Posted on: Thursday, June 17, 2004

Richard Handl, hotelier, dead at 74

Advertiser Staff

Richard E. Handl, a retired Hilton International executive who worked on projects in Hawai'i, died June 10 in Zurich, Switzerland. He was 74.

Handl was born in Switzerland, where he began his long hotel career. He moved to London and was part of the team that opened the Baghdad Hotel in 1958.

A year later, Handl joined Hilton International in Madrid, and his assignments took him to several locations, including the former Kahala Hilton in Honolulu. He later was named Hilton's president for Asia, Australia and the Pacific and was responsible for more than 35 hotels, including those in Hawai'i.

In 1996, Handl retired from Hilton International and lived in Switzerland and Hawai'i.

Handl is survived by his wife, Maria; sons, Dominic and Marc; and brother, Roman.

Visitation is at 10:30 a.m. June 22 at the Star of the Sea Church; Mass will be celebrated at 11:15 a.m.