The Herald Salutes

On April 22, Lori Lei Matsukawa, a Pacific Northwest journalist born and raised in Hawai‘i, was honored by the Japanese government for raising awareness of Japanese American history through her years of award-winning reporting...

On Friday, April 1, the Consulate General of Japan held an award presentation ceremony for the 2022 Monbukagakusho MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology) Specialized Training College Students (Senshū Gakkō Ryūgakusei)...

By Alexa Durante On Monday, Feb. 28, Michelle Le Iwasaki, an academic coach at Kalihi Kai Elementary School, was awarded the Milken Educator Award. Also known as the “Oscar Award of Teaching,” the award honors...

The Hawai‘i Medical Service Association recently appointed Dr. Mark M. Mugiishi as its new president and chief executive officer. Mugiishi had been serving as interim president/CEO and chief health officer since last August. His appointment was effective Feb. 1. Dr. Mugiishi has been a general surgeon in Hawai‘i for nearly 30 years and also served....

On Feb. 8, at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, Leilani Okuda was inducted into the President William McKinley High School’s Hall of Honor. She was honored for serving the softball community locally, nationally and internationally. Her many honors include:

Deidre Tegarden has rejoined Maui’s Nisei Veterans Memorial Center as executive director, a position she held from 2016 until 2018, when newly elected Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino selected her as his chief of staff. Tegarden will replace former state Sen. Jill Tokuda, who will now serve as NVMC’s director for external relations, leading the....

Hui O Laulima recently awarded cultural grants totaling $10,000 to 10 organizations and individuals for projects aimed at promoting and perpetuating Okinawan culture. Hui O Laulima is a nonprofit women’s organization and an active member of the Hawaii United Okinawa Association. The grants were awarded to:

Yumiko Uyeno was recently installed as Sawai Koto Kai Hawaii’s new president. Also installed as officers were vice presidents Keiko Akamine and Mary Yanagihara; secretaries Pamela Honbo and Mariko Dotzler and treasurer Diane Tokumaru. Uyeno, who is a Hiroshima native, began studying koto at the age of 5 under Grandmaster Yoshiko Mihara of the Ikuta....

Gov. David Ige has appointed Brig. Gen. Kenneth S. Hara as the state’s new adjutant general, effective Dec. 6. He will succeed Maj. Gen. Arthur “Joe” Logan, who will retire from the post at the end of the year. Ige thanked Gen. Logan for his leadership and service to Hawai‘i. Ige said Hara has been....

Tyler Tokioka has been appointed chairman of the board for Island Insurance Company, Ltd. Hawai‘i’s largest locally owned property and casualty insurance carrier. He succeeds Colbert Matsumoto, who will continue to serve as a board member. Tokioka, whose grandfather, Masayuki Tokioka, founded the company in 1939, has been with Island Insurance since 1999. He has....