Fairmont, Newport Beach, California
Keilaine Ruiz, Concierge

"I had a guest who was a Japanese executive swing by the desk at about 8:30 a.m. one morning. He was in a rush to a meeting but let me know that by 1 p.m., he needed a private plane to San Francisco. He also needed a hydro carbon geologist, and he gave me a list of specific areas he wanted to visit and surveyor maps he needed.

"I was able to charter a private plane just 2 miles from the hotel. The hydro carbon geologist was a slightly bigger challenge.

"I called the University of Irvine, California, which is the just down the road, but unfortunately no professors of that subject were available. I found one based in Bakersfield -- about 3 hours from Newport Beach -- which meant he would not be able to get the information requested and travel to us by the 1 p.m. departure. Thankfully, we were able to arrange for the plane to depart with the guest at 1 p.m., stop in Bakersfield to pick up the geologist, and continue to their meetings. Needless to say, the guest was wowed."

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