H. Amemiya; Disney Hotels Executive
Hideo Amemiya, who went to work for Disney as an assistant hotel supervisor at Walt Disney World in Florida 30 years ago and rose to become a senior vice president of Disneyland Resort Hotels, died Saturday after a brief illness, company officials said.
Amemiya, 56, of Tustin, was involved in this month’s opening of the California Adventure amusement park, helping plan and develop the new Grand Californian Hotel, part of the park’s Anaheim resort expansion.
“We are profoundly and deeply saddened by Hideo’s death,” Cynthia Harriss, Disneyland Resort president, said in a prepared statement. “He was truly one of a kind--a vibrant and energetic human being, and a strong and passionate leader. His enthusiasm, wit and concern for other people will be sorely missed by all of us.”
Amemiya was born in Tokyo. He graduated from Rikkyo University with a bachelor’s degree in social science, then earned a second in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Massachusetts.
After joining Disney, he rose through various positions at Walt Disney World and was involved in the development of Tokyo Disneyland. In recent years, he also helped direct renovations at the Disneyland Hotel and the conversion of Disneyland Pacific Hotel into the Paradise Pier Hotel.
Amemiya also was active in civic and business organizations. He was chairman of the board of advisors for the Collins School of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona, and served on the boards of the Anaheim Visitor and Convention Bureau, and the Anaheim Hotel-Motel Assn.
Amemiya is survived by his wife of 25 years, Naoe, and several brothers and sisters.
