June and I attended the Distinguished Alumni and Service Awards ceremonies for the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo last week.

Representative Clift Tsuji, Margaret Ushijima and Senator John Ushijima received the Distinguished Service Award.

The Distinguished Alumni awards went to Carol Ginoza-Arakaki and Ron Terry, and that was especially meaningful for me.

I knew Carol Ginoza-Arikawa when we were both new real estate sales people working for Ala Kai Realty in the mid ’70s. She was more senior than me. We’ve been friends ever since.

The thing I remember most from those early days was that Carol was absolutely unequivocally ethical in all her dealings. Everything was absolutely clear to her. Now if I have a property to rent, I know that I can call her and know without a doubt everything will be fine.

Carol is a 1973 graduate of UH Hilo with degrees in both English and Social studies. She founded Ginoza Realty, Inc. in 1982 and remains its principal broker and president.

She serves on many business organizations. Her community service includes membership on the Kuikahi Mediation Board of Directors since 2006, and also served as its fundraising co-chair the past three years. She served as treasurer of Hilo Little League from 1997-2006, and served double-duty as its secretary from 2000-2006. She was also on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Hilo from 2003-2006.

She has a long record of service to UH Hilo. She chaired the UH Hilo Athletic Fund Drive from 1992-1995, and has served on the UH Hilo Athletics Advisory Board since 2003. She is a charter member of Hui Ka‘ua, seving on various committees. Her company donated funds to furnish the Vulcan softball team in 2003. In 2007, she contributed toward the UH Hilo Performing Arts “Name A Seat” campaign, and she is the newest member to join the Performing Arts Center’ Advisory Committee.

Although I don’t know Ron Terry personally, I very much related to his experiences. He said that he started UH Hilo as a red-haired kid with an Afro from Puna. He came from a modest background and he and his sister were the first in their family to go to college. He received financial assistance, which made it possible for him to graduate from UH Hilo with a geography degree. With encouragement from his teachers at UH Hilo, he later went on to get a doctorate degree at LSU. The way he told the story was very inspiring.

In June 2008, Terry established the Geography Founders Scholarship, naming the $25,000 endowed scholarship after UH Hilo Geography Department founders Drs. Jim and Sonia Juvik, Jim Kelly and Jack Healy, who all inspired and encouraged him to continue his education after earning his degree at UH Hilo.

I was fortunate myself to work with Sonia Juvik and the Keaholoa STEM Native Hawaiian program. She knew I was very interested in contributing to the program and she gave me that opportunity. I can relate to how grateful Ron felt.

In 1992, he started Geometrician Associates. His company has now completed more than 100 Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statement documents.

In 2004, Terry was selected as a member of the Mauna Kea Management Board, which is an advisory group to UH Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng in the management of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. Since 2006, he has served as its second vice chair, has worked to revive the Environment Committee and was overseeing completion of Mauna Kea’s first Natural Resource Management Plan.

Three years ago, I volunteered to be on the Hawai‘i Island Economic Development Board’s newly formed Thirty-Meter Telescope committee, and since then I have learned a lot about the Mauna Kea Management Board’s efforts to take care of Mauna Kea.

The first thing to remember and understand is that it is a volunteer position. Members do this work because they want to do it; they aren’t forced to. Dr. Ron Terry not only volunteered to do this job without pay, he had the educational background that enables him to do it well. And, being a person who owes the University a lot and who loves the Big Island, he wants to make sure that it is done right.

In our changing futures we will need to take care of our whole community, make more friends and be closer to our families. Carol Ginoza-Arakaki and Dr. Ron Terry are inspirational examples of people doing just that.