Restaurateur Donald Hough dead at 72

Advertiser Staff

Donald Hough, former president of the Hawai'i Restaurant Association and developer of the Tony Roma restaurant franchise in Hawai'i, died Oct. 8 in Burbank, Calif. He was 72.

Hough was born in Waukegan, Ill., and graduated from El Camino College in California. From 1950 to 1954, he served in the Air Force.

He then spent 11 years with American Airlines, until 1969, when he co-founded WDI, a travel marketing firm based in Los Angeles.

In 1975, Hough sold the firm to Peter Ueberroth, owner of First Travel Corp., and became head of marketing for the joint business. Ueberroth is the former commissioner of Major League Baseball and organizer of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Hough came to Hawai'i in 1984 as president of the Hawai'i unit of Mundy Inc., a Tokyo-based food-service company that franchised Tony Roma restaurants. He opened three restaurants in Hawai'i and served as president of the Hawai'i Restaurant Association and director of the Hawai'i Hotel Association.

Hough retired from Mundy Inc. in 1999.

He is survived by his wife, Virginia; brothers, Frank and Jeane; son, Frank; daughters, Lisa Hough and Dona Stilphen; stepson, Christopher Hernandez; four grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Mainland services were held. Donations may be made to: Multiple Myleloma Research Foundation, 3 Forest St., New Canaan, CT 06840.