Posted on: Monday, May 7, 2007
No ka 'oi
Advertiser Staff
Donna Kahakui, founder and executive director of Kai Makana, has been named a recipient of the Yves Rocher Foundation Terre de Femmes (Women of the Earth) Award for the United States. Kahakui was honored for ongoing work to restore Mokauea Island, the last Hawaiian fishing village in Honolulu. The $7,000 first-prize money will be used to help purchase a new canoe for at-risk youth from the PACT Program at Kuhio Park Terrace as well as other schools and organizations. Since 2002, the Yves Rocher Foundation has recognized women "who lead actions that benefit nature and humanity."
International Association of Business Communicators' (IABC) local chapter has given communications professional Stafford J. Kiguchi its Lifetime Achievement Award. The award — presented for only the third time — recognizes those who have demonstrated sustained excellence in the field and shown a commitment to furthering the practice of communications in Hawai'i. Kiguchi is Bank of Hawaii's senior vice president and corporate communications and government relations manager. Other recipients were Arnold Kishi, a state and East-West Center executive, and Helen Varner, retired Hawai'i Pacific University, dean of communications. Kiguchi is a more than 25-year veteran of management, communications, public relations, issues management, and crisis communications for some of Hawai'i's top businesses, including Citizens Energy Services (The Gas Co. and Kaua'i Electric Co.) and BHP Hawai'i (now Tesoro).
SUZANNE CHONG KEE has been named Hawaiian Airlines Employee of the Year for 2006. A more than 40-year employee of Hawaiian, Chong Kee began as a flight attendant in 1963. Today, she is is primarily in charge of assigning Hawaiian's B767-300 fleet to the daily route schedule, working with departments overseeing flight crews, maintenance, catering and stations served by Hawaiian.
Announcements of business-related awards and honors can be sent to: Business Awards, Business Section, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; faxed to 525-6763, or e-mailed to ayonan@honoluluadvertiser.com. For e-mailed releases, please make sure the information is included in the body of the message, not as an attachment.
