LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i and Mayor Derek Kawakami took time out of a busy Wednesday schedule to honor and celebrate Brianna Greer of LEI of Kaua‘i and Lori and Craig Koga of Tanaka Hardware in a special presentation at the Lihu‘e Civic Center Mo‘ikeha Building rotunda.
The annual U.S. Small Business Administration Small Business Awards for Hawai‘i are given as part of National Small Business Week, and the 14 Hawai‘i winners were named during a pau hana celebration May 6 at the YWCA of O‘ahu.
LEI of Kaua‘i and Tanaka Hardware were among that roster of top-performing small businesses and small-business advocates, representing the County of Kaua‘i.
“Each year, the SBA recognizes the achievements from across the county of entrepreneurs who have stepped up to build their businesses, create jobs and power historic recovery over the past year,” said Robbie Melton, the director of the Kaua‘i Small Business Development Center, who coordinated the special morning ceremony.
“The SBDC is a part of the SBA, and is the voice for more than 32 million small businesses in America.”
Melton also nominated Greer, named SBA Women In Business Champion for Kaua‘i.
“Bria was so passionate about taking unused spaces for entrepreneurs,” Melton said. “We also talked about Lady Entrepreneurs and Innovator, the name of LEI of Kaua‘i. What I like about LEI of Kaua‘i, and why Bria deserves this award, is her vision for LEI is so innovative. ‘Community as Incubator’ is LEI of Kaua‘i’s mantra, its mission is to bring women entrepreneurs, business owners and innovators together for shared common interests in supporting each other in their businesses.”
Lori and Craig Koga of M. Tanaka Store fit the SBA description of Family-Owned Small Business of the Year, awarded to small-business owners who have continued to operate a going concern that is at least 15 years old, have transferred a portion of ownership from one family member to another and integrated family members in a variety of employment roles and opportunities.
“They have been serving our Kaua‘i community for more than a hundred years, 107 years,” said Lisa Kobayashi of Central Pacific Bank, who nominated Tanaka Hardware to the SBA Award. “They work in plumbing and sheet metal, carry hardware, and even hard-to-find items, including imported tools from Japan. They’ve had the tenacity to keep pushing ahead, even with the pandemic.”
Lori Koga said she is inspired when she looks at the aged photograph on the walls of the store.
“I don’t do anything,” she said. “It’s my parents, Roy Tanaka, and my grandparents, and their parents. They did all the work to build this store to where it is. It’s like Mayor Kawakami said, ‘They had nothing. They had to scratch for everything.’”
Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Perriello added his congratulations with an offer for the two honoree businesses to join the ‘ohana with a free year’s membership to experience the belonging to the chamber ‘ohana.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
Tanaka Plumbing would win a competition for most helpful, friendly and courteous small business on Kauai. I love giving them my business!