Hawaiʻi County’s annual Employee Recognition awards ceremony honors 23 exemplary employees, divisions

Hawai‘i County held its 57th annual Employee Recognition awards ceremony on Oct. 2 at Aunty Sally Kaleohano’s Lūʻau Hale in Hilo.

The county honored 23 exemplary employees who were nominated for the categories of Manager, Supervisor and Employee of the Year. New this year, a departmental division was also honored with the inaugural Laulima Award.

“We have had an amazing year, and it is all because of our employees,” said Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda in an annnouncement naming this year’s award recipients and nominees. “They are the backbone of our county, and we appreciate their hard work and dedication for our residents. Teamwork is also important, which is why we chose to also introduce the Laulima Award to recognize an office, division or department that goes above and beyond the call of duty.”

This year’s recipients are:

Manager of the Year

• GREG GOODALE: Chief of operations, Department of Water Supply.

Supervisor of the Year

• MARYAM PALMA: Planner, Planning Department.

Employee of the Year

• ANNALIESE WOLF: Deputy prosecuting attorney, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

Laulima Award

• HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE DIVISION: Department of Public Works.

This year nominees were:

Manager of the Year

• Greg Goodale: Chief of operations, Department of Water Supply.
• Dawn Johnston: Administrative services officer, Planning Department.

Supervisor of the Year

• Meredith Catalini: Aging & disability services manager, Office of Aging.
• Elizabeth Chun: Supervising legal clerk, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.
• Bernadette Hashimoto: Accountant, Department of Environmental Management.
• Naomi Leialoha: Human resources technician, Department of Public Works.
• Maryam Palma: Planner, Planning Department.
• Sharla Sugioka: Supervising real property tax clerk, Department of Finance.

Employee of the Year

• Lorilei Andrade: Senior account clerk, Department of Public Works.
• Lori Enomoto: Information and assistance clerk, Office of Aging.
• Kelly Hartman: Environmental management planner, Department of Environmental Management.
• Aaron Justo: Housing and quality standards technician, Office of Housing and Community Development.
• Wyatt Kaili-Leong: Police officer, Hawai‘i Police Department.
• Ericksen Kohatsu: Fire/EMS specialist, Hawai‘i Fire Department.
• Rachelle Ley: Private secretary, Planning Department.
• Douglas McCormick: Safety specialist, Department of Human Resources.
• Lori Okami: Economic development specialist, Department of Research and Development.
• James Riley: Water plant electrical equipment repairer, Department of Water Supply.
• Lisa Tada: Budget specialist, Department of Finance.
• Randall Tsue: Information systems analyst, Department of Information and Technology.
• Jessica Valdez: Special assistant, Office of the County Clerk.
• Stacie Ann Waltjen: Liquor control licensing officer, Department of Liquor Control.
• Annaliese Wolf: Deputy prosecuting attorney, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

Laulima Award

• Property Tax Division: Department of Finance.
• Maintenance Division: Department of Parks and Recreation.
• Highways Maintenance Division: Department of Public Works.