Posted on: Monday, November 8, 2004

No Ka Oi

Advertiser Staff

• Work to make visits to Hanauma Bay more ecologically sensitive, and developing plans to help the Northern Mariana Islands deal with natural disasters have garnered two planning awards for local design firm GROUP 70.

The recognitions, the Outstanding Planning Project Award for the Hanauma Bay Marine Life Conservation District, and the Safe Planning Current Topic Award for work on the Northern Marianas Island Commonwealth, were awarded by the Hawaii Congress of Planning Officials and the American Planning Association.

The Hanauma Bay work included a newly designed visitor and learning center, integrated into the natural landscape. The Marianas mitigation plan, fulfilling requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, identified the expected effect of various disasters based on historical information, and included inventories of local assets and necessary maintenance.

• Kailua retailer, MANUHEALI'I, which specializes in Hawaiian-inspired attire of traditional Hawaiian quilt patterns with contemporary styles and colors, has received the American Savings Bank NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD. The honor was presented at the third annual conference of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, co-sponsored by the bank. Accepting the award were store owners, Pono and Danene Lunn, whose 'ohana has passed down the Manuheali'i family name through three generations. The business plans to open another store on Punahou Street next spring.

• Graphic design entries from Honolulu's John Wingard Design were selected from almost 11,000 nationwide entries for awards in the AMERICAN GRAPHIC DESIGN AWARDS for EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATIONS AND GRAPHIC DESIGN. The competition, now in its 25th year, is sponsored by Graphic Design USA, a monthly magazine for professional graphic designers. In addition to designs created for Maui Bay, and Waidroka Estates in Fiji, the firm won honors for its own logo, branding and identity creations. The company provides marketing, advertising, web design and graphics-based communication for Hawai'i and the Mainland.

• WILLIAM UNRUH, 37, was named 2004 HAWAI'I WORKER OF THE YEAR by Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Co., for the diversity of functions the research ship crew member and educator fulfills: salesperson, educator, office manager, crew member, even scuba diver. As Hawai'i program director for nonprofit Rapture Marine Expeditions, the six-year company veteran takes students out to sea to teach marine science and oceanography. Unruh, who also owns a travel agency, was selected from almost 9,000 entries for the 50 state, and one national, winners. Three awards were given as part of last month's annual Hawai'i Agricultural Conference at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

• Thomas and Eva-Marie Kafsack's Surfing Goat Dairy in Kula, Maui, received the "New Farm Operation Award" for environmental protection efforts, recycling, composting, and avoiding pesticides.

• Harold Tanouye, of Green Point Nurseries in Hilo, Big Island, was given the "Outstanding Agricultural Operation" award for the successful transformation of the firm, begun in 1977 to grow and market leather leaf ferns and cut anthuriums, into a annual $4.5 million production on 25 acres.

• David "Buddy" Nobriga of Nobriga Ranch, in Wailuku, Maui, garnered the conference's "Friend of Agriculture Award." Nobriga was honored for contributions to the state Board of Agriculture, West Maui Soil and Water Conservation District and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council.

The awards are given for outstanding organizational or individual contributions to the state's agricultural industry.

The conference is sponsored by the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, state Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Leadership Foundation-Hawaii, and the University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

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 business@honoluluadvertiser.com. For e-mailed releases, please make sure the information is included in the body of the message, not as an attachment.