Past Honorees

Innovation by an Individual:  Jeff Piontek

Jeff Piontek is a state science specialist with the Hawai`i Department of Education.  A former science teacher, Piontek is focused on opening new opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers for students.  His work includes developing partnerships between Hawai`i's public schools, the University of Hawai`i, state agencies, local technology companies, and community organizations to foster innovation in Hawai‘i’s students as well as to help the school system become more innovative overall.

Chelsea Group, Ltd., based in Maunaloa, Moloka‘i, is a consulting group that helps building owners and property managers make their commercial and industrial properties more environmentally friendly and energy efficient. The company has developed innovative Internet tools and software to assess what steps can be taken to improve a building's efficiency and increase "green" operational practices.  Through its virtual assessment, Chelsea Group identifies opportunities to save energy, reduce water use, minimize waste, lower operating and maintenance costs, and improve the building's overall performance.

Through an innovative partnership between the Department of Health, Hawai`i's public and private schools, the health care community, pediatric associations and federal agencies, Hawai`i became the first state in the nation to implement a statewide, school-based influenza immunization program.  Between October 2007 and January 2008, the Protect Hawai`i Keiki: Stop Flu at School program provided free influenza vaccinations to more than 60,000 elementary and middle school students at approximately 340 public, private and charter schools in Hawai`i.

Innovation by an Individual:  Erwin Hudelist

Erwin Hudelist, president of Hagedone Printing, has implemented innovative solutions to make Hawai`i's largest printing company more environmentally friendly and Hawai`i a cleaner, greener state.  The company Hudelist joined in 1998 was once cited as a heavy industrial polluter.  Under his leadership, the company adopted new printing processes and technologies to reduce the emissions from evaporated inks and solvents.

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The Wai`anae Community Re-Development Corporation has developed innovative programs to improve the lives of young people from O`ahu's Leeward Coast and mobilize them to become leaders and "agents of change" in their community.

As a public charter school, West Hawai`i Explorations Academy (WHEA) has developed innovative teaching methods that focus on outdoor environmental science learning that will instill a lifetime of innovative thinking in their students.  The school has developed a wide array of research-based practices that allow its students to interact and learn in the community via long-term projects, instead of primarily in a traditional classroom.

Innovation by an Individual:  Kelson Lau

Kelson Lau, a junior at Waiākea High School, has used his knowledge and expertise in robotics to help further science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in his school.  Lau has been participating in robotics since the 7th grade, and his innovative robot designs, which incorporate practical applications of STEM education, have led the Waiākea robotics team to victory in state, national and international championships.

Headquartered in Kahului, Maui, Pacific Biodiesel, Inc. was conceived in 1995 in response to environmental and health concerns surrounding unmanageable quantities of used cooking oil and grease trap residue at the Central Maui Landfill.

When given a broad charge of increasing accessibility and ease of navigation for state department websites, the ICSD Public Information Access Section developed innovative solutions.  By creating the "Stay Connected to Your State Government" feature, the team built an easy-to-use system for Hawai`i's residents and visitors to access government information.