Honors & achievements

Advertiser Staff

Truck drivers place nationally

Three Honolulu truck drivers, all employees of Martin Warehousing and Distribution Inc., competed recently at the U.S. National Truck Driving Championship in Tampa, Fla.

Joel Ramos finished ninth in the five-axle flat division. Derek Komoda finished sixth in the four-axle division. Dominic Mattos finished fifth in the five-axle van division.

All previously won in their respective divisions during the Hawai'i State Truck Driving Championships in June. Ramos was grand champion of that event.

Seven artists get fellowships

Seven Hawai'i artists have received fellowships from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. They are:

• Rachel Berman, a dancer formerly with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, who will advance her studies with choreographers.
• Kenny Endo, composer of music for taiko, or Japanese drums, who will create a work alluding to Hawai'i's natural history and culture, from volcanic beginnings to the immigration of Pacific peoples.
• Karen Yamamoto Hackler, playwright, actor, storyteller and teacher, who will develop plays based on local stories gathered from everyday lives.
• Phyllis S.K. Look, director, who will advance her theatrical work based on the writings, arts and music of people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers.
• Lisa Matsumoto, playwright, who will research a new theatrical piece called "Peril in Paradise" that will educate youngsters about invasive species of nonnative flora and fauna.
• Donald Reid Womack, chamber music composer, who is writing a violin concerto for the Honolulu Symphony's concertmaster.
• Matthew Wright, ballet choreographer and artistic director of Honolulu Dance Theater, who is developing a work in collaboration with local dancers using text, poetry and music to explore emotions of people facing adverse social conditions.
  
  
  

Heart chapter elects leaders

Dr. Cherylee Chang of Kahala Kua has been elected president of the American Heart Association of Hawai'i.

Chang, who is a neurologist and was born in Lihu'e, Kaua'i, is medical director of the Neuroscience Institute and the neurocritical care program at The Queen's Medical Center and director of The Queen's Stroke Center. She serves on the heart association's Stroke Council and its Council on Cardiopulmonary & Critical Care.

Other new officers: Dr. Samuel Dacanay, a cardiologist; Beth Freitas, R.N., M.S.N., manager of The Queen's Neuroscience Institute; Dr. Jeffrey Lee, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon; Gail Okamura, director of education and training at St. Francis Medical Center; Lori Thomas, attorney; and James Wille, administrator with Hawaii Health Venture.