Briefs for Oct. 21: Former Chief Justice honored with award, Kuʻikahi offers resiliency workshop, Hawaiian Electric awarded for hiring practices

Former Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald awarded for defending the first amendment, bringing truth to the public

The Big Island Press Club is honoring the former Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald at Annual Torch of Light Luncheon next month.

The Torch of Light is given to individuals or organizations who defend the First Amendment and make the public aware of their rights to information.

As Chief Justice of Hawaiʻi from 2010 through 2025, Recktenwald has been selected for expanding the general public’s access to Hawaiʻi’s judicial system and increasing transparency in Hawaiʻi courts.

The Big Island Press Club will honor retired Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark E.
Recktenwald with its annual Torch of Light Award Sunday, Nov. 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hilo Hawaiian
Hotel.

In addition to increasing the use of electronic filing and conducting hearings remotely, Recktenwald motivated changes for Hawaiʻi courts to allow for cameras to be present in the courtroom during sessions that made it easier for members of the public to obtain copies of court documents. Prior to entering into the field of law, Recktenwald was a reporter at United Press International’s Honolulu Bureau.

“Justice Recktenwald was the obvious choice for the Torch of Light award,” said BIPC Treasurer Nancy Cook Lauer. “Not only has he been steadfast in protecting people’s First Amendment rights, he’s been helpful to the press club over the years, including addressing our scholarship recipients via Zoom during the first year of the pandemic.”

“His early background at UPI, coupled with his long career in the Judiciary, makes him especially sensitive to constitutional rights,” she continued.

Since retiring from the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court at the mandatory retirement age of 70, Recktenwald has joined the Alliance of Former Chief Justices, a nonpartisan initiative focused on judicial independence, the rule of law and constitutional governance.

At the luncheon, he will discuss his experiences and the importance of an accessible and independent judiciary for journalists, attorneys, students and the broader Hawaiʻi Island community.

The annual luncheon will also support the next generation of Hawaiʻi journalists through the Big Island Press Club Foundation Scholarship Fund. An accompanying silent auction will feature donated experiences, hotel stays and gift cards, with proceeds benefiting scholarships for students with Hawaiʻi Island ties pursuing careers in journalism and communication.

The event will feature a full luncheon buffet provided by the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Tickets are $60 for Big Island Press Club members and $75 for nonmembers. Reservations must be made by Nov. 8. Tickets, auction and additional event information are available through the Big Island Press Club’s 2026 Torch of Light Luncheon page on Givebutter.

Resilient minds help lead to conflict resolution at Kuʻikahi Mediation Center

The Kuʻikahi Mediation Center is focused on healthy, conflict resolution training next month.

Andrew Pierce, a resilience and performance psychology specialist, is presenting “Resilient Minds in Conflict” as part of the center’s “Conflict Prevention & Resolution Training Series,” which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo on Thursday, Nov. 5.

“Learn to maintain clarity and emotional regulation during conflict using science-backed tools, including the ‘Event-Thought-Outcome’ framework to understand how beliefs shape reactions and behavior,” says Pierce.

Key takeaways include: developing assertive communication skills and exploring key sources of motivation such as competence, autonomy, and relatedness and how they influence responses, decision-making, and behavior during conflict.

Tuition for the workshop is $50 (group discounts and individual needs-based partial scholarships available). To register, visit an online form, or contact Carol at (808) 935-7844 ext. 8 or carol@hawaiimediation.org .

Hawaiian Electric human resources manager named 2026 Workforce Hero

State labor officials have named Kazunori “Kazu” Hayashida as the 2026 Workforce Hero for his multi-pronged approach to building Hawaiian Electric’s pipeline to hire local talent.

The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations honored Hayashida, Hawaiian Electric’s manager of workforce planning and talent acquisition, and other awardees at the 2027 Future of Work Conference on Sept. 23, 2026, at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi.

The Workforce Hero award honors individuals whose leadership, service, innovation and commitment have strengthened Hawaiʻi’s workforce. Honorees were celebrated for expanding opportunities across the state, developing talent and connecting people to meaningful careers.

“Kazu’s work is a testament to our company’s commitment to building a strong, sustainable workforce of and for Hawai‘i,” said Jackie Ingamells, Hawaiian Electric vice president of human resources. “Hawaiian Electric has deep roots across the islands we serve, and Kazu’s work ensures we’re connecting with, hiring and retaining local talent.” 

Joining Hawaiian Electric in August 2022, Hayashida’s achievements reflect Hawaiian Electric’s ongoing initiatives to provide career pathways for local residents, to highlight the company’s competitive pay, benefits and collaborative work culture, and to encourage kama‘aina working on the continent to come home.

His work includes:

• Developing career pathways that identify educational requirements, feeder schools and advancement opportunities
• Expanding outreach efforts that engaged more than 2,200 participants through workforce events and community activities in Q2 2026 alone
• Growing Hawaiian Electric’s internship program to 46 interns in 2026, with 17 transitioning into project aide positions, and 30 former interns hired since 2020
• Supporting workforce training programs such as the Maui Power Pathways and CAST Test Preparation to help expand opportunities in skilled trades

Hayashida has also established critical partnerships and has championed the Kamaʻāina Come Home initiative, which conducts outreach in the state and on the continent to reconnect local students and professionals with career opportunities in Hawaiʻi.