The Herald Salutes

Kanoelani Elementary School principal Stacie Kunihisa was named the 2019 Hawai‘i National Distinguished Principal by the Hawai‘i Elementary School and Middle School Administrators Association at the Hale Koa Hotel on April 28. She will join the National Association of Elementary School Principals and awardees from the other 49 states in Washington, D.C., in October. Just....

Kuakini Health System president and CEO Gary K. Kajiwara was presented The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, by Consul General of Japan Koichi Ito on Feb. 1 at the Japanese Consulate. Kajiwara was recognized for his contributions to strengthening and promoting mutual understanding between Japan and the United States in the....

Gwen Fujie has been selected as executive director of the Hawaii United Okinawa Association, succeeding the late Jane Serikaku, who held the post for approximately 12 years before passing last summer. Fujie assumed the position on Jan. 2. Fujie’s ancestral roots in Okinawa are in Oroku and Yomitan. She is a member of Yomitan Club,....

An award presentation ceremony recognizing the 2018 MEXT — Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology — Japanese Studies student (Nihongo Nihonbunka Kenshu Ryugakusei) scholarship recipients was held Aug. 30 at the Japanese Consulate in Nu‘uanu.

The East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai presented scholarships of $1,000 each to Waiakea High School seniors Jairus Iwasaki and Deylyn Nekoba in recognition of their excellence in academic, co-curricular and extracurricular achievements. Kenjin Kai president Jon Arizumi presented the awards to Iwasaki and Nekoba at the school’s senior awards assembly on May 1.

Kipapa Elementary School principal Corinne Yogi received the 14th annual Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award from the Island Insurance Foundation. Yogi was presented the $25,000 award at the annual Public Schools of Hawai‘i Foundation banquet at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel on April 19. The award is named in honor of Island Insurance Company,....

Gov. David Ige appointed Troy Hashimoto to the Maui House seat previously occupied by former Rep. Joe Souki. Hashimoto’s appointment was effective immediately. Hashimoto has served as executive assistant to Maui County Council Chair Mike White since 2011. He was also chair of Maui County’s Democratic Party from 2013 to 2017. “Troy will bring energy....

Stevenson Middle School teacher Ken Kakesako was selected Hawai‘i’s Milken Teacher of Promise Award by the National Milken Educators of Hawai‘i. Kakesako is currently in his third year of teaching science at Stevenson. The award annually recognizes a teacher who demonstrates excellence in the field and the highest qualities of a professional educator during their....

The Hawaii United Okinawa Association recognized 45 “Uchinanchu of the Year” at its annual ”Uchinanchu of the Year”/installation banquet at the Hawaii Okinawa Center on Jan. 20. The 2017 “Uchinanchu of the Year” were honored for their service to their respective club, the HUOA and the larger community. The honorees were:

Gov. David Ige has appointed Leonard Hoshijo as director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, which oversees the workforce development, unemployment insurance, workers compensation, and occupational safety and health divisions. Hoshijo had been DLIR’s deputy director since 2015 and acting director since December 2017. He succeeds Linda Chu Takayama, who was appointed interim....