2006 Distinguished Alumni
Dr. Gregory Chun
Trained as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Greg Chun has assimilated successfully into his position as President
of Bishop Holdings Corporation and General Manager of Keauhou
Resort, a 2,400-acre master-planned resort community.
One of his responsibilities in that role is to oversee the development of educational and cultural facilities within Keauhou Resort’s Master Plan with a mandate of integrating those facilities into the larger Kamehameha Schools educational mission. Dr. Chun has taken Keauhou Resort’s Master Plan, including its educational and cultural components, on the road as a solo speaker’s bureau, making presentations to influential organizations and the media.
Dr. Chun’s ability to work with groups with diverse interests throughout Hawaii and his ability to weave Hawaiian cultural traditions into the fabric of a resort community are traits that have established his statewide reputation for excellence. Under the Pacific American Foundation, Dr. Chun authored a grant that developed a leadership program for Pacific Islanders with over $500,000 funding. As project manager of Project Loko I‘a, he established a learning center on Moloka‘i and created a vehicle to streamline the permit process owners and operators of traditional Hawaiian fish ponds must complete for restoration of their facilities.
Dr. Chun is an active member of the Hawai‘i Island Economic Development Board (HIEDB), Hawai‘i Leeward Planning Conference (HLPC) and Hawai‘i Resort Developers Conference (HDRC). He is also currently Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Neighborhood Place of Kona, and a member of the Board of Directors for Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s West Hawai‘i Fund, Hamakua Health Center, Kalihi-Palama Health Center and Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Chun has been actively involved with the highly acclaimed Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce leadership Series–Ulumau since its inception, working each year with the Ulumau committee to select a broad range of individuals with a sincere interest in the betterment of the Big Island. He has also been a vocal advocate for community involvement in land planning, conducting informal meetings with the South Kona community to involve them in Hawai‘i County’s Community Development Plan Process.
Dr. Chun attended the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo from 1974-77, earning his B.A. He did his graduate work at UH Manoa in clinical psychology, earning his Masters in 1984 and his Ph.D. in 1994. Before assuming his position with Bishop Holdings and Keauhou Resort in 2004, he served two years as executive vice president of Parker Ranch, Inc. He is also a former Director of Organizational Development for Hawaiian Electric Company and has worked as a private consultant specializing in organizational development.
Dr. Henry Lee Loy
Dr.
Henry K. Lee Loy is one of the Big Island ’s most respected physicians with a
thriving private practice
in internal medicine in downtown Hilo . He is a member of one of the island’s
most prominent
families.
A 1972 graduate of Hilo High School who earned a B.A. in Biology from the University of Hawai ‘i at Hilo in 1976, Dr. Lee Loy entered the John A. Burns School of Medicine at UH Manoa, earning his M.D. in 1981. He spent a year in the UH Integrated Flexible Residency Program and two years in the UH Integrated Medical Residency Program.
Dr. Lee Loy is a member of the Association of Native Hawaiian Physicians, ‘Ahahui o na Kauka, a non-profit professional society incorporated in 1998. According to the organization’s mission statement on its website at www.kauka.org , ‘Ahahui’s mission is twofold: 1. To help reverse the alarmingly poor health and wellness status of Native Hawaiians, and then 2. To sustain a healthy, thriving Native Hawaiian population. He is one of eight active members on the Big Island . The ‘Ahahui has 82 active members statewide.
Dr. Lee Loy is a cultural and educational trailblazer. In 1975, the first graduating class of the John A. Burns School of Medicine at UH added four Native Hawaiian physicians into the medical community, increasing the number of known Native Hawaiian physicians to 11. While the efforts of the Burns School of Medicine and the ‘Ahahui have increased the number of known Native Hawaiian physicians, which includes both M.D.s and osteopathic doctors (D.O.) to 225 worldwide, Native Hawaiians remain seriously underrepresented as physicians, as they are also underrepresented in other medical and scientific professions.
As one of the early graduates of the UH medical school, Lee Loy has distinguished himself as a pioneer and a role model who has helped open the doors for future generations of Native Hawaiian physicians, as well making a major commitment and taking on a large role in an effort to dramatically improve the health and wellness of the Native Hawaiian community.
James Melody
Jim
Melody is an inspired teacher who makes a difference in the lives of his
students. Even though
he entered the profession as a second career, Jim has made an impact on
his students and
community for over 10 years and has contributed nationally through his work
with the ACT Assessment
Program.
Jim received both his B.A. in Liberal Studies and his Certificate in Teacher Education in 1995 from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. Although certified in elementary education, Jim has spent the past decade teaching at Konawaena and Honoka‘a High Schools. He was included in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2005. He has also received a National Theatre Award and a U.S. Department of Education Award, the latter for writing and directing a socio-drama about the link between alcohol and drug abuse and date rape. He is also the recipient of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, federal Learning Communities program and the Hawai‘i Alliance for Arts in Education.
Jim is not just a “classroom hours” teacher. He freely gives of himself to his students, fellow faculty members and community. Here at home, Jim has taken leadership roles in the community such as education coordinator for the Kahilu Theatre Arts program, coordinator for the Hawai‘i Children’s Literature Conference, secretary for Konawaena High Schools SCBM and assessor for Na Pua No‘eau Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children.
According to the Hawai‘i Department of Education, one of the general learning outcomes for students is to become lifelong learners. Jim leads this quest by example, having traveled far and wide to enrich his knowledge so he can, in turn, help his students. In addition to his education at UH Hilo, Jim has studied journalism at Columbia, English Literature at Stanford, British Literature at Oxford, Medieval Irish Epic and Saga at Harvard.
He and Diane Ferreira, Professor Emeritus of English at Hawai‘i Community College, chaperoned two dozen Honoka‘a students to New York City and Europe in June, 2005. According to Professor Ferreira, Jim’s world citizenry and “Renaissance man’s attitude” helped to provide students with an unforgettable travel experience. Students saw The Phantom of the Opera in New York and The Producers in London and visited The Louvre in Paris and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Jim proved to be a master teacher in a global classroom, adding knowledgeable orientation and commentary to the presentations of the professional guides.
According to Ferreira, “Jim’s incredible energy, intellectual curiosity and innovative thinking are a source of joy to his colleagues and many friends. Most of all, he makes a difference in the lives he touches, especially those of his students.”
Robert Fujimoto, 2006 Distinguished Service Awardee
Mr.
Fujimoto earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Economics
from UH Mānoa
in 1951. During that same year, he joined Hawai‛i Planing Mill, Ltd, dba
HPM Building Supply.
In 1955, he became the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the
company.
In 1970, he became the company's President and in 1992, he became the company's Chairman of the Board. He is currently retired from that post.
Education has been a high priority to Mr. Fujimoto. He supports all phases of education, including service as a member of the UH Hilo Chancellor's Advisory Board; and providing financial support to the UH Hilo Theatre as a Sponsor through the HPM Foundation. In addition, the Robert M. and
Alice K. Fujimoto Foundation have contributed financial support to the UH Hilo Mo‛okini Library; the Tissue Culture Laboratory of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management; the Marine Science Program of the College of Arts and Sciences; and the Hawai‛i Island Science Fair of the Department of Education. Mr. Fujimoto also serves as Chair of the Barney Fujimoto Scholarship Fund which provides ten $1,000 scholarships to students attending UH Hilo , Hawai‛i Community College or UH Mānoa.
In addition to his unwavering support of UH Hilo , Mr. Fujimoto has been a very active member of the Hilo and State of Hawai‛i communities. Mr. Fujimoto's contributions and service to the community have proven to be so beneficial that his nominator considers him to be a mentor in the area of community service. As evidenced by the ripple effect of his service, Mr. Fujimoto's financial and service contributions include but are not limited to: President of the Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America; Board member of the Blood Bank of Hawai‛i; Corporate Division Chair of the Hawai‛i Island United Way Fund Drive; Member of the Board of Regents (BOR) of the University of Hawai‛i; Chair of the BOR; Member of the Board of Trustees of the UH Foundation and Member of the President's Club; and Member of the Rotary Club of Hilo. Further, numerous nonprofit organizations on the island of Hawai‛i have benefited from contributions from the Robert M. and Alice K. Fujimoto Foundation. Most notable among them are the Young at Art Program of the East Hawai‛i Cultural Center; and Hilo Medical Center Foundation.
In recognition of his service, Mr. Fujimoto was awarded the Regional Silver Beaver and Antelope Awards from the Boy Scouts of America; Distinguished Honoree of the Public Schools of Hawai‛i Foundation; the University of Hawai‛i Distinguished Alumni Award; State of Hawai‛i Young Man of the Year Award; State of Hawai‛i Small Businessman of the Year Award; and the Junior Achievement of Hawai‛i Award to the Hawai‛i Business Hall of Fame.
Mr. Fujimoto is a true example of effective and strong community service performed willingly and generously. The benefits he has afforded to this community and State will be enjoyed not only by this present generation, but by future generations as well. The development and progress of existing and new programs to which he has contributed will remain as a strong testament to his genuine community service.
Representative Dwight Takamine, 2006 Distinguished Service Awardee
Mr.
Takamine earned a Bachelor's Degree in psychology from UH Mānoa. In 1978,
he earned a Doctor
of Jurisprudence Degree from the University of Hawai‛i William S. Richardson
School of Law.
Upon his graduation in 1978, he served as an attorney in the law firms of Bouslog & Symonds, 1978-79; King, Nakamura, Nakamura & Takahashi, 1979-81; Herbert R. Takahashi, 1981-83; and attorney at law in his own law firm since 1983.
Education is a key component of Mr. Takamine's focus on community service. Reaching out and providing opportunities for education in the most effective ways possible for the community is a high priority on Mr. Takamine's "to do" list. He has explored, developed and initiated many creative and proactive educational programs. His ability to coordinate and mobilize effective community groups has put the "spark" back into a community that was depressed due to the demise of the local sugar industry. He has effectively energized the Hamakua community to take their own initiatives in seeing educational projects to fruition. Hope has been infused back into the community under Mr. Takamine's leadership. He has not promised an easy-going journey, but one that will succeed with a lot of hard work with an emphasis of benefit to the entire community.
Community service has been Mr. Takamine's lifelong driving force, as evidenced by his commitment and service on the Hamakua Development Council; the North Hilo Community Association; Rural South Hilo Community Association; Honokaa Hongwaji; Hawai‛i Bar Association; Director of the Hawai‛i County Office of Economic Opportunities; Director of the Big Island Substance Abuse Council; Big Island Resource Conservation and Development Council; and Chair of the Finance Committee in the Hawai‛i State Legislature.
Mr. Takamine's leadership style and emphasis on collaboration, community networking and ability to inject and cultivate teamwork are unique and have proven to be successful, effective and beneficial for his community and the state of Hawai‛i. His grounded sense of the value of education is spreading throughout a community that realizes they are part of a major plan that they must embrace in order to survive. Community members are now willing to take on their own responsibilities to see that their community revives and continues to thrive. It takes a trusted leader to inject this kind of energy into a community. Mr. Takamine is an effective and inspirational leader for the entire state of Hawai‛i.