A Day in the Life at KAJ: Maintenance

Featuring Don Dumdai, Sheraton Four Points, Fargo

Imagine all the tasks and maintenance your home requires—from leaky faucets to changing light bulbs, replacing batteries in smoke detectors, and troubleshooting when something that usually works, suddenly isn’t, like an appliance or switch.

Now, imagine that type of maintenance spread across a hotel property like the Sheraton Four Points in Fargo, one of KAJ Hospitality’s hotels. It features XXX guest rooms, a True North Bistro and bar, a 24/7 fitness center, pool, hot tub, and an entire grounds. Handling the maintenance and keeping things running smoothly requires problem-solving and attention to detail—and in our case, requires the commitment and know-how of Donleavy “Don” Dumdai, Head of Maintenance.

What Do Hotel Maintenance Jobs Entail?

Every detail of the guest experience matters to KAJ and our employees. We’re centered on treating our guests and each other like family to ensure their comfort no matter how brief each encounter might be. In terms of hospitality, creating an experience of excellence helps foster the likelihood of return visits and stays. When something doesn’t go exactly as planned during a guest stay, responding to the issue with professionalism and transparency matters greatly. If a refrigerator loses its cool or a window sticks or won’t open, maintenance is one call away. Don and the rest of our maintenance team make sure of it. 

As Don mentions in the video, his typical day is…there’s no such thing as a typical day. Preventative maintenance and making the rounds is a daily part of the job, overseeing every aspect of a safe, brand-standard experience for guests. Yet, within each day, there’s something that presents itself in the form of a problem that requires a solution. Quick thinking and thorough application are what get the job done. 

“Here for People, to me, means you’re always trying to find a solution to a problem, whether it be for a guest or another employee.” —Don Dumdai 

Is Hotel Maintenance Right for You?

Hotel maintenance is just one key area of hotel operation and works in collaboration with every other department on site. From the front desk and guest experience to housekeeping, events, catering, and foodservice, maintenance is the troubleshooter and engineering team behind the operation. In Don’s hospitality experience, he began his career in housekeeping and learned quickly his natural affinity for fixing, assembling, and building things would make him a great fit for the maintenance team at KAJ. That’s one of the best aspects of a career in hospitality—there are a lot of opportunities for growth and advancement and truly finding your “right spot”.

Hotel Maintenance Skills:

• Technical
• Flexibility and versatility
• Ability to multi-task
• Physical ability 
• Detail-oriented 
• Can-do attitude 
• Teamwork
• Problem-solving 
• Solution-oriented 

KAJ is more than a hospitality company, we’re a people company. We endlessly value our team members like Don who are committed to ensuring every detail and function of our properties are safe, appealing, and favor the guest experience.

Learn more about career opportunities and how to join the KAJ family on our website.