HTLA honors 2 Kaua‘i hotel employees • Kaua‘i residents named to Class XIV of the Ag Leadership Program
HTLA honors 2 Kaua‘i hotel employees
HONOLULU — Two Kaua‘i tourism employees were honored by the Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association last week.
The 23rd annual Na Po‘e Pa‘ahana awards — which translates to “the hardworking people” — honor Hawai‘i’s top hospitality industry employees in nine categories.
Darrell Borrero of the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas received second place in the Bell/Valet Person of the Year category.
Ben Napoleon of the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort received third place in the Manager of the Year category.
“Our winners and finalists are an example of the thousands of employees that make Hawai‘i so special,” said George Szigeti, president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association.
The Na Po‘e Pa‘ahana awards luncheon was held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort.
Nearly a thousand people attended the luncheon emceed by Shannon Scott and Lina Girl Langi of KCCN FM 100 radio.
Recipients of HTLA’s accolades are selected based on nominations submitted by their supervisors and co-workers, and are judged on the basis of outstanding and exceptional service to lodging guests, co-workers and the community.
Kaua‘i residents named to Class XIV of the Ag Leadership Program
HONOLULU — Two Kaua‘i residents have been named to the latest Agricultural Leadership Program, sponsored by the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i.
Kaua‘i residents Kirby Kester and Judith Rivera were named to Class XIV last week.
Kester is the applied Genetics Manager at BASF Plant Science L.P., and Rivera is a scientist & research station manager with DuPont Pioneer Hi-Bred International.
The class was selected by a committee comprised of board members, alumni and staff selected 15 participants representing Hawai‘i’s best and brightest emerging leaders from agriculture, natural resource management and rural communities.
The participants represent government, nonprofits, academia and small and large businesses.
There is a balance of producers and those who work with and provide services or support to agriculturists.
During the next 17 months, the leadership class will attend a series of seven seminars and a two-week national trip.
Content areas integral to agriculture in Hawai‘i will be imbedded in each seminar and participants will have an opportunity to design parts of the seminars to meet their specific interests.
Leadership, conflict resolution and mediation as well as communication and facilitation skills will be taught by Peter Adler, Ph.D. and Pauline Sato, the Agricultural Leadership program director.
The Agricultural Leadership Program develops knowledgeable, multi-cultural leaders for Hawai‘i’s food, agricultural, and natural resource industries who have leadership skills and will put those skills into practice.
Graduates are expected to take leadership roles to create solutions to issues that shape Hawai‘i’s agriculture, natural resources and rural communities and increase sustainability within island communities.
To date, 154 agricultural leaders have graduated from the program and form a strong resource network throughout the state.
For more information visit www.agleaderhi.org online.
