Alfonso, Karl & Christina Chusuey: Success is in their DNA

They are going to inherit an empire in the future yet the good-looking Chusuey siblings — Alfonso, 26; Karl, 24; and Christina, 20 — act like they are not royalty in their own respect. Instead of seeing thrones glimmering in gold, they see responsibilities they need to fulfill.

They can easily govern the close to 2,000 people they employ in the four big and beautiful resort properties their family owns yet they choose to work with them closely as part of the workforce. They are COOs, children of owners, yet they know that the responsibilities they have in their shoulders will not swell into their heads. Theirs is an unflinching commitment to be of full and firm service to their companies, to make sure their businesses will further flourish because they are also livelihood to their employees. In the process of doing their jobs, they earn the nod of their parents, most especially their father, Dr. Henry Chusuey, the chairman and founder of the Henann Group of Resorts.

The Henann Group of Resorts has four properties — three in Boracay (Boracay Regency Beach Resort & Spa, Henann Garden Resort and Henann Lagoon Resort) and one in Bohol (Henann Resort Alona Beach). From a 43-room resort in Boracay in 1998, the resort empire has now 1,200 rooms. Their family also owns Golden Finance Corp., a financing business.

This flourishing empire is a family enterprise. Alfonso is the executive vice president while Karl is the vice president for marketing. Alfonso and Karl both finished Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Their sister Christina finished cum laude at St. Paul University in Iloilo City with a degree in Accountancy. She works closely with her mother, Anna Lissa, the vice chairman in their group of companies, in the accounting department.  

“My main responsibility is to be hands-on in all the new developments we have. From construction of new resorts to improving our current facilities and services. I am much challenged because I know it is in my hands to create a successful foundation that our operations team uses to create guest satisfaction,” says Alfonso.

Karl says, “I handle all aspects of marketing for the group. It is challenging because I always have to think about the next step and how creatively to engage the market as trends are always changing. I make sure I am always updated with the latest to be current in the field of marketing.”

Christina admits, because she just graduated this year, her involvement now is in familiarizing herself with more intricate and complex systems of the business that she wasn’t exposed to before. “It can get tough but for now, my dad expects me to simply understand these processes and identify the flaws. When I get better at it, I know that then I get to move on to make bigger decisions,” she says.

Their matriculation into the business started at their very young age. Alfonso remembers he was in grade school when his mother tasked him to check that all deposits made were reflected in the bank statements. Karl was tasked to check all aspects of one of their businesses in Iloilo and to report all “the good and the bad” that was happening. Christina recalls, “Back then, my biggest responsibility was simply checking and counting the figures. Even that small role has taught me bigger things about control and precision.”

Now that they are fully involved in their businesses, Alfonso, Karl and Christina are just thankful for their apprenticeship. The challenges are bigger now but there is nothing that can cow the spirit of a Chusuey child when it comes to fulfilling his or her responsibility. Their backbones have been shaped and filled with titanium early on to withstand all the imminent challenges of the job; they use their youth to become pliant. That they are solid as siblings also helps in maintaining a pleasant and enjoyable working atmosphere among them.

“I’m very close to both my siblings, and our relationship usually revolves around simple joys. They are both unique personalities, so we get to talk about different things. Something that we share is our fondness for new restaurants and going on a movie date together. We never enter the cinema without buying first our milk teas or fruit teas, our sibling routine,” says Christina.

If it’s not a new restaurant or movie they are checking out, the Chusueys also find themselves traveling together to discover a new place. Lately, it has been a treat, a cause for celebration when they bond together as they are all “living in three different cities.” Alfonso shuttles between Boracay and Bohol to man their properties. Karl is based in Manila where he dutifully manages the marketing aspect of the business. Christina is based in their head office in Iloilo.

How hard or easy is it working for a family business? “It is hard because obviously the responsibility is greater but on the other hand it is also easy in a way that I am always motivated to do the best I can. Family and business affairs usually intertwine in our setup. My dad is usually both father and boss at the same time,” says Alfonso.

“Yes, our father is 100 percent boss and father combined,” affirms Karl. “Our dad is like a benevolent dictator; he treats everyone fairly and rewards people based on their level of achievement.”

“Our dad has more of the authoritarian style while our mom has the compromising style, so they get along in the business,” adds Alfonso.

Siblings Alfonso, Christina and Karl Chusuey have learned to be responsible at an early age. Photo by BÜM TENORIO JR.

 

“Both our parents are firm believers in compliance and command responsibility. But Dad tends to be more strict and particular with details,” says Christina.

“But when we go on vacations,” adds Christina,  “our dad becomes more of a father than a boss. I get to goof around with him and enjoy the small things.”

The Chusuey siblings are grateful to have their parents. “They always emphasized simplicity. We were never allowed to have too much of a good thing. Mom taught me to appreciate my blessings. Dad taught me never to be lazy and that we should not settle on principle but actually strive to give results,” says Christina.

“They both teach me to be practical and fair in my personal and professional life,” says Alfonso.

As for Karl, the most important lesson he has learned from his parents is: “There is no presume or assume. There is only what if.”

Notwithstanding the challenges they encounter in running their businesses, the Chusueys remain steadfast in their love for their family. “The best part about being born to my family is that we are all treated fairly; we were never spoiled, although it wasn’t such a good thing back when I was younger but now I see the importance of it and how it made me a better person,” says Karl.

“The best part is being born to responsible parents who are able to guide us and make us ready for life,” says Alfonso.

“It always is a good experience to live with my personal role models: my parents for their hard work, patience and precision; and my brothers for their determination and drive to come out with the best results,” says Christina.

Their respective jobs can be tough and taxing many times. But as long as they know they have each other makes their responsibilities lighter. They know the golden thrones in their empire are just within reach. But they would rather not concentrate on sitting on them. They’d rather work and excel. All of them know that bigger success means greater responsibilities are given to them. And they have no other recourse but to fulfill them. That’s written in their Chusuey DNA.

(For your new beginning, e-mail me at bumbaki@yahoo.com. I’m on Instagram @bumtenorio. Have a blessed Sunday!)