Kauai Division held their Recognition Banquet on March 15, 2013, at the ILWU Hall in Lihue.

The award winners were: 

Outstanding Unit Leader for units with up to 30 members—Bryon Ponte from Unit 3408 - MidPac Auto.

Outstanding Unit Leader for units with 31 to 99 members—Richard Brun Jr. from Unit 3514 - Mori Golf/Kauai Lagoons. 

Outstanding Unit Leader for units with 100 or more members— Rhonda Morris from Unit 3511 - Grand Hyatt Kauai. Outstanding Female Unit Chair—Edwina “Ipo” DeMello from Unit 3402 - Foodland. 

Outstanding Male Unit Chair—Jessie Felipe from Unit 3510 - Poipu Bay. Outstanding Inspirational Female Leader—Ligaya Ansagay from Unit 3511 - Grand Hyatt Kauai. 

Outstanding Inspirational Male Leader—Philip “Toppy” Miyashiro from Unit 3515 - St. Regis Princeville.

 Outstanding Leader—Herbert Kekuawela from Unit 3411 - Kauai Commercial.

Kauai Division award winners (l-r) Rhonda Morris, Ligaya Ansagay, Herbert Kekuawela, Bryon Ponte.

Maui’s outstanding members and units

Marc Gonsalves from Walker Industries and Business Agent Abel Kahoohanohano.

Flora Vila from the Four Seasons Resort Lanai and Business Agent Claro Romero.

Maui Division recognized their outstanding members and units at the February 20, 2013, meeting of the Maui Division Executive Board.

Outstanding unit and member awards went to: Recognition of Unit Chairperson— Esther Manibog, Unit 2101 - Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.; ; Francis Kamakaokalani, Unit 2406 - Ameron.

Recognition of Unit Leadership—Merlina Valdez, Unit 2520 - Grand Wailea Resort, Hotel and Spa; Steven Lee, Unit 2516 - Hyatt Regency Maui.

Recognition of Unit Member——Daphne Viitala, Unit 2501 - Royal Lahaina Resort; Henry Oandasan, Unit 2520 - Grand Wailea Resort, Hotel and Spa.

Recognition of Retiree—Louise Corpuz; Richard Mukogawa

Recognition of Unit with 1 to 100 members— Cement Companies, Unit 2406 - Ameron, Hawaiian Cement, Maui Blocks, Walker Industries.

Recognition of Unit with 101 to 300 members— Unit 2506 - Kaanapali Beach Hotel.

Recognition of Unit with 301 to 500 members: Unit 2509 - Four Seasons Resorts Lanai.

Recognition of Unit with 501 or more members—Unit 2520 - Grand Wailea Resort, Hotel and Spa.

Merlina Valdez, Perlita Manlansing, Lei Kaiahua-Sado from the Grand Wailea Resort with Division Representative Jason Medeiros and Business Agent Stephen West.

More on John Arisumi—organizer, Division Director, outstanding union leader

We ran a story about the ILWU Memorial Association and John Arisumi on page 7 in the January/ February 2013 issue of the VOICE of the ILWU.

We didn’t have a lot of space in the article so we said only a few things about John, although his contributions to the ILWU could fill a book or two. We plan to gather his history and will tell you more about John Arisumi in future issues of the VOICE.

John worked as a business agent, organizer, International Representative, and was elected Maui’s Division Director. He often came to work as early as 6:00 AM and went home as late at 9:00 PM. John often spent his weekends talking to workers to organize them into the ILWU.

John retired in 1991, but he continued to help the ILWU in organizing, starting pensioner clubs, helping the Division officers, and serving on the Memorial Association until 2012 as a director.

John actually started working at Maui’s Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S) in 1938 at the age of 14 when school kids were hired during the summer months.

John planned to attend Maui Vocational School, but the school was full so he got a two year contract as a cultivation contractor for HC&S. After four years, John’s friend got him a job in the auto shop and John went to night school and became a journeyman mechanic. By 1944, John was actively organizing the ILWU at HC&S.