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WHEREAS, since 1990, the JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT HAWAII BUSINESS HALL OF FAME has honored the state's most distinguished business leaders for their outstanding contributions to free enterprise and the promise of a stronger society; and

WHEREAS, JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF HAWAII, INC. was founded in 1957 to educate and inspire young people to appreciate business and economics in order that they can improve their lives and their communities; and

WHEREAS, JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF HAWAII, INC. has created a working partnership among business, military, and education communities with the mission of ensuring that Hawaii's children will have the opportunity to learn about the free-enterprise system; and

WHEREAS, through 495 offices around the world, Junior Achievement reaches approximately seven million students a year in inner cities, suburbs, and rural areas; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of the JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT HAWAII BUSINESS HALL OF FAME is to recognize business leaders who, through their life-long entrepreneurial and civic activities have made enduring contributions to the local economy through their work, and are figures of inspiration for Hawaii's youth; and

WHEREAS, JON DE MELLO started the Mountain Apple Company, Inc. in 1974 which is Hawaii's largest full service entertainment company; and

WHEREAS, JON DE MELLO is one of the individuals credited with the renaissance of Hawaiian music, has won awards in the music industry, and was named Hawaii's Small Business Person of the Year in 1997; and

WHEREAS, JOSEPH J. FERRARO co-founded Ferraro Choi and Associates, Ltd., an environmentally oriented architectural and interior design firm in February 1998, and in this sustainable architecture practice, has expanded the boundaries of architecture to encompass the total environment; and

WHEREAS, JOSEPH J. FERRARO's projects have included the Crary Science and Technology Lab in Antarctica, and the Admundsen-Scott South Pole Station and other LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects; and

WHEREAS, RICHARD HA founded Kea`au Banana in 1992 and diversified the company by growing hydroponic vegetables in addition to bananas, renaming the company "Hamakua Springs Country Farms"; and

WHEREAS, RICHARD HA's company was the first in the world to be awarded the Eco O.K. certification (eco-friendly operations) and is a stalwart in the community, donating foods and playing a key role in helping the Hamakua Coast sugar plantations rebound from the closure of the plantations in the 1990's; and

WHEREAS, PETER KIM founded the family-owned Yummy Restaurant Group and took it to the apex of excellence in the food court market with food courts at the Ala Moana Center, the Navy Exchange, the Mall at Pearl Harbor, and on the University of Hawaii at Manoa's campus; and

WHEREAS, PETER KIM is well respected in the business community and his company has won numerous awards, including the Small Business Administration's "Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award"; and

WHEREAS, on Friday, March 7, 2008, JON DE MELLO of Mountain Apple Company, JOSEPH J. FERRARO of Ferraro Choi and Associates, Ltd., RICHARD HA of Hamakua Springs Country Farms, and PETER KIM of Yummy Restaurant Group will be inducted into the HAWAII BUSINESS HALL OF FAME for 2008; and

WHEREAS, these honorees join a distinguished group of 64 men and women who have been inducted into the HAWAII BUSINESS HALL OF FAME since its inception; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-Fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, that it recognizes and honors JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF HAWAII, INC. and the 2008 inductees to the HAWAII BUSINESS HALL OF FAME for their outstanding contributions to free enterprise and the betterment of the State of Hawaii.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Junior Achievement of Hawaii, Inc. and the Hawaii Business Hall of Fame inductees; honoring

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	138
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII