LIHUE — With Oscar Portugal retiring as executive director of the Kauai Filipino Chamber of Commerce, the search is on to find his replacement. The requirements are not too stringent, said a smiling Eddie Topenio, outgoing chamber president. “Please contact
LIHUE — With Oscar Portugal retiring as executive director of the Kauai Filipino Chamber of Commerce, the search is on to find his replacement.
The requirements are not too stringent, said a smiling Eddie Topenio, outgoing chamber president.
“Please contact the Filipino Chamber of Commerce if you’re interested in taking over his position,” he said.
“By the way, it’s volunteer, it’s not paid,” he said Saturday night, as the crowd of about 200 laughed. “We give you a cellphone.”
It was a sincere and humorous evening at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club as the chamber presented numerous awards, installed new officers and handed out countless compliments and thanks as it paid tribute to its supporters for a great year.
Topenio said his last two years as chamber president passed quickly.
“I am forever grateful for your support and trust,” he said.
He expects even better times ahead, with Bobby Ayonon as the incoming president.
“We have a new slate of leaders that will take the Kauai Filipino Chamber of Commerce in a new and exciting direction,” Topenio said.
Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said the chamber and its leadership are amazing. It has a strong spiritual, community and business sense that creates bridges.
“There’s this awesome connection,” he said.
Sen. Ron Kouchi told a story of how two people can look at the same thing and yet come away with different impressions and views.
“But as human beings, what we’re designed to see is heart to heart, and if we can see heart to heart as we go about doing our job, then we will truly make Kauai the greatest place on Earth,” he said.
Awards went to:
Corporate Member of the Year: Wade Lord, Kukui Grove Center
Individual Member of the Year: Tito Villanueva
Entrepreneur of the Year: Laura Cristobal Andersland of Salty Wahine
Director of the Year: Laurie Yoshida
Meritorious Service Award: Randy Francisco, former president
Lifetime Service Award: Oscar Portugal, founding president
The keynote speaker, Capt. Bruce Hay of the Pacific Missle Range Facility, gave a colorful, interactive talk about the base that has about 900 civilian employees.
He arrived here from Washington, D.C., in September 2013.
“I’m thankful every day I wake up and realize I’m not there anymore,” a smiling Hay said.
PMRF has an average annual budget of about $120 million. Add in missile testing and a $30 million construction project to consolidate the base’s electrical grid, and this year it’s close to $170 million.
When a cellphone rang loudly in the middle of Hay’s light-hearted question-and-answer session, he didn’t flinch.
“You owe me a beer, whoever’s phone that was,” he deadpanned.
Hay spoke of PMRF’s role in support of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission and said directed energy — lasers — could replace missiles and result in significant cost savings per engagement.
Hay made it clear he is proud of the base.
“We present freedom and hope and the things that American holds dear,” he said.
He also honed in on things the base does in other areas, such as environment and community.
Last year, 468 sea turtles were hatched on PMRF and Hay told of efforts to protect and help birds.
“We all share the planet, we’ve got to make it last,” he said.
Hay said one of his goals as commander was to reach out to Kauai. The base has hosted concerts, fun runs and fireworks shows so people can know what’s going on there and “to show we are Kauai, we are ohana.”
“I’m trying to open the base as much as humanly possible,” Hay said.
Hay and his family will be leaving in August.
“My heart is PMRF, my heart is Kauai,” he said.
