April Birthdays & Anniversaries

April Birthdays!  

WISHING THESE AMAZING PEOPLE A GREAT DAY!! 

Kevin Furst	April 12
Claudia Lazo	April 13
Kurtiss Kading	April 15
Cara Certo	April 18
Jeremy Allen	April 25
Brandi Salisbury	April 28
Sandra Lemasters	April 28
Olamide Oluwagbemile	April 30

April Workiversaries!   

WE ARE SO GLAD YOU’RE CAREER JOURNEY BROUGHT YOU TO RRI WEST!

Erica Carey	April 8	12 years!
David Gossard	April 9	7 years!
Mery Lugo	April 10	25 years!
Claudia Lazo	April 11	26 years!
Patricia Stinson	April 18	3 years!
Jamie Bryant	April 22	1 year!
John Myers	April 26	4 years!
Robert Carson	April 28	15 years!

MIBE VIBE: Did You Know? March is National Reading Month

What better way to celebrate National Reading Month than to read the West Gazette!!

Why Reading Matters: Studies show that reading for just 15 minutes a day can:

• Reduce stress – Reading helps lower cortisol levels and provides a mental escape.

• Enhance focus – It improves concentration and cognitive function.

• Boost creativity – A well-told story can inspire fresh ideas.

• Develop leadership skills – Books on communication, emotional intelligence, and strategy can elevate your career.

It’s the perfect time to pick up a new book, revisit an old favorite, or finally tackle that “to-be-read” list! Whether you love fiction, non-fiction, audiobooks, e-books, or the closed captions on your TikTok feed, reading offers a wealth of benefits for both your personal and professional growth.  Furthermore, reading can play a significant role in helping you become a better leader by expanding your knowledge, improving your communication skills, and fostering emotional intelligence. Here’s how:

• Broadens Knowledge and Perspective: Reading exposes you to different ideas, perspectives, and strategies that can enhance your decision-making and problem-solving abilities. Whether it's leadership books, biographies of successful leaders, or industry-related content, reading helps you understand various viewpoints and learn from the experiences of others.

• Improves Communication Skills: Leaders must communicate effectively with their teams. Reading regularly helps improve your vocabulary, writing skills, and the ability to express ideas clearly and persuasively. Strong communication is key to motivating and guiding others.

• Enhances Emotional Intelligence: Many books on leadership delve into emotional intelligence, teaching you how to understand and manage your emotions and those of others. This is vital for creating positive relationships, resolving conflicts, and leading with empathy and self-awareness.

• Builds Critical Thinking: Reading develops your critical thinking by challenging your assumptions, encouraging you to evaluate information, and improving your ability to think strategically. A leader with sharp critical thinking skills can make more informed, thoughtful decisions.

• Promotes Continuous Learning: Great leaders are lifelong learners. Reading keeps you updated on new trends, technologies, and leadership practices, which enables you to stay ahead of the curve and lead with innovation and adaptability.

In summary, reading empowers leaders with knowledge, enhances communication, builds emotional intelligence, sharpens critical thinking, and fosters a mindset of continuous growth—all essential qualities of an effective and inspiring leader.  Or, read just for fun!  It’s such a way to break up your day… and there are so many books to choose from!  Just pick one!   HAPPY READING!

People on the MOVE!

Ryan Wijangco – PROMOTION from within!

Please join us in welcoming and congratulating Ryan Wijangco on his exciting new role as Field Support Manager! After 12 wonderful years at the helm of the GM position in Seattle, WA, Ryan has transitioned into a corporate support role, partnering with the Operations Team to bring valuable support to the RRI West GMs.

Though it was bittersweet for Ryan to leave a property he’s known and loved for over a decade, he is eager to bring his vast experience and deep understanding of the challenges GMs face to this new position. By leveraging his strengths, Ryan will be able to connect with his fellow GMs on a personal level and provide the support they need to navigate their daily struggles, frustrations, and workload.

Ryan will be working closely with and reporting to Jeremy Allen, focusing on key areas such as analytical reporting, chargebacks, and OTA reconciliations. In the coming weeks, you’ll begin receiving reports directly from Ryan, so be on the lookout for those.  We are excited to see how Ryan’s expertise will continue to benefit our team, and we look forward to the positive impact he will make in this new chapter!  Ryan’s email is: ryan.wijangco@rriwest.com. 

Ash Vue, Administrative Assistant to Dorraine Lallani

A special welcome to Ash Vue, who is a new Administrative Assistant, based in Houston, Texas.  Ash will be reporting directly to Dorraine Lallani, but may, at times, assisting both Brianne Austin and Ethan Wheat.  Ash comes to Westmont and RRI West with a wealth of experience at the Executive support level and has been a welcome addition to the Houston office. Her organization, calendar management, administrative efficiencies and communication skills at all levels of the organization will allow her to be a great partner within the RRI West Leadership team, as well as the hotel GMs. 

You may hear from Ash, on occasion, requesting information for Dorraine and/or Brianne related to licenses, contracts, and inspections, such as boilers, elevator renewals, etc.  It is perfectly OK to respond to her requests and you’ll see her email is: ashley.vue@whg.com.

We are thrilled to welcome her to the RRI West team and know that her experience will make a positive impact in her new role!