Communicators group awards members’ excellence

Three companies took home the largest share of honors from the International Association of Business Communicators in its annual IABC Hawaii Ilima Awards event.

Of the 46 awards bestowed in numerous categories on April 24, 16 were for excellence while 30 were for merit in business communications in print, broadcast and electronic media.

Olomana Marketing LLC won the most overall -- three awards of excellence and seven awards of merit. Communications-Pacific Inc. won four awards of excellence and four awards of merit. And Hastings & Pleadwell LLC won two awards of excellence and six awards of merit.

The numerous Olomana and Hastings & Pleadwell wins are notable as they are small, boutique firms, while CommPac is among the state's largest communications companies.

Awards were presented for work done for clients or for self-promotion, as well as by noncommercial entities either for internal or external communication purposes.

Award of excellence winners also included Stryker Weiner & Yokota Public Relations Inc., Pang Communications, Avaniu Communications Inc., Punahou School, McNeil Wilson Communications Inc. and Kamehameha Schools.

Awards of merit were presented to Mele Pochereva, Hawaii Pacific University, Beth-Ann Koslovich, Schweitzer Consulting LLC, Current Events, Alexander & Baldwin Inc. and Sharon Serene Creative.

A complete list is posted on the organization's Web site, which has been redesigned with new features and to reflect the national organization's rebranding effort, "Be Heard," said Su Shin, IABC Hawaii president. Pictures from the event will be posted soon at www.iabchawaii.com.

IABC seeks to "position ourselves as a comprehensive communications organization," to differentiate itself from groups such as the Public Relations Society of America, the American Marketing Association and others, she said.

Not born but bred

Hawaii Chamber of Commerce of Northern California President Eric Tao was born in Missouri, not Hilo, as TheBuzz reported Wednesday. He moved to Hawaii at the ripe-old age of about one month.

An update on the HCCNC's Five Star Aloha Gala in San Francisco on Thursday: Former UH football coach June Jones moved the expat crowd, when he spoke of leaving Hawaii.

He received the group's Kulia I Ka Nu'u Award and got choked up during his remarks, saying he didn't get to say "thank you" to UH fans.

He said no matter where he goes, "Hawaii will always be home," Tao said.

Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4747, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at: eengle@starbulletin.com