Guam Association of Realtors 2023 Leadership Team starts year

The 2023 Leadership Team for the Guam Association of Realtors has been announced.

Jodee C. Duenas, principal broker and realtor, Hafa Adai Realty, has been elected the state/local president.

Karen Pan, principal broker, Ideal Realty, has been elected as the state/local vice president and treasurer.

Vinson P. Calvo of Phoenix Realty has been elected as the state/local
secretary.

Guam’s own featured in business magazine list

Artemio R. Hernandez, deputy executive manager at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport, Guam was featured in Aviation Pros 11th Annual Airport Business “40 Under 40 Best Young Professionals in 2022.”

The feature – also published in Airport Business Magazine – selects aviation professionals from the U.S. and Canada.

In 2015, Airport Business partnered for the first time with the Airports Consultants Council, which provides judges to help in the selection process.

Awards are based on accomplishments and other career factors.

GHRA elects 2023 board of directors, board officers

The Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association announced its board of directors and selection of officers.

They are Marie N. Guerrero, CEO of B&G Pacific LLC., which does business as Three Squares Restaurant, chairperson; Dean Huntsman, regional vice president for operations and general manager for the Dusit Thani Guam Resort, vice chairperson; Sudipta Basu. general manager of City Hill (Guam) Co. Ltd, which does business as the Guam Plaza Resort, secretary and treasurer and 10th board member for a one-year term.

In addition, Hanseok “Nick” Song, president of Haevichi Hospitality Guam Inc. and general manager, the Westin Resort Guam, is the hotelier vice chairperson; Darren Talai, president, International Dining Concepts LLC., was elected as restaurateur vice chairperson of the Allied Industry Chapter; and James Herbert III, general manager, Triple J Five Star Wholesale Foods has been elected as vice chairperson of the Allied Industry Chapter.

Continuing as board members are Ken Yanagisawa, general manager of The Tsubaki Tower and the Hotel Nikko Guam; Jeffrey Schweizer, president, Asia Pacific Hotels; Tae Oh, owner, Vantage Advertising; and Sophia Chu Wigsten, general manager, Hyatt Regency Guam.

Guam Chamber announces board officers; return to succession plan

Edward Untalan, executive vice president and Guam-CNMI region manager, First Hawaiian Bank was re-elected chairman of the board. Ernie Galito, marketing and communications director, Atkins Kroll Inc., was elected vice chairman; and Tae Oh, president, Vantage Advertising and PSI Holdings LLC, was elected secretary-treasurer.

Untalan's re-election sets the organization on a path for the vice chairman and secretary-treasurer to move into the successive roles of chairman and vice chairman, moving forward, according to the chamber.

Other officers are Joseph M. Arnett, senior advisor, Deloitte and Touche, a past chairman;  Special Executive Committee Member Thomas G. Shimizu, general manager, Ambros Inc. as special executive member; Siska S Hutapea, president, Cornerstone Valuation Guam Inc., ex-officio member and Catherine S. Castro, president of the chamber.

American Red Cross recognizes NMI volunteer with awards

Triana Palemi, operations and fleet volunteer; was praised for her commitment to the Northern Mariana Islands Chapter and service to the community which earned her the “Spirit of the Pacific Award.”

Palemi’s name and contributions were submitted by the NMI chapter for regional recognition for going above and beyond for her clients and for her selflessness.

Palemai was selected as the October 2022 Regional Winner by a committee of volunteers. She was chosen as the November 2022 Division winner which includes the NMI, Guam, Hawaii, American Samoa and states in the U.S. mainland.

The two awards recognize her passion for helping others, as she is also a volunteer with Miracle Hands Charity in Saipan.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity.

David S. Okada, interim chief of staff for the president and liaison to the board of regents of the University of Guam, was named Triton of the Year by the nomination award committee.

The winners of the other categories are:

• Triton Team Award: The University’s Marketing and Communications Office
• Faculty of the Year: Dr. Myeong-Ho Yeo, assistant professor, Water and Environmental Research Institute
• Student Employee of the Year: Chelsea Marie Gonzales, Administrative Technician at the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
• Triton Cares Awardee: Virgilio Calceta, maintenance worker at Triton Athletics
• Innovation Award: Amanda Blas, Associate Director, Global Learning and Engagement
• COVID-19 Hero Award: Daniel Carlton Raglmar, an outreach coordinator at GLE
• Institutional Prestige Award: UOG Sea Grant
• Supervisor of the Year: Carlos R. Taitano, director, Global Learning and Engagement

GPA launches new and improved customer website

The Guam Power Authority has launched an update website to enhance the customer experience with added tools and portals.

With customers in mind, GPA’s website has been redesigned with a new look, allowing easier navigation, while the homepage offers quick links to GPA customer service and online tools like How Do I, View Outages, Power Alerts, Search Bar, PayGPA, My energyGuam, and Energy Rebates.

Customers can also learn how to conserve energy to reduce their power bills.

GPA’s customer service team has seen an increase in customers relying on the agency’s online portals during COVID-19 pandemic, like paying bills online.

The new website can be found online at www.guampowerauthority.com.

GPA takes lead to represent the territories

Beatrice P. Limtiaco, the assistant general manager of administration at the Guam Power Authority, has been elected to the board of directors of the American Public Power Association.

Limtiaco will represent Region 10 of the association. Region 10 comprises Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

She is the second person in Region 10 to represent the U.S. territories.

John M. Benavente, general manager, GPA, was elected in 2016 to represent the U.S. territories.

The American Public Power Association is a nonprofit organization, community owned utilities organizations that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. Public Power serves five U.S. territories and 49 states in the U.S. mainland.

GPA wins two communications awards

The Guam Power Authority has won two Excellence in Public Power Communications Awards from the American Public Power Association, which it was awarded during the APPA Customer Connections Conference in November in Minneapolis, Minn.

GPA received the Award of Merit in the print and digital category for its Customer Service Directory and the Award of Excellence in the video category for its Clean Energy Master Plan.

Joyce N. Sayama, communications manager, GPA, attended the conference and received the award on behalf of the power agency.