Promotions and career moves by the people you know — and those you should

Triple J Enterprises Inc. has announced various leadership transitions.

Robert H. Jones will continue to serve as chairman of the board of directors but is relinquishing the role of CEO. 

Jeffrey B. Jones, formerly president and chief operating Officer, is assuming the role of CEO. 

Jay B. Jones and R. Daniel Murrell, both formerly senior vice presidents will assume the roles of executive vice presidents. 

Michael S. Sablan, vice president of finance and administration is taking the title of senior vice president. 

Christopher Duenas, chief financial officer, has been appointed to the board of directors.

Melanie Mendiola has been appointed vice president of investor education and guidance at BG Investment Services, an ASC Trust company.

She previously was CEO of the Guam Economic Development Authority and formerly was executive director of the University of Guam Endowment Foundation. 

Prior to those appointments, Mendiola was co-founder and project director of Farm to Table, retirement plan counselor at Great-West Financial, and a partner at Planet Management Group Guam LLC, a consultancy for companies wishing to do business with federal and non-federal entities. Mendiola began her career as a middle market analyst for the HSBC bank in Guam in 2003. 

She holds a 2003 bachelor’s of arts from New York University, a 2012 master’s of business administration from the University of Guam and a 2017 master’s of science from Kansas State University. 

Mendiola was a frequent author of articles for Guam Business Magazine in 2010 and 2011, authoring in-depth features on a variety of business sectors.

Triple J Saipan has appointed Charles V. Cepeda as general manager of Five Star Wholesale and Payless SuperFresh & Truckload Store. 

He previously was general manager of Pacific Trading Co. from September 2001. 

Cepeda’s education was at Chabot Community College and California State University.

He is chairman of the board of regents of the Northern Marianas College, chairman of the Joeten Kiyu Public Library and president-elect of the Rotary Club of Saipan.

Patrick Aguon has been promoted to sales manager of Triple J Saipan Five Star Wholesale.

In 2018, he was promoted to sales specialist, having joined Triple J in 2016 as a delivery driver for the Five Star Wholesale division.

The University of Guam has announced the following appointments. 

Maria “Tes” Reyes-Burrier as advancement associate in the Office of the President. 

In this newly created role, Reyes-Burrier will implement the advancement program, work with the UOG Endowment Foundation, and liaise with the marketing and communications office, among other aims and responsibilities.  

Reyes-Burrier previously was the public information officer for the Guam Department of Education. 

She formerly was the food and beverage director of Lotte Hotel Guam, and prior to that was the sales and marketing manager at Lotte. She was the longtime assistant general manager and marketing director of the Agana Shopping Center and also held various appointments in the visitor and hospitality industry in Guam, to include as the marketing manager for United Airlines for Guam and Micronesia.

Reyes-Burrier has also taught as an adjunct instructor at Guam Community College and holds a bachelor’s in public relations from Santa Isabel College in Manila.

Hiroshan Hettiarachchi, dean of the School of Engineering, will concurrently serve as director of the Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific.

He formerly lived in Michigan where he practiced as an independent sustainability consultant focusing on the circular economy, waste management, and geotechnical engineering issues.

Prior to that, he was a professor/head of the Waste Management Unit at the United Nations University in Dresden, Germany and an associate professor at Lawrence Technical University in Southfield, Mich.

Hettiarachchi holds a bachelor’s of science in civil engineering from the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka, a master’s of science in soil engineering from the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and a doctorate in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a master’s of science in Soil Engineering from the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and has more than 25 years of experience in academic/industry/research and new program development.

Edward F. Ulloa has joined the board of regents of the University of Guam. He is the manager of management information systems of DZSP 21, an Amentum company. 

Ulloa holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s of business administration in finance from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif.  

He has more than 24 years of private sector experience in Information Technology and Cybersecurity Management in Guam.

Nissan Motor Corp. in Guam has announced the following appointments.

Arnel Bonto has been appointed president and CEO. He previously was general manager, and formerly was controller. Bonto joined Nissan Guam in 2003 as assistant controller.   

Prior to joining Nissan, Bonto worked for more than eight years at Deloitte & Touche in Guam. He holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Guam. 

Journey Beltran has been appointed general manager. He previously was service manager, and formerly was shop foreman. Beltran joined Nissan in 2010 as a general technician.

He hold’s a 2012 associate’s degree from Guam Community College in automotive/automobile mechanics. 

Thomas Quiogue has been appointed general sales manager. He previously was assistant general sales manager and formerly was business development center supervisor. Quiogue’s prior appointments include sales consultant and used car coordinator after he joined Nissan in 2011 as a lot attendant. 

Quiogue worked as manager of Bikes Direct Arizona in Mesa, Ariz., before returning to Guam. His career began at Hornet Sporting Goods Guam in 2003. 

Rose Manibusan has been appointed service manager. She previously was assistant sales manager and formerly was a service advisor. She joined Nissan in 2005 as a biller. 

Manibusan joined Nissan Guam in 2005 as a Biller and was a Service Advisor from 2008 until her promotion to Assistant Service Manager in 2022.

The Guam Department of Education has appointed Leah Beth O. Naholowaa as deputy superintendent of assessment and accountability. She was previously the director of Starbase Guam, a Department of Defense science, technology, engineering and math, STEM, education program.

Naholowaa’s prior appointments include project director of the College Pathway Program at GDOE and director of the Guam Department of Labor and career placement officer at the University of Guam.

She holds a 1994 bachelor’s in communication and a 1998 master’s of public administration, both from the University of Guam, and a 2013 doctorate in educational leadership from Argosy University in Honolulu. 

Naholowaa’s community service includes chairwoman of the Pink Ball Committee and previous community service includes president of the GDOE employees association.

Frank P. Arriola has been appointed general manager of Gosolar Guam, which has common ownership with Cars Plus Guam. 

He was previously senior client service manager for Netcare and Aetna and formerly vice president of AXS Insurance. Arriola’s prior appointments include general manager of PacAir Properties LLC, Pacsports and PacAir Ltd. 

He is a member of the board of trustees of Guam Community College and former chairman of the board of trustees, and other community service includes golf tournament coordinator for Catholic schools and churches.

The Hilton Guam Resort & Spa has announced the following appointments.

Ho In “Louis” Ryu as executive chef. He previously was executive chef at the Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang in Vietnam and was formerly executive at the Saipan World Resort from 2010 to 2024. Ryu’s appointments include sous chef at Jumeira Hotels and Resorts, and chef de partie at W Hotels. He began his career in 1995 at the Grand Hilton Seoul. 

Ryu is a graduate of Hanlymm College where he studied culinary arts, food costing, menu design, and nutrition. 

Eddie Chien as sous chef. He formerly was the chef of Delmonico Kitchen & Bar and Rotten Apple Steampunk Restaurant and at Red Colors Restaurant and served as chef de cuisine at Roy’s restaurant more than 20 years ago. Chien has more than 25 years of experience, and is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

The Guam Museum Foundation has announced a number of board appointments. 

David B. Tydingco, managing director and CEO, Valley of the Latte Adventure Park, has been elected chairman. Francis Guerrero, realtor with ReMax Diamond Realty, will serve as vice chairman, Delisa Kloppenburg as treasurer; and Nicholas J. Ennis, associate at Camacho Calvo Law Group and adjunct professor at Guam Community College as secretary.

Other members of the newly expanded board are Elizabeth Concepcion Gayle, vice president and senior civil engineer, Setiadi Architects; Anita Borja Enriquez, president of the University of Guam; and Marilyn C. Salas, retired associate professor of the UOG Richard F. Taitano Micronesian Area Research Center; remain as board members at large.  

The museum foundation also announced the appointment of Eva Aguon Cruz as executive director. 

She previously was a licensed consultant, specializing in educational and cultural resource development, community organization, and research and development services and formerly was a graduate assistant and lecturer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 

Cruz was the founder and executive director of Manhita Marianas in 2022 and 2023, and a director of 500 Sails Inc. in 2003. Other appointments include project director for the Inafa’maolek Youth Heritage Program of Sanctuary Inc. of Guam from 2019 to 2021, and as Chamorro language and culture educator at the M.U. Lujan Elementary School, and a substitute teacher at the GCA Trades Academy for Guam public high schools for grades 9 to 12.

She holds numerous professional awards, to include as 2016 co-chairperson of the 12th Festival of the Pacific Arts Contemporary Music Committee and as a 2022 delegate to the Our Oceans Conference in Palau. Her community service includes chairperson of the Marianas Institute of Technology Board in Saipan in 2022, and cultural liaison to the Bishop Museum in Hawaii and board member of the Sagan Kotturan CHamoru, Inadahen I Lina’lan Kotturan Chamoro, both in 2024. 

Cruz holds a 2012 bachelor’s of arts from the University of Guam and a 2024 master’s of education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.