
Pacific Islands Club Guam mascots, Sandy and Siheky are shown in the property.
Photo courtesy of PIC Guam
By Pauly Suba

Ben Ferguson
For Ben H. Ferguson, vice president of P.H.R. Ken Micronesia Inc. and general manager of Pacific Islands Club Guam, a chance entry into the hospitality industry led to an illustrious career spanning nearly four decades.
Reflecting on his path, Ferguson credits luck and sheer effort for his journey from room service waiter to leading one of Guam’s most iconic resorts.
“I stumbled into the hospitality industry in some ways by accident,” Ferguson says. After graduating with a degree in accounting from Virginia Tech, Ferguson moved to Phoenix, Ariz., where he struggled to find a role in his field. “I didn’t want to work for a CPA. I just wanted an accounting job… I wasn’t able to find anything.”
It was a room service job at a Scottsdale resort that changed everything.
Within months, the hotel’s controller discovered Ferguson’s accounting background and hired him as a payroll clerk. That pivotal role set the stage for a career that eventually brought him to Guam in 1989 as PIC’s assistant controller. Through the years, Ferguson steadily rose through the ranks to become general manager.
“I’ve been blessed to have found this industry, to have had a career in it, and to have called Guam home since 1989,” he says.
Ferguson believes his curiosity and willingness to learn have been essential to his success. “Early on in my career, I told the controller in Scottsdale that I wanted to learn all aspects of the operation,” he says. “It’s basic advice, but not everyone takes that initiative. When employees show that level of interest, it’s music to my ears.”
He emphasizes the importance of fostering that same drive among his staff. PIC runs a management trainee program to develop local talent, and Ferguson actively encourages employees to take advantage of opportunities to grow within the organization. “We’re always looking for talent,” he says. “Finding people who want to seek careers in hospitality is a challenge, but we’ve been fortunate to grow our own talent.”
Throughout his career, Ferguson has drawn inspiration from mentors who shaped his professional philosophy. From financial acumen to balancing professional and personal priorities, Ferguson’s mentors have left a lasting impression on his career.
“I’ve had quite a few mentors in my career. David Smith was the CFO of Interpacific Group, which was the original owner of this hotel… David was a great influence on me in many ways, just in terms of his work ethic and how he was able to blend his personal life and his family life together with his work life and balance those things.”
That philosophy of balance has been translated into Ferguson’s leadership style at PIC. “I tell all of our managers here, look, you need to treat your employees as friends and family first, your employees second,” he says.
Ferguson also cited Bob Goldman, a CPA and attorney with Interpacific Group, as a key influence. “Bob had the unique distinction of being a CPA attorney… a very sharp, brilliant person that was able to have a complete understanding of not only the finances of an organization but how to structure contracts and do all that type of work,” Ferguson says. “In the world we live in today, that’s really important that you kind of have that understanding.”
Additionally, Ferguson reflected on the hands-on leadership styles of general managers he worked with, including Ralph Harrison, Bart Jackson, and Ken Yanagisawa, now president of PHR Ken Micronesia, Inc. “Ken San… a great guy to work for, who’s now my boss,” he says. “I think I’ve been blessed to have some great influences in my life. And I think we all need that as we go through our journey.”
Ferguson has seen the resort weather both triumphs and challenges. Reflecting on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferguson acknowledged the uphill battle the tourism industry continues to face.
“I’ve never seen this low of a low,” Ferguson says. “The pandemic is really what initiated all of this. Our recovery from it hasn’t been as rapid as anyone would have liked, and there’s a million reasons why that is. But at the end of the day, all of us… we have a unified mindset in terms of what we need to do to try and get us back on track.”

Ben Ferguson is appointed general manager of Pacific Islands Club Guam in 2015.
Photo courtesy of PIC Guam
Despite obstacles such as unfavorable exchange rates from Japan and Korea, Ferguson remains optimistic about Guam’s unique advantages. “Our proximity to both Japan and Korea is amazing. I can’t think of one other destination in which you can land at the airport and be in your hotel in five minutes,” he says. “I just came from Hawaii, and… when I look at Waikiki and the hotel row there, and then I look at our product, I am very proud of our product. We’ve got advantages that they could never have.”
PIC itself is undergoing a transformation, with a rebranding effort aimed at positioning the property as a “hotel with a theme park.” Ferguson highlighted upcoming projects, including the launch of a new dinner show in summer 2025, following the replacement of the amphitheater tent destroyed during Typhoon Mawar.
“We’re excited that we will have this new show launching in 2025,” Ferguson says. “We’re also excited that we’ll be introducing some new characters. Of course, Siheky and Sandy need some friends, and so we’re in the process of brainstorming with our teams in Korea and Japan to develop some new characters that will add to the equation here.”
For Ferguson, PIC’s focus on family remains central. “My grandkids… just the mention of PIC gets them so excited,” he says. “I had them come down the other day after school, and it was just so cute seeing their faces light up. When they came into the lobby, they saw Siheky and Sandy, and… that’s really what we’re trying to achieve.”
As the resort evolves, Ferguson sees its efforts as not just a boost for tourism, but a reflection of Guam’s vibrant community. “When I see things like a little girl clutching a Sandy doll… it’s quite humbling,” he says. “At the end of the day, it’s great for Guam as a destination and great for Guam as a community.”
Ferguson says the resort strives to develop products that appeal to families. “We want to offer a safe, fun environment where families can create memories together,” Ferguson says. “That’s the heart of what we do, and it’s incredibly humbling to see the impact we’ve had on the community over the years.”
For Ferguson, the journey is far from over. “I remain optimistic that we’ll find ourselves again. It’s been tough, but we’re going to get there.”