West Oahu Round Up
Here’s a brief look at what some of your neighbors have been up to.
An event held at Filipino Community Center in Waipahu last fall helped local company Creations in Catering earn widespread recognition at the National Association for Catering and Events Convention. The business was awarded the 2013 NACE award for “Best Off-Premise Catered Event, Budget over $100,000” for putting on Sharing Memorable Moments with Emme & Friends at the FilCom. Judges took into consideration event planning, food and beverage presentations and overall implementation of events before naming the recipient of the award.
Tim Guard, chairman and CEO of McCabe, Hamilton and Renny Co., recently was appointed chairman of the USS Missouri Memorial Association board of directors. A Navy veteran, Guard is a longtime member of the board and previously served as vice chairman.
Guard will be responsible for implementing the association’s five-year strategic plan, which includes developing education programs focusing on STEM.
“Tim’s leadership and impeccable credentials as a businessman and in service to our armed forces will be essential as we evolve our presentation of this great battleship to help teach our youths and introduce more new programs, to make coming here an unforgettable experience,” stated Michael A. Carr, president and CEO of USS Missouri Memorial Association.
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties recently welcomed Kapolei real estate agent Glenda R. Somera, who previously worked as a Realtor at Concepts Unlimited.
It seems that West Oahu residents are taking over Anthology Marketing Group.
Waipio resident Janel Masatsugu recently was promoted to media specialist at the firm. Her promotion comes just six months after she joined Anthology as media coordinator. Prior to joining Anthology, she worked in the sales department at Clear Channel Media and Entertainment.
Kapolei resident Kelley Cho was promoted from account executive to senior account executive of the company’s public relations group. She has been with Anthology for five years, specializing in travel and tourism. In her new role, she is responsible for securing print, online and TV exposure and directing day-to-day publicity for a set of clients.
Aiea resident David Pettinger now is the vice president of the public relations group, after being promoted from account supervisor. He focuses on communication strategies for clients involved in energy, land use, real estate development, agriculture and government. In his new role, he also will help to guide junior staff members.
Aiea Heights resident Jonelle Shimamoto has been promoted to marketing and public relations manager at Atlantis Adventures. Shimamoto has been with Atlantis for 14 years, in which time she has steadily climbed the ranks in sales and marketing. In her new role, she will work on the development of the company’s marketing and promotional initiatives in both national and international circles. She also will be responsible for managing the company’s public relations strategies.
Waipahu resident Kelly Sakai is Honolulu HomeLoans Hawaii’s new senior loan officer. Sakai brings 15 years of experience in the mortgage industry with her, having previously worked as a wholesale account executive and retail loan officer. In her new role, Sakai specializes in residential mortgage loans.
“We are happy to have Kelly join the HHL team as a senior loan officer,” stated chief production officer Andrew Kim. “With her combination of expertise and commitment to her clients, Kelly is a valuable asset for her Realtors and borrowers. I am confident that she will do well with us.”
Sakai has a bachelor’s degree in speech communications from University of Hawaii and is certified with the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing Sys-tem.
Meanwhile, Pearl City resident Burton Kong has joined HHL Holdings, parent company of Honolulu HomeLoans, Honolulu Property management and Xpedite, as marketing manager.
He has more than 20 years of experience in the marketing industry, working for companies such as Ilikai Hotel, Hawaii State Federal Credit Union and Bank of Hawaii. Most recently, he was marketing manager at Outrigger
Enterprises Group. In his new role, Kong is responsible for researching, developing and maintaining marketing strategies.
“Burton has tremendous local marketing experience, with a proven track record of delivering consumer-based initiatives across various industries,” said Chason Ishii, president of HHL Holdings Inc. “His expertise will be particularly vital as we segment business customers to more effectively penetrate key industries and grow our market share.”
“I enjoy the challenge of creating and communicating messages designed to promote a company’s brand and create value to customers, potential customers and business partners,” Kong stated. “It’s rewarding to have a direct contribution toward seeing a business evolve and grow through solid marketing efforts that include data analysis and technology.”
