Beautifully engraved certificate from the Hyatt International Corporation issued no later than 1981. This historic document was printed by the Security-Columbian Banknote Company and has an ornate border around it with a vignette of an allegorical woman sitting between two globes with a cityline in the background. This item has the printed signatures of the company's president and secretary and is over 25 years old.
Certificate Vignette Hyatt Corporation opened its first hotel on September 27, 1957. Today, the hotel management company operates 200 hotels throughout the world. Hyatt International Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates 58 hotels and 22 resorts with more than 28,000 rooms in 37 countries. Hyatt Hotels Corporation operates 120 hotels and resorts with more than 55,000 rooms in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Hyatt's first property at Los Angeles International Airport was originally named Hyatt House. The owner of Hyatt House was a local entrepreneur by the name of Hyatt R. von Dehn. Hyatt hotels expanded aggressively along the West Coast during the next decade. However, it wasn't until 1967, when Hyatt opened the world's first atrium hotel that the Hyatt name became known worldwide. The hotel's 21-story atrium tower lobby and dramatic departure from traditional hotel architecture changed the course of the lodging industry. The challenge to hotel architects was no longer to eliminate extra space; rather, to create grand, wide-open public spaces. By 1969, there were 13 Hyatt hotels in the United States. That year, the first international hotel opened. The hotel, operated by a newly formed company called Hyatt International, was Hyatt Regency Hong Kong. Hyatt Regency hotels are Hyatt's core brand of hotels, offering guests opportunities to broaden their horizons and rejuvenate. Lobbies and rooms are designed to reflect the best of the local cultures, the food and beverage outlets are inventive, and exceptional technology, meeting, and fitness facilities are available. Grand Hyatt and Park Hyatt brands were introduced in 1980 to further identify and market the diverse types of Hyatt properties worldwide. Grand Hyatt hotels serve culturally rich destinations that attract leisure and business travelers as well as large-scale meetings and conventions. The hotels, reflecting a grand scale and refinement, include features such as state-of-the-art technology, sophisticated business and leisure facilities, banquet and conference facilities of world-class standard, and specialized programs that cater to discriminating business and vacation guests. Park Hyatts are the company's smaller, luxury hotels designed to cater to the discriminating individual traveler seeking the privacy, personalized service and elegance of a small European hotel. They offer a sense of sanctuary and luxury. In addition to state-of-the-art technology, Park Hyatts offer exceptional food and beverage facilities, intimate, understated surroundings, and 24-hour personalized service. Since the opening of Hyatt Regency Maui in 1980, Hyatt has become known as a leader in the creation and operation of dramatic luxury resorts as well. These include, for example, Hyatt Regency Kauai in Hawaii; Hyatt Regency La Manga in southern Spain; Bali Hyatt and Grand Hyatt Bali in Indonesia; Hyatt Regency Cheju on the southern coast of Korea; Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove and Hyatt Regency Coolum Spa & Resort in Australia's Queensland state; Hyatt Regency Guam in Micronesia; Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki in Greece, and Hyatt Regency Kathmandu, Nepal, in August 2000. Today, Hyatt specializes in deluxe hotels with meeting facilities and special services for the business traveler, operates hotels in major and secondary cities, airport locations, and leading resort areas throughout the world. In many cities Hyatt has made a significant contribution to revitalizing the area and spurring business and population growth. With the new hotels under development, Hyatt International will be creating more than 20,000 job opportunities throughout the world. Hyatt Hotels & Resorts have a reputation not only for their physical distinctiveness, incorporating local art and design, but also for the amenities and services provided. These special services include Hyatt Gold Passport, Hyatt's renowned recognition and award program for the frequent traveler; Regency Club, a VIP concierge floor; complimentary morning newspaper; specialty restaurants; and custom catering. New Growth Opportunities In 1994, to provide additional opportunity for growth, Hyatt Hotels Corporation began to diversify by entering into several new ventures including franchising, time share, free-standing golf course management and gaming. In all ventures, Hyatt has pursued only a select and limited number of opportunities that meet the high-quality standards established by Hyatt hotels. Hyatt's first vacation ownership resort, called Hyatt's Sunset Harbor Key West, opened in June 1995. Additional vacation ownership properties have since opened in Key West, Beaver Creek, Colo.; Lake Tahoe (Incline Village, Nev.); and Dorado, Puerto Rico. On January 28, 1995, Hyatt opened its first free-standing golf course, Tierra del Sol, on the island of Aruba. The golf course, Aruba's first, is an 18-hole par 71 championship golf course designed by the Robert Trent Jones II Group. It is the first in a new strategy by Hyatt to manage new free-standing golf courses as well as golf courses near current and new Hyatt properties. While Hyatt has managed casinos at several of its resorts for a number of years, the company entered the riverboat gaming industry when it opened the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Illinois in 1994. It has since become one of the most successful floating gaming vessels in the country. Grand Victoria Casino and Resort by Hyatt opened in Rising Sun, Indiana in 1996 and also features one of the top floating casinos in the nation. Innovative Services and Products Hyatt has long been regarded as a leader in the creation of innovative products for business, group and leisure customers. With the introduction of Hyatt Business Plan, Hyatt leads the industry after re-tooling its facilities and services to better meet the needs of the business traveler. Specially designed rooms called Business Plan rooms offered in approximately 80 hotels include printer/copier/fax machines in every room, complimentary continental breakfast and other features to help business travelers stay productive on the road. In addition, Hyatt has been on the forefront in developing faster, more efficient check-in options, including 1-800-CHECKIN, which allows guests to check in to their hotel rooms in the U.S. and Canada by telephone. The company also is known for introducing other concepts to the hotel industry including Regency Club floors that offer premium VIP services with a concierge and club lounge on every floor. Leaders in attracting group business, Hyatt offers a unique array of products and services geared to helping its customers run a perfect meeting. Each hotel has a Meeting Concierge, a specialist dedicated to responding to the needs of meeting planners and attendees. Hyatt recently launched the Customer Care Initiative, which is designed to improve meeting planning services and increase customer satisfaction. Hyatt also offers Meeting Connection, the industry's most comprehensive small meeting services program, and Meeting Dividends, which awards bonus points to meeting planners. Hyatt also participates in a partnership program with the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) to certify Hyatt convention services personnel as expert meeting consultants. Hyatt recognized the need to accommodate families with children in 1989 when it introduced Camp Hyatt, the hotel industry's most extensive kids program. Camp Hyatt is an extensive, child-tailored program filled with educational games, activities and cultural enrichment programs for tots to pre-teens. The program also offers parents the opportunity to buy a second room for kids at half price (based on availability), as well as children's menus in restaurants and room service. Camp Hyatt is currently offered for children ages 3 - 12. Social Consciousness Operating quality hotels with innovative programs is not the only way Hyatt benefits consumers and local communities. Hyatt also plays a major role in social and environmental issues. Inherent within the company's philosophy is the goal to give back to the local community and environment wherever and whenever it can. Each Hyatt hotel and satellite office contributes to this goal by providing volunteers through the company's Hyatt F.O.R.C.E. program (Family Of Responsible and Caring Employees). The program allows each management employee to spend two paid workdays each year volunteering in the local community. Since its inception in 1990, employees have spent more than 600,000 hours teaching children and adults to read, helping children and adults with disabilities to horseback ride as part of a therapy and exercise program, caring for physically and emotionally abused children and volunteering in a variety of other ways. In addition, Hyatt has created programs that benefit and protect the local, national and global environments. These programs include extensive recycling programs and the donation of time and services to help other companies and groups recycle and start their own environmental protection programs. Individual Hyatt hotels have also launched and staffed programs designed to help preserve the environment and to teach others to do the same. At Hyatt Regency Kauai, the staff teaches guests about local foliage and natural sites, while teens visiting Hyatt Regency Scottsdale learn about desert treasures. Being a good neighbor is as important as being a good employer. Recently, Hyatt developed a program called FOCUS 2000 to address the changing needs of a diverse workforce and society. FOCUS 2000 activities include diversity training and cross-training programs, minority internships and recruitment opportunities, mentoring programs, employee development and empowerment initiatives, and English as a Second Language classes. Finally, Hyatt International has partnered with the Foundation for Small Voices. Together, they work to raise funds in various communities to benefit the children living in those communities through concerts and musical workshops. Hyatt chose the Foundation for Small Voices because of its global reach and direct local impact.