WAIMEA — Aqua Engineers Inc. announced winners of its third annual Employee-Owner Dependent Scholarship Program.
This year, seven sons and daughters of four Aqua employee-owners received scholarships in the amounts ranging from $750 to $2,500.
The 2019 recipients are Robert Oliver Jr., Waimea High and Lewis University; Anna-Malia Santos, Kapaa High and University of Portland; Ruth Santos, Kapaa High and University of Hawaii at Manoa; Kassandra Green, Mililani High and Wayland Baptist College; Danielle Santos, Kapaa High and UH-Manoa; Serena Lum, Saint Francis High School and Kapiolani Community College; and Dylan Lum, Saint Louis High School and Simpson University.
The Aqua scholarship selection committee has awarded $30,000 to 10 different scholars in the first three years of the program.
The mission of the program is to provide financial assistance to dependent scholars of active, full-time employee-owners in recognition of their academic achievement and their pursuit of higher education or vocational training.
“As a father myself, I know the importance of providing financial support to further our children’s pursuit of higher education,” said Ken Davis, CEO.
“As a Hawaii-based company, hiring skilled and educated workers is a huge challenge,” said Davis. “Hopefully, this program will help our children, who do want to live in Hawaii, to be able to fill our hiring needs and make a living wage.”
In addition to its scholarship program, Aqua supports the community with a donation program administered by a committee of non-management employee-owners.
Aqua has consistently landed on the Hawaii Business Magazine Most Charitable Companies list, donating over 1% of its gross revenue in both time and money to charities throughout the state, including many supporting higher education and programs in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.
The success of Aqua’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan results in a robust benefit and profit-sharing program for its employee-owners.
Sharing with community members remains at the heart of the Aqua ohana culture.
Over the past three years Aqua’s employee administered donation program has made an average of 80 payments worth $30,000 per year.
Aqua is an award-winning environmental company, a recent Best Places to Work company and a recent Hawaii ESOP Company of the Year recipient.
Aqua has been in business since 1981 serving numerous water and wastewater utility clients throughout the state of Hawaii.
Aqua acquired the U.S. Army sewer system on Oahu and the Puhi Sewer &Water Company on Kauai.
Aqua Engineers is a top business platform. Forty years The aqua engine has been and continues to be amazing! They practice profit-sharing and never forget those that have made this business what it is Today! mAhalo Ian and all the community members you have made a huge difference for! myself and CAS also managed to support this growing business! Aloha is alive and well with this team of great peoples!