Kudos For Kapaa High JROTC Duo

There are quite a few exemplary kamaaina to acknowledge this week. I’ll start with Kapaa High School students Marissa Goo and Shiloh Begley. They were on U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono‘s nomination list of 32 students to the U.S. military service academies for the class of 2018. Their applications currently are being considered by the U.S. Air Force Academy (Goo) and U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Begley) for final selections.

Goo has been a member of the Battalion Army JROTC since her sophomore year. She was appointed to battalion commander in 2013. Begley is a Bravo Company commander in his JROTC, and is a recipient of the Association of the United States Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Medal. He is interested in serving as an Army Ranger or Green Beret. Both students were selected for their scholastic achievement, community contributions and volunteer or employment experiences …

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa honored Tia Viluan and Joe Forbes at its annual holiday banquet.

Viluan was selected as the hotel’s 2013 employee of the year and Forbes as manager of the year.

Viluan works in the catering and convention services department. She began her career at the Hyatt in 1996 as a food and beverage manager. She transferred to Poipu Bay Golf Course in 1999 to work as a beverage cart runner. She has been in her current position since 2008, and husband Kurt works in engineering at the hotel.

Forbes began his Hyatt career 10 years ago as a guest services agent at Hyatt Regency Waikiki. He joined a management trainee program, which eventually led him to the Hyatt on Kauai. During his 10 years of service, he has held two assistant manager positions and led the recreation and front desk teams. He recently was promoted to his current position as executive housekeeper and is married to Micha, a group sales manager at the resort.

The honorees were rewarded with an additional five days’ paid vacation, airfare for two to the Mainland, Canada or the Caribbean, six additional complimentary nights at Hyatt hotels as well as spending money. Viluan hopes to travel to New York and Forbes wants to make an international trip …

Another exceptional employee is Marty Rice, who recently was named Poipu Bay Golf Course‘s employee of the year for 2013. He currently serves as a starter on the course and has been working for the business since 1991. Rice also was Poipu Bay’s winter Aloha Spirit Award winner along with Mary Holmes, a golf shop clerk. Lily Millare was the winner of the spring Aloha Spirit Award and also works in the golf shop. Supervisor Chad Dusenberry nominated Rice for the employee of the year award based on his attendance, conscientiousness, attitude, efficiency, innovation, guest service and aloha spirit …

Central Pacific Bank has opened a new branch in Kapaa Shopping Center. This is the financial institution’s second location on Kauai. Maureen Mulvihill, assistant vice president and Kapaa branch manager, has more than 32 years of finance experience. She will be responsible for coaching, leading and inspiring her team to meet and exceed the needs of CPB’s customers. The bank is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. …

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