Obituary: Dr. Richard Kelley, 88, grew Outrigger into a leading Hawaii hotel brand

Dr. Richard Kelley, who built Outrigger Hotels and Resorts into one of Hawaii's largest hospitality players over the course of more than four decades, died in February after a 20-year battle with Parkinson's Disease. He died at the age of 88.

Dr. Richard Kelley is pictured.

The Outrigger empire, under Kelley's leadership, went far beyond its home base of Waikiki to include hotels, resorts and condominiums across Kauai, Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii, setting the stage for international growth.

Jeff Wagoner, president and CEO of Outrigger, said in a statement that they were deeply sad to learn of the passing of Dr. Kelley.

Joining the family business

Roy and Estelle Kelley built the Outrigger hotel in 1947. Richard Kelley graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1962. After working as a doctor, he joined the family business and became Outrigger's president and CEO in 1971.

The Outrigger brand grew from a single property, the Outrigger Waikiki, to a total of five Outrigger-flagged Waikiki hotels by 1973. In 1986, after a series of acquisitions and brand consolidations, the chain had grown to more than 7,000 rooms, making it a leader within the Hawaiian hospitality sphere.

The Outrigger Marshall Islands Resort was added in 1996 as the first international venture for the company.

Kelley was Outrigger's president until 1988 and CEO until 1993.

He served as the Outrigger's chairman emeritus until the company was sold in 2016

Shaping Hawaii tourism

Kelley is credited with helping shape Hawaii's travel industry by spearheading a successful push to create a convention center in Waikiki, which opened in 1994. He was known for his lobbying efforts to help boost state tourism funding and for his work with the World Travel and Tourism Council to study the impact of tourism on the Hawaiian economy.

Kelley wrote a book called "Paddling the Outrigger: Inspiration and Insights From the Journey of a Lifetime."

The flagship Outrigger brand as well as the midprice Ohana Hotels by Outrigger flag are part of the Outrigger Hospitality Group. The Outrigger portfolio includes more than 20 hotels, resorts and vacation condo destinations.

Linda V. Kelley is the wife of Kelley.