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UH Alumni Association Announces 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award Honorees

Eight Alumni to be Honored with One of the Most Prestigious Awards a UH Graduate Can Receive

(Honolulu, Hawaiʻi) - The University of Hawaiʻi and the University of Hawaiʻi Alumni Association (UHAA) recently announced this year’s recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA). The eight UH alumni recipients will be honored at the annual awards dinner on May 10, 2005 at the Sheraton Waikiki hotel. Established in 1987, the UHAA awards recognize outstanding alumni who have used their university education to excel professionally, provide inspirational leadership to others, and provide service for the benefit of the community.

This year’s recipient’s are Dr. Charles Araki, professor emeritus with UH Mānoa’s College of Education; Dr. Elmer Botsai, nationally recognized architecture expert in Building Diagnostics; Dr. Frederick Duennebier, professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at UH Mānoa; Robert Hiam, president and CEO of Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association; Carole Kai, professional entertainer; Dr. Jong-wook Lee, director-general of the World Health Organization; and Dr. Gary A. Okamoto, president and CEO of The Queen’s Health Systems. The UH Founders Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Ronald E. Bright, artistic director of Castle High School’s Performing Arts Center.

The UHAA Distinguished Alumni award is one of the most prestigious awards a UH graduate can receive, commented UHAA president Karl Fujii. It honors individuals from a wide spectrum of chosen professions who have made significant contributions to their professions, to their communities, and to the University of Hawaiʻi.

These distinguished alumni will be honored at UHAA’s annual dinner in May to celebrate the achievements of these outstanding individuals and to reunite and reconnect alumni, faculty, staff, students and supporters with our great institution,” he added.

Dr. Charles Araki has been a staunch supporter of UH for more than 50 years serving the university as a student athlete, professor, dean, and most recently, professor emeritus in the College of Education (COE) at the Mānoa campus. Under his leadership, the COE strengthened its commitment to training teachers and addressing urgent challenges in the field of education. Dr. Araki’s support to the university also includes his role as a founding member of the Letterwinners Club, serving on the Board of Ahahui Koa Anuenue, and membership in the Founder’s Club which recognizes donors to the university whose lifetime gifts have exceeded $100,000. From 1975-1981, Dr. Araki conducted over 100 seminars and workshops at the request of the Hawaiʻi Superintendent of Education. He was also a member of the YMCA Advisory Board. Dr. Araki received a BEd and PD in education from the UH Mānoa in 1957 and 1962, respectively. He received a MS and EdD from the University of Illinois in 1960 and 1970, respectively. Dr. Araki resides in Honolulu.

Dr. Elmer Botsai is a nationally recognized expert in Building Diagnostics. He is the co-author of six books and numerous monographs on building technology. Dr. Botsai is professor emeritus in the School of Architecture at UH Mānoa, where he also served as the first dean, professor, and chair. He provided consultation to numerous government and community organizations including the City and County of Honolulu, State of California Building Standards Commission and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Botsai is past national treasurer, vice president and president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), president of the Hawaiʻi Society AIA and a recipient of AIA’s Medal of Honor. Dr. Botsai is an Honorary Fellow in the Australian Institute of Architects, the Canadian Institute of Architects and the New Zealand Institute of Architects; an Honorary Member of the Mexican Architects; and a Fellow in the AIA. He received an ArchD from UH Mānoa in 2000 and a BA from the University of California at Berkeley in 1954. Dr. Botsai resides in Honolulu.

Dr. Frederick Duennebier has been a faculty member at UH for nearly 30 years and is a professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics. He was responsible for acquiring more than $10 million in extramural research grants for the university to support graduate education and the development of seafloor observatories near the Hawaiʻian Islands. Dr. Duennebier is widely acclaimed for being the first marine seismologist to recognize and exploit the importance of making a good coupling between seafloor seismometers to the ocean bottom in order to improve the quality of data collection. In his early career he was a member of the Apollo Lunar seismic team and the Mars VIKING seismic team. His expertise has put him in high demand as a member of several national committees including the NASA Mars Science Working Group and the National Science Foundation Steering Committee for Seafloor Cables. He received a MS and PhD in geophysics from UH Mānoa in 1968 and 1972, respectively, and a BS in physics from Trinity College in 1965. He currently resides in Honolulu.

Robert Hiam is president and CEO of Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association, the state’s largest health plan. He was a member and first vice president of UHAA’s Board of Directors, is a trustee of the UH Foundation, and a member of its Audit Committee. Mr. Hiam is very involved with community organizations and is currently the chairman of the board of Aloha United Way and serves on the boards of the Blood Bank of Hawaiʻi and the Children’s Discovery Center. He is also chairman of the board of Pacific Health Research Institute, a board member of Tissue Genesis, Inc. and a member of the Hawaiʻi Business Roundtable. He received a BA in psychology from the UH Mānoa in 1969. He currently resides in Honolulu.

Carole Kai Onouye is a widely known professional entertainer throughout Hawaiʻi, the continental U.S., Guam, Asian, and Europe. She is founder and co-producer of the Carole Kai Bed Race and, with Dr. Jack Scaff, co-founded the Great Aloha Run in 1985. Her efforts with the Great Aloha Run have raised over $6.2 million for more than 110 charities in Hawaiʻi. Ms. Kai has served or is serving on the boards of Carole Kai Charities, the Variety School, Stadium Authority, Girl Scouts Council, Coalition for a Drug Free Hawaiʻi and the Aloha Week Festivals. She is also executive producer of Hawaiʻi Stars Presents, Inc. She received a BA in music from UH Mānoa in 1966 and currently resides in Honolulu.

Dr. Jong-wook Lee is the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO). He is the first Korean to head a United Nations agency. From his time leading the polio eradication effort in the Western Pacific Region, Dr. Lee is credited with reducing the number of polio cases in the region from 6,000 to 700. He has also headed WHO's TB control activities, and the Global Programme for Vaccines and Immunization. As director-general, one of his main goals is to get life-saving medicine to three million people suffering from AIDS in developing countries. In April 2003, Dr. Lee gave a lecture on the SARS outbreak as part of the University of Hawaiʻi Distinguished Lecture Series. He received an MPH from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 1981 and a PhD from Seoul National University Medical School. Dr Lee lives in Geneva, Switzerland.

Dr. Gary A. Okamoto, is president and CEO of The Queen’s Health Systems. He is currently an associate clinical professor at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at UH Mānoa. He previously served as chief and associate professor of the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine. Under his leadership, The Queen’s Health Systems supported the establishment of the Department of Native Hawaiʻian Health to promote quality research and education programs. Dr. Okamoto served as a member of the advisory board to the CEO and Trustees of Kamehameha Schools. He is a past executive medical director of the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific and a past board member of the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He received a BA in political science from UH Mānoa in 1966, an MD from Washington University in 1971, an MPH from University of Washington in 1977 and an MBA from Pepperdine University in 2003. Dr. Okamoto currently resides in Honolulu.

Ronald E. Bright is this year’s recipient of the UH Founders Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement award. He recently completed his 46th year at Castle High School, where he was the artistic director of Castle Performing Arts Center. Mr. Bright has received numerous honors over the years, including Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year, Father of the Year, Guardsman of the Year, Hawaiʻi's Living Treasure and the National Milken Family Foundation Educator of the Year. He was inducted into the National Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame. In honor of his dedication and devotion to educational theatre in Hawaiʻi, the Department of Education and Board of Education renamed the Castle Auditorium the Ronald E. Bright Performing Arts Center. He received a BEd in 1956, and Professional Diploma in 1957 and master’s in 1973 in education from UH Mānoa.

For more information on the Distinguished Alumni Awards dinner, contact the Alumni Relations office at 1-877-UH-ALUMS. Cost is $75 for UHAA members, $125 for non-members, $1,000 for a table of ten people, or premium tables can be purchased for $1,500, $2,500 and $3,500.

Previous award recipients include Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, U.S. Representatives Patsy Mink and Neil Abercrombie, Richard Mamiya, Ah Quon McElrath, Lawrence Johnson, Richard Parsons, David Cole, Beadie Dawson and Robin Campaniano.

About the UH Alumni Association
The UHAA was informally constituted in 1922, a few years after the first graduating class of 1911, and formalized into a system-wide umbrella organization for all UH-recognized alumni groups in 1988. Its members support the university and UHAA sponsors events that showcase the university’s excellence. Governed by a board of directors, UHAA includes a nationwide and international network of 37 affiliated alumni groups. The association's goal is to generate support for the university by encouraging interaction among UH graduates and friends. The work of the chapters and the support of the alumni association make the university a stronger learning institution and thus contribute to the strength of the community.

About the UH Foundation Office of Alumni Relations
The UH Foundation established the Office of Alumni Relations with the approval of the Board of Regents in December 2002. The Office of Alumni Relations works closely with the UHAA to serve the community of UH alumni and students in Hawaiʻi and worldwide. For more information about alumni programs, activities, and UHAA membership, please call the Office of Alumni Relations toll-free at 1-877-UH-ALUMS.

About the UH Founders Alumni Association
In 1922 an informal UHAA was formed, representing the Mānoa campus, the only University of Hawaiʻi campus during that time. Over time, the original alumni association was reorganized and renamed the UH Founders Alumni Association to reflect its tradition of representing those who graduated from UH Mānoa prior to 1960. The purpose of the UH Founders Alumni Association is to "promote and award student scholarships." The group is now a chapter of the current UHAA incorporated in 1988 to represent the university’s 10-campus system.

About the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation
The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is an independent, university-related, nonprofit organization whose purpose is to raise private funds according to priorities determined by the academic leadership of the University of Hawaiʻi and approved by the Board of Regents. Founded in 1955, the Foundation provides a full range of fund raising and alumni relations services for all 10 UH campuses. For more information on the Foundation, visit www.uhf.hawaii.edu.