Meet the person who brings his Aloha spirit to Salem

Russ Rodrigues is a Front Desk Manager at the Grand Hotel in Salem, OR. He is also the recipient of a nomination for the statewide Hospitality Awards, hosted by Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association.

Russ is from Hawaii and is now a proud Oregonian. His General Manager nominated him, noting that Russ spreads his ‘Aloha’ spirit to guests and coworkers alike.

After just a few moments with him, you’ll understand what he means. “Empathy” is a word that comes to mind when thinking about his leadership style.

“One thing I care about, is I care about people’s feelings,” he told Oregonian Media Group.

“I understand how they may have been brought up; you know, I look out for things like that.” he continues. “I like to do my best to be empathetic to everybody's situation. That’s how I train my staff. I’m more of a mentor, I’m a friend...”  

For Russ, working in hospitality comes naturally. He is welcoming, caring, and quick to crack a smile. Walking through the hotel with him, he says hi to other staff members, and shows us his office, where he and his staff created Halloween Gift baskets to exchange to one another.

Russ has a history of providing excellent customer service, starting with 10 years as a Supervising Staff at the Salvation Army’s KROC Center. His history of working with youth and making sure people of all ages are taken care of, made him ripe for the job at one of Salem’s most historic hotels.