Gibson has operational responsibility for all of Hilton’s managed properties in the Hawaiian Islands, including two of Hilton’s largest campuses, Hilton Hawaiian Village and Hilton Waikoloa Village.

Prior to his appointment with Hilton, Gibson served as vice president and managing director of the 2,019-room Hyatt Regency Chicago and assisted in the management of 25 hotels in the central region.

Gibson started his career with Host Marriott following graduation from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in business administration.  After he became one of the youngest general managers in the company, he joined the Hyatt Corporation where he remained for 28 years, interrupted by a food and beverage director position in Austria.  Coming up from the ranks of food and beverage, Gibson spent 15 years as general manager at resort and convention hotels to include the Hyatt Regency on Capital Square in Columbus, Ohio, Hyatt Regency Chicago, Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa, Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas, and the Grand Hyatt New York.  While in Hawaiʻi, he played a major role in the launch of a 1,240-room Hyatt resort on Hawaiʻi Island, which is known today as the Hilton Waikoloa Village.

It was his efforts at Hyatt Regency Kauai to maintain steady occupancy and revenue in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 that earned him the 2002 Donald Pritzker Award for Hyatt General Manager of the Year worldwide.

The move to Hilton Hawaii was a homecoming for Gibson, who spent more than 20 years in executive positions in Hawaiʻi.

Following his return to Hawaiʻi, Gibson immersed himself again into the community and now sits on numerous industry and community boards, including the Hawaiʻi Lodging & Tourism Association, Hawaii Hotel Owners Roundtable, Hawaiʻi Visitors & Convention Bureau, Japanese-American Society of Hawaii, Waikīkī Beach Special Improvement District Association (WBSIDA), and Waikīkī Transportation Stakeholder Oversight Committee.