Jun. 17, 2005 - Michael Koffler, general manager of Hyatt Regency Monterey and Highlands Inn in Carmel, is leaving to manage the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego.

Koffler, 47, has been an active supporter of Monterey County's hospitality industry since he became manager of the Monterey hotel in 1999. In March, Hyatt added its Carmel Highlands hotel and timeshare property to his responsibilities.

Rumors that Koffler might leave the area began last week when he was invited to consider the job.

"It started to leak out last Wednesday when I got on a plane to San Diego in an hour's notice," he said Thursday. "I've been trying to keep it quiet until I had a signed offer."

Koffler said he received the call from San Diego while attending the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau annual luncheon Thursday. He left immediately after, skipping the bureau's board of directors meeting, to draft a memo to his 700 or so employees announcing his departure.

Koffler said he won't know when his last day will be until the company names a replacement at both properties, but added, "There typically isn't a long transition time."

He should know: Koffler has worked at 15 Hyatt hotels in the past 25 years. His first job with the company was as assistant manager of the restaurant in Hyatt Regency New Orleans.

The Manchester Grand Hyatt is owned by the Manchester Resorts limited partnership and operated by Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. The property includes two buildings -- one 40 stories high, the other 33 stories -- as well as 1,625 guest rooms, 95 suites and 41 meeting rooms.

"It is one of the largest hotels in the company," he said.

The new position is a return to Southern California for Koffler and his wife, Roseanne. Before coming to Monterey, he was general manager of Hyatt West Hollywood in Los Angeles.

Koffler said that while he's looking forward to the challenge of leading a larger hotel, "We've never loved living anywhere more than in Monterey."

-----

To see more of the Monterey County Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.montereyherald.com.

Copyright (c) 2005, The Monterey County Herald, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail [email protected].