Name: Marcos Rebibis Age: 42 Job: Chef and owner, Koi Catering & Takeout, dba Koi Food Truck Start: Rebibis was born in the Philippines but moved to Honolulu with his parents when he was 2. The Roosevelt High graduate received his chef’s certificate…
“Reading books is great,” says new mother Kayleigh Idemoto, “but being able to talk with an experienced mom who was the group leader, and also having that community of other new moms giving me support and telling me I wasn’t…
InPeace was founded in 1994, long enough ago to have seen lasting results from its early childhood program. “Our Keiki Steps preschool will be in operation for 20 years next year,” says Maile Keliipio-Acoba, CEO of the nonprofit that started…
Name: Jason D’Olier Age: 41 Job: Senior VP and Business Planning & Strategy Manager, Bank of Hawaii Start: D’Olier was born and raised in East Honolulu and received a B.A. in mathematical economics from Pomona College and an MBA from Georgetown University. Despite…
Accel Event Rentals has staged events for Rihanna, Kanye West and Donald Trump, and can do yours too "I may seem relatively young, but I’m actually a veteran in this industry,” says Scott Rabe, 36, president of Accel Event Rentals…
When Jessica Munoz took a job as a pediatric crisis and trauma nurse at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children in 2006, she noticed patients who were victims of sex trafficking. “I started seeing kids and young women coming…
Name: Keanu Santana Age: 22 Job: Water slide tester and operations supervisor, Wet’n’Wild Hawaii Start: Santana grew up in Waianae and graduated from Waianae High School in 2014. “What I love about the school is that it’s located right next to the ocean,”…
The architects at Ferraro Choi have always been drawn to innovative projects, whether in Hawaii or as far away as the South Pole “We strive to go after really complex design projects – the more complex the better,” says Joseph…
Name: Cynthia Low Age: 50 Job: Director of collections and exhibitions registrar, Honolulu Museum of Art Start: Low was born in Los Angeles and raised on Maui. She got her bachelor’s degree in art history at UH Manoa, her master’s in architecture from…
One day, Aaron Kamau and his wife, Michele, were sitting in their living room discussing how they could help at-risk youth in their community. “I had been a Boy Scouts counselor for 18 years, working with kids in the classroom using…
“When I came to Housing Solutions Inc. 26 years ago, my background was totally from business, so I changed the company to operate more like a private enterprise rather than a nonprofit,” explains president and principal broker Terry Brooks. “I…
Name: Aly Certo Age: 37 Job: Registered nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children Start: Certo was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. She received a bachelor’s in recreation administration from Cal Poly, San Luis…
The third generation is taking the family business in new directions while preserving traditional favorites Longtime Customer Sherman Tom enthusiastically sums up Young’s Fish Market in four words: “The great culture of their business; the delicious food; wonderful customer service;…
NAME: Scot Ling AGE: 56 JOB: Bail bondsman/fugitive recovery agent and owner, 4Freedom Bail Bonds, based in Kailua-Kona, with agents on Oahu and Maui START: Ling was born and raised in Kailua on Oahu but attended UH Hilo. He eventually received his associate…
“When Henry Opukahaia, a Native Hawaiian, was traveling in New England in the 1800s, he was instrumental in inspiring the creation of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions of the United Church of Christ. It was this board…
A young couple turns their passion for pearls and Polynesian designs into a jewelry business “Pearls are cultured. You don’t dive for them, they’re not found in the wild. People think you go diving for pearls, but it’s not like…
“I always strongly believed in working with young children,” Chuck Larson says. “But when I was getting my bachelor’s degree I was assigned to work in a kindergarten classroom. They never had a man there before at that grade level,…
Name: Steve Cromwell Age: 67 Job: Pet and house sitter and co-owner, Pets in the ’Burbs Hawaii LLC Start: Cromwell was born in Washington state, but raised in Hawaii, San Diego and Seattle. After more than 20 years as a chef, the Aiea…
This profile of the family business founded by George Downing was written just weeks before the famous surfer died March 5, 2018.
Name: Hans Van Tilburg Age: 56 Job: Maritime archaeologist and diving supervisor, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Maritime Heritage Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Start: Hans Van Tilburg was born in New Jersey and raised in California. “My mother’s…
“I came here on vacation when I was 19. I decided then what I wanted to do with my life was move to Hawaii, become a cocktail waitress, marry a surfer and drive a moped,” Mary Scott-Lau recalls with a…
KRISTAL MUHICH IS A SURVIVOR. “I was adopted by my uncle when I was 4,” recalls the owner of Kauai Juice Co. “I really didn’t like school. I couldn’t wait to leave – I graduated from high school early when…
“The martial arts teach you a way of life, a way to live. It’s not necessarily just being able to defend yourself,” explains Lee Donohue, president of Kick Start Karate, an after-school program to combat gangs and juvenile delinquency. “We…
Name: Donna Rodriguez Age: 46 Job: Errands runner and owner, 808-Errands Start: The El Paso, Texas, native once took a vacation to Maui and says, “The aloha drew me in.” She knew she eventually wanted to live here, so in 2003 she closed…
The financial services company uses technology, American Sign Language and lip reading to serve both hearing and nonhearing clients Joshua Beal was born deaf. “It was very isolating. I always felt different as a child growing up,” recalls the owner…
The long-term goal of the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative is to plant 1.3 million trees “Forests aren’t like other commodities. You cannot accelerate the time it takes to grow a tree,” says Jeffrey Dunster, executive director of the Hawaiian Legacy…
Name: Cheryl Ohta Age: 58 Job: Fortune cookie writer and treasurer/HR manager, Hawaii Candy Inc. Start: The Mililani resident received her business degree in marketing from the University of San Francisco in 1981. “My husband, Keith, is the third-generation owner. His grandfather started…
Name: Alika Parish Age: 28 Job: Air Traffic Control Specialist for Federal Aviation Administration at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport Start: Alika Parish was born and raised in Ewa Beach. He joined the Hawaii Air National Guard after graduating from Campbell High School…
Brian Kimura sees an unfortunate trend in the sewing industry. “With all the discount stores coming here,” he says, “they’re bringing in so much cheap clothing. Before, it was cheaper for people to sew their own outfits for the kids.…
“Papakolea is the only Hawaiian homestead region located in an urban center,” says Lilia Kapuniai, executive director of the Papakolea Community Development Corp. “Because of that, our hands are not in the dirt every day. Our children’s priorities may not…
Ted's Bakery in Sunset Beach evolved from the Nakamura family's grocery store. Ted's daughter Torey is now training to take the reins from Dad. “This year makes our 30th anniversary,” says a proud and somewhat surprised Ted Nakamura, 57, president…
NAME: Christina Doty AGE: 57 JOB: Lead casework volunteer, American Red Cross of Hawaii Start: “My first experience with the Red Cross was in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1974 as a candy striper volunteering with elderly clients in a nursing home,” Doty says. “I…
We all know somebody who has some chronic health care problems such as kidney disease or diabetes and it's never going to go away, but it can be managed with medication, says Greg Payton. It's the same way with a lifelong…
“We went from a couple of guys sitting around having a beer, to over 300 people working here. That’s what happens when you don’t have any adults around – adults only tell you what you can’t do,” chuckles Jan Dill.…
The Scott name has long been associated with footwear. “I went online and found out my ancestor, Pembroke Scott, worked in a shoe factory in the 1800s in Massachusetts,” says Steve Scott, CEO and owner of Scott Hawaii. “My grandfather,…
When Keiko Kajiwara was studying jazz in New York City in the late ’80s, she heard about a music therapy program at New York University. “They showed me a video of a music therapy session and I was so, so…
"What I find interesting is the change in laptops and devices I’ve seen people use at the airports since about 2006,” observes Phil Markowski, CEO and co-owner of the five Mac Made Easy computer sales and repair shops spread across…
NAME: Randall Pang AGE: 51 JOB: Certified prosthetist, C.R. Newton Co. Ltd. START: Randall Pang was born in San Jose, California, but moved to Kaneohe with his family when he was 8. While at Mid-Pacific Institute’s high school, he…
“I count myself in that number of youth who were at-risk during high school,” admits Jay Jarman, 73, founder and executive director of Common Grace, a youth-mentoring nonprofit. “I’d say I was lonely as a child and needed a caring,…
NAME: Cari Ann Leong AGE: 32 JOB: Owner, Ice Cream Dreamz, an ice cream/gelato truck, and full-time hairstylist START: “It’s a family-run truck,” the Sacred Hearts graduate and Kaimuki resident explains. “We started it about three years ago. It was…
“We’re trying to create a consumer who’s better-educated, empowered and can make their own decisions when it comes to first-time home buying,” explains Dennis Oshiro, executive director of Hawaii HomeOwnership Center. “A single mom who spent 10 years getting coaching…
Ever wonder what customers really think of your business, and what sort of service they receive when you’re not around? Mystery shopping firm Insight Twenty20 can tell you. “Michelle Chun and her team understand the hospitality industry and what keeps…
NAME: Charles Clark AGE: 57 JOB: Mortician, Oahu Mortuary START: When he was about 17, Clark attended a friend’s funeral service at Borthwick Mortuary. “The funeral director and I became friendly and chatted, and when I returned to the funeral…
When victims of domestic abuse seek protection from their attackers, Ed Flores and his nonprofit are there to help. They also work to prevent the violence before it begins. Flores is executive director and co-founder of Ala Kuola, which helps…
Real estate agent’s other job is background actor for movies and TV shows. He's great at blending in. NAME: Jerald Pang AGE: 56 JOB: Nonunion background actor (extra) and full-time real estate agent START: In the summer of 2013, Pang…
The Montgomery family has been in the motorcycle sales and repair business for more than 70 years. “It all started in the living room of my grandparents’ house in Pearl Harbor housing, back in 1945,” says Ross Montgomery, VP of…
Cindy MacFarlane-Flores loooves the outdoors. “When I was an elementary school teacher at Epiphany Episcopal School (now merged with Mid-Pacific Institute) in the 2000s, they called me ‘Miss Nature,’ ” the owner of Field Trip Friends says with a laugh,…
NAME: Robin Fujiyama AGE: 53 JOB: Biohazard Technician, Bio-One Hawaii START: Fujiyama served in the Air Force Reserve for eight years, and has been a firefighter for 26. His cousin owns Bio-One Hawaii and, in 2014, contacted Fujiyama about doing…
Autism Spectrum Disorder affects 1 in 68 children in the U.S., and more than 1,800 students in Hawaii public schools have been identified as autistic, according to the Hawaii Autism Foundation. Gov. David Ige signed Luke’s Law in 2015, which…
NAME: Paul Franco AGE: 40 JOB: Paragliding and tandem instructor, Proflyght Paragliding, based in Kula, Maui START: Franco was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to an American mother and a Brazilian father. His father was an airline pilot and also…
Thanks to $400 million in federal money and public-private partnerships, Connect Kākou is opening access to telehealth, remote work and online learning.
This associate professor of economics is a data guru who’s busting myths and pinpointing the real culprits driving Hawai‘i’s housing costs.
