KEKAHA — Thomas Nizo, the Pacific Missile Range Facility’s Facilities Operations Specialist, was recently recognized with a Ho‘okanaka Adult Leadership Award by Leadership Kaua‘i during its inaugural Ho‘okanaka Award ceremony held May 5. The award acknowledges anyone in the community
KEKAHA — Thomas Nizo, the Pacific Missile Range Facility’s Facilities Operations Specialist, was recently recognized with a Ho‘okanaka Adult Leadership Award by Leadership Kaua‘i during its inaugural Ho‘okanaka Award ceremony held May 5.
The award acknowledges anyone in the community who serves and improves the quality of life here on Kaua‘i. Twenty adults and eight youth were nominated for the award, with five from each group recognized with a plaque for specific leadership qualities during the ceremony.
“I was humbled and honored to get the award,” says Nizo in a press release. “It was a field full of adults and youth who all do so much for our island in their own way. I never looked for recognition for the service I do, but I was grateful to accept it on behalf of all of the people in the community I have worked with.”
Nizo has been an active part of Waimea Project Graduation, Waimea youth baseball league, Waimea Historic Theater, West Kaua‘i Technology and Visitor Center, West Kaua‘i Business & Professional Association, West Kaua‘i Rotary Club, West Kaua‘i Lions Club, Waimea’s Parade of Lights and Waimea Town Celebration, just to name a few.
His community endeavors led him to be a PMRF sponsored candidate to go through the Leadership Kaua‘i program, which Nizo completed in 2010. According to the Leadership Kaua‘i website, the organization searches for members by engaging a cross section of individuals that represent all aspects of Kaua‘i.
Born and raised on Kaua‘i, Nizo points to his family as inspiration and motivation for giving back to the community. When he was a boy, he often went fishing with his grandfather, Levi Milimilinakalauweloilehua Niheu. Whenever they brought fish home, they only ate the fish heads and ensured the rest of the family feasted on the choice parts.
His other grandfather, William Apelahama Nizo, was a minister and, according to Nizo, both men instilled in him a sense of always sharing with the community and the idea of service before self.
“If can, can. If no can, no can. If you are able to do it, do it. Always try to make it happen,” Nizo said. “The Hawaiian word for rich is waiwai. Kanaka waiwai is a person who is rich. For me, the waiwai is having relationships that I can build and foster in my life.”
According to Nizo, the greatest reward is the smiles he puts on the faces around him. His goal isn’t to do one great thing for the world, but to do a lot of little good things for his community.
“The way I measure my success is smiles per dollar. I try to impact and make as many people happy as possible with the resources that I have,” Nizo said.
For more information on Leadership Kaua‘i, visit its website at http://leadershipkauai.blogspot.com.
