LIHUE — A husband and wife landscape company was named the County of Kauai’s 2014 Small Business Persons of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Frank and Abby Santos of No Ka Oi Landscape Services will be honored
LIHUE — A husband and wife landscape company was named the County of Kauai’s 2014 Small Business Persons of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Frank and Abby Santos of No Ka Oi Landscape Services will be honored at a Kauai Chamber of Commerce event from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Sheraton Kauai Resort Lava’s on Poipu Beach.
SBA Hawaii District Director Jane Sawyer said the nominees go through a 15 member judging panel before the finalists are forwarded to the office of the state Inspector General.
“This award is going to people who faced adversity with sheer grit,” Sawyer said. “They had a little bit of help from the community and some organizations and came out on top to inspire the rest of us to keep after it.”
Abby and Frank started No Kai Oi Landscaping Services as a plant rental company in 1972. They were entirely self-contained and learned the ropes by trial and error.
“We just kept working,” Abby said Friday on the phone from the Big Island. “It was strictly bootstrap and we ran on a wing and a prayer.”
Santos actually received the SBA award once before in 1992. The business was in Frank’s name back then and now that Abbey’s is listed as co-owner the couple is being honored together.
Today, No Kai Oi has a team of 62 employees and subcontractors that manage a list of clients that include the island’s biggest resorts.
They do about 80 percent commercial landscape and maintenance work, and the remaining 20 percent is designing and building landscapes for commercial and high-end residential properties, Abbey said.
The recognition is an honor and Abbey said they are thrilled, but that award is only possible because of their team, their clients and the people of Kauai that have supported them all along.
It honors small business owners and entrepreneurs who demonstrate outstanding skills, savvy and ability to create success in the small business community. It goes to businesses that create jobs and have staying power, and for showing innovation and increased revenues.
“We have worked with so many wonderful people over the years,” Abbey said. “We are just so grateful for this honor and we owe so much to the people of Kauai. It is wonderful to be in this community and to be supported by our wonderful and loyal customers.”
For tickets to the Chamber event call 245-8815 or visit kauaichamber.org.
