Advertiser Staff
Winners of the 2005 "KEEP IT HAWAI'I AWARDS have been announced, the first under the program's new management by the Hawai'i Tourism Authority. The 14-year awards program honors authentic portrayal, and commitment to perpetuate, Hawaiian culture. The inaugural winner of this year's Koa Award is Hawaiian Airlines, for its sponsorship of Aloha Festivals.
Kahili awards were given to:
Business awardees: Honolulu County: Mutual Publishing (Ku'e: Thirty Years of Land Struggle in Hawai'i"); Hawai'i County: Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows (Ke Kumu O Mauna Lani, Mauna Lani Resort's Historic Tours and Turtle Independence Day.); Maui County: The Ritz Carlton, Kapalua (Celebration of the Arts).
Individual awardees: Honolulu County: Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett; Hawai'i County: George Lanakilakeikiahialii Naope; Maui County: Francis Palani Sinenci and Pilipo Solatario; Kaua'i County: Ken Robert Emerson.
Community organization awardees: Honolulu County: Bishop Museum Press (Publications); Maui County: Kipahulu 'Ohana (Hawaiian Living History Farm and Cultural Tours)
HTA additionally established a He Kuleana Ke Aloha Award to recognize a business, individual or community organization demonstrating ongoing perpetuation of Hawaiian culture. This year's awardees were Winona Desha Beamer, Genoa Keawe, Mary Louise Kekuewa, the Merrie Monarch Festival, Prince Lot Hula Festival, Ka'anapali Beach Hotel and Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau.
Installation of solar-powered security lights along the perimeter of the Coast Guard's Sand Island base as part of the Department of Homeland Security's program garnered the base one of five lighting awards given recently. The annual ILLUMINATING DESIGN AWARDS are sponsored by the Illuminating Engineering Society to recognize energy efficiency in projects worldwide. The Coast Guard compact fluorescent installation guarantees visibility during power outages.
Other awards went to:
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center's installation of compact fluorescents in their Pensacola Street and Moanalua parking facilities which reduced by half earlier requests for security escorts because of poor garage lighting.
Compact fluorescent fixtures and timers resulted in an estimated 83 percent energy savings, improved visibility and increased court usage at Newtown Recreation Center's volleyball, basketball and tennis courts.
Energy use dropped by about a half with installation of new lighting fixtures and motion sensors in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard's gymnasium and warehouse.
Also honored was new landscape lighting that also improved entry illumination and security at Admiral Thomas condominium.
Hawaiian Airlines has been recognized with an Airline Business magazine's Airline Strategy Award. The annual awards recognize top performing airline leadership in six categories: Finance (won this year by Hawaiian), marketing, operations, technology, regional airline leadership, and executive leadership, as well as an award for lifetime contribution.
Hawaiian also was recognized for honoring existing commitments to suppliers, pension funds, employees and other creditors. Hawaiian, which filed for bankruptcy in 2003, emerged from that protection in June.
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@honolulu advertiser.com. For e-mailed releases, please make sure the information is included in the body of the message, not as an attachment.
