Last week, the County of Hawai’i held its 56th Annual Employee Recognition awards ceremony for 2023-2024 with 29 exemplary employees nominated for the categories of Manager, Supervisor and Employee of the Year.
In a statement Mayor Roth said, “We are incredibly proud to recognize the hard work and dedication of our County ‘ohana at every level. Our employees work tirelessly to meet the needs of our community, and we are deeply grateful to each one of them. A special congratulations goes out to all of our winners, nominees, and their families for their unwavering commitment to excellence and their aloha for our island home.”
Manager of the Year Nominees Included:
- Tara Benevides, Victim Witness Director, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney
- Melanie Demello, Civil Engineer VI, Department of Public Works
- Kurt Inaba, Civil Engineer VII, Department of Water Supply
- Lindsey Iyo, Recreation Director, Department of Parks & Recreation
- Joel Rathje, Planning Program Manager, Planning Department
- Chad Toyomura, Battalion Chief, Hawaiʻi Fire Department
Supervisor of the Year Nominees Included:
- Melissa Dacayanan-Salvador, Secretary to Boards & Commissions, Planning Department
- Jaye Dempsey, Parks District Superintendent, Department of Parks & Recreation
- Kelly Ann Fujii, Accountant I, Mass Transit Agency
- Ivan Higashi, Fire Equipment Operator, Hawaiʻi Fire Department
- Craig Kawaguchi, Recycling Coordinator, Department of Environmental Management
- Torey Keltner, Traffic Services Program Manager, Hawaiʻi Police Department
- Kaiulani Matsumoto, Private Secretary, Department of Water Supply
- Diana Mellon-Lacey, Deputy Corporation Council, Section Chief, Office of the Corporation Council
- L’oreal Simmons, Administrative Services Assistant I, Animal Control & Protection Agency
- Andrew Son, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney
Employee of the Year Nominees Included:
- Chang Aiona V, Equipment Operator III, Department of Environmental Management
- Wendy Baez, Office of the County Clerk
- Alice Bratton, Aging & Disability Specialist, Office of Aging
- Karen Cacho, Program Support Technician, Department of Public Works
- Sarah Freeman, Food Access Coordinator, Department of Research & Development
- Wesley Ignacio, Waterworks Helper, Department of Water Supply
- Alex Kuklenko, Building Maintenance Worker, Department of Parks & Recreation
- Stacie Okuda, Administrative Services Assistant I, Office of the Corporation Council
- Patti Pinto, Recovery & Redevelopment Assistant, Planning Department
- Haylee Roush, Criminalist III, Hawaiʻi Police Department
- Kody Sakihara, Legal Clerk III, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney
- Jonnette Soares-Padilla, Clerical Services Assistant, Office of Management
- Kevin Yamauchi, Firefighter, Hawaiʻi Fire Department
Lindsey Iyo, Recreation Director of the Department of Parks & Recreation was named Manager of the Year, Craig Kawaguchi, Recycling Coordinator of the Department of Environmental Management took the Supervisor of the Year award, and Employee of the Year was accorded to Alex Kuklenko, Building Maintenance Worker of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Photo credit: Office of Mayor Mitch Roth