Sages Over 70 (2021)
Six kūpuna whose passion, drive and wisdom have made a lasting difference in Hawai‘i for many decades.
Beverly Creamer
Beverly Creamer has worked for almost four decades as a Honolulu newspaper and magazine journalist, covering everything from education and health, to government and lifestyles. She cooked with Aretha Franklin; mourned with Lorna Onizuka after the space shuttle explosion that killed her husband, Ellison; danced with Lawrence Welk; and interviewed Anwar Sadat’s widow, Gloria Steinem, Simon and Garfunkel, and many, many others.
Articles
Sages Over 70: Eddie Flores
The founder of the L&L family of restaurants still goes to work most days but is now also working on rejuvenating Honolulu’s Chinatown
Sages Over 70: Pat Saiki
She exerted enormous influence during decades in public service though she is a proud Republican in a state dominated by Democrats
Sages Over 70: Simeon Acoba
Still active today, he was a Hawai‘i Supreme Court associate justice, member of the UH Board of Regents and chair of the Access to Justice Commission
Sages Over 70: Puanani Burgess
The tireless advocate for local communities and equal justice continues to work as a mediator with no thoughts of retiring
Sages Over 70: Walter Dods
The longtime CEO of First Hawaiian Bank is well-known for a multitude of community-building efforts over 60 years and his public service continues today
Here’s How Hawai‘i Plans to Expand its Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Today, 1.4% of Hawai‘i’s passenger vehicles are electric. If the state is to get to 500,000 EVs by 2045, we need tens of thousands of charging stations.
In-Person Events Are Back But Many Caveats Remain
"Hope" and "Hybrid" are two words Hawaiʻi event planners frequently use while organizing conventions, weddings and other gatherings this year as they see the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel
15 Tips from Small-Business Owners Who Pivoted and Prevailed
The pandemic has crippled thousands of small businesses in Hawai‘i and forced tens of thousands of people to find new jobs. Amid these personal tragedies are stories of grit, perseverance and transformation.
An Inspired Plan
Final part of a series of stories about resilience during the pandemic
Laid Off, But He Found a New Field He Loves
Part 10 of a series of stories about resilience during the pandemic
A Green Formula for Rejuvenation
Kupu used stimulus money to protect the ‘āina and provide new opportunities for hundreds of people. Part 9 of a series of stories about resilience during the pandemic.
Adding New Skills to Open More Doors
Part 8 of a series of stories about resilience during the pandemic
Free UH Training Aimed to Fill Job Openings
Part 6 of a series of stories about resilience during the pandemic
Survival with Support from Others
Kalyn Kim's business was on the brink of shutting down completely back in March 2020. The turnaround for Kim came after a church group of small business owners banded together to share tips and successes, and found ways to support each other through the tough times.
A Coffee Reinvention
Part four of a series of stories about resilience during the pandemic
Chocolate and Determination Create a Community
Part three of a series of stories about resilience during the pandemic
Home Hot Pots and Help for Schools and Teachers
Part two of a series of stories about resilience during the pandemic
Reinventing a Local Tradition: Businesses Helping Each Other
The pandemic has crippled thousands of small businesses in Hawai‘i and forced tens of thousands of people to find new jobs. Amid these personal tragedies are stories of grit, perseverance and transformation. Part one of a series of stories about resilience during the pandemic.
Secrets of Success After Prison
It starts with a willingness by former inmates to change and includes supportive programs and caring employers.
20 for the Next 20: Josie Howard
Josie Howard Executive Director, We Are Oceania During surges of COVID-19 in the Islands last year, Jocelyn "Josie" Howard and another We Are Oceania staff member took food, masks, dignity bags and other personal necessities to more than 100 Pacific…
20 for the Next 20: Makena Coffman
Makena Coffman Director of UH Mānoa's Institute for Sustainability and Resilience Makena Coffman has become a go-to person on local environmental issues: everything from climate change and sea level rise to electric vehicles and emission standards. She is director of…
20 for the Next 20: Jamie Cheng
Jamie Cheng Director of Commercial Operations American Savings Bank When congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program in March 2020, Jamie Cheng’s team of a dozen commercial bankers at American Savings Bank was ready. Working in shifts, they and the bank’s…
6 Marketing Principles for Hawaiʻi
Experts explain how to ensure your marketing campaigns are effective in the local market AND for the particular audience you want to reach.
2020 CEO of the Year Micah Kāne
Kāne ensures the foundation focuses on both the long-term quality of life statewide and the immediate needs of people who might otherwise be forgotten.
Going, Going, But Not Yet Gone: Gender Bias in Family Businesses
Gender bias still exists within the leadership of many local family businesses, but its hold slips as new generations take over.
At Honolulu’s Airport, Only a Few Lei Stands Open Each Day
If there is an epicenter for business hardship in Hawai‘i’s flower industry, it may be at the lei stands at Honolulu’s Inouye International Airport. “I cried when we shut down in March and April. I couldn’t stand seeing this place…
Construction Helps Drive the Local Economy in Tourism’s Absence
Projects big and small, public and private, keep construction as the major economic sector with the fewest layoffs.
The Pandemic is Not Gender Neutral
Working women suffer disproportionately from the recession in their finances, careers and health Nikki Nakamura and her husband still sit at each end of the dining room table, just as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. But so much else…
Reopening Hawai‘i Tourism Part II: Should We Change the Visitor Industry?
Many people inside and outside the tourism sector want a reinvention of Hawai‘i’s No. 1 industry so that it welcomes tourists while enhancing sustainability of nature and culture here.
Reopening Tourism: Residents, Visitors Must Trust They’ll Stay Virus-Free
That means new systems of testing, hygiene, safe practices and cleaning by airlines, airports, hotels, restaurants, stores and government, say tourism industry leaders. First of two parts.
The Future of Hawai‘i Health Care Is Now – Part II
COVID-19 is accelerating many changes in health care beyond telemedicine, including how doctors, nurses and other health care professionals are trained; new rules on vaccinations and testing; and how we handle future pandemics.
The Future of Hawai‘i Health Care Is Now – Part I
Among the many changes accelerated by COVID-19 is the widespread use of telemedicine, which increases access and, hopefully, will reduce costs. But increased use of telemedicine will also require changes in training, reimbursements, regulations and more. COVID-19 has changed the…
20 for the Next 20: Mark Kawika McKeague, G70
Mark Kawika McKeague Director of Cultural Planning, G70 Age 49 Mark Kawika McKeague has been working for more than 20 years toward a vision of the Native Hawaiian experience and turning that vision into a reality. “That is my kuleana,…
20 for the Next 20: Michelle Kauhane, Hawai‘i Community Foundation
Michelle Kauhane Senior VP of Community Grants & Investments Hawai‘i Community Foundation Age 51 Michelle Kauhane is playing a key role helping to ensure a complete count in Hawai‘i for the 2020 census. Kauhane and her team at the Hawai‘i…
20 for the Next 20: Brittany Heyd, Mana Up
Brittany Heyd Co-founder, Mana Up Age 34 In less than four years in Hawai‘i, Brittany Heyd has made an indelible mark on the entrepreneurial landscape. The co-founder and partner with Meli James in the accelerator called Mana Up has helped…
20 for the Next 20: Rebecca Dayhuff Matsushima, Hawaiian Electric Co.
Rebecca Dayhuff Matsushima Director of Renewable Acquisition Hawaiian Electric Co. Age 38 Rebecca Dayhuff Matsushima’s job is both challenging and crucial. As the director of renewable acquisition for Hawaiian Electric Co., she deals with Hawai‘i’s energy future in concrete terms.…
An Ordinary Businessperson’s Guide to Influencing Lawmakers
Influencing Hawai‘i lawmakers requires business people to do their homework and be wiling to compromise, negotiate and be patient.
2019 CEO of the Year: Bettina Mehnert of AHL
Leading with Passion and Innovation While Planning for a Sustainable Future The remote building was old, unoccupied for years and in disrepair when Bettina Mehnert first saw it three years ago. A coalition centered on the nonprofit Ho‘ōla Nā Pua…
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