Manoa names three employees to receive Chancellor's Awards for Outstanding Service for 2004

Three UH Manoa employees have been selected to receive this year‘s Chancellor‘s Awards for Outstanding Service.

They are Richard Chock, a research support staffer at the Kewalo Marine Lab; Joanne Kurosawa, a secretary in the College of Tropical Agriculture Molecular Bioscience and Bioengineering department; and Stan Yogi, a buildings and grounds maintenance employee at the College of Business Administration.

"I am especially pleased to recognize the fine work each of these employees has been doing in their respective departments," said UH Manoa Chancellor Peter Englert. "They represent many more hundreds of employees who do their part each day to make sure we have a productive, safe and attractive working environment on campus."

The Chancellor‘s service awards are presented each year to employees who demonstrate leadership, outstanding work performance, and service to the campus. This year‘s honorees will be recognized at a ceremony in September; each will receive a $1,000 cash award. Each is considered as a university nominee for the Governor‘s Award for Distinguished State Service to be announced in October.

Richard Chock — Research Support, Pacific Biomedical Research Center (PBRC), Kewalo Marine Laboratory (KML)

Chock is the facilities manager for the marine lab, a complex, modern marine research facility that serves as research home to a half-dozen labs that accommodate some forty employees. Researchers use a variety of state-of-the-art research appliances and rely on consistently optimal laboratory conditions to maintain the sensitive organisms used in their scientific investigations. Chock is the person responsible for keeping the physical plant in top operating condition.

In his work, Chock is often called upon to exercise knowledge and skills that make hi a biologist — collecting and handling a wide variety of sea animals — and an
inventor-mechanic-repairman, working with highly specialized equipment to keep
it running. He even designs and constructs new pieces of specialized equipment
that meet his researchers‘ needs but which aren‘t "off-the-shelf" items.

With all of this, his colleagues say he brings to the job a good measure of empathy, generosity and a great sense of humor.

Joanne Kurosawa — Secretary, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), Department of Molecular Science and Bioengineering (MBBE)

Kurosawa has been with the College for thirty years. She was described by her nominators as "energetic, unselfish, dependable, organized, knowledgeable and a team player." As staffing levels have varied over the years, Kurosawa has never hesitated to fill in without hesitation wherever she is needed.

CTAHR is involved n a great number of outreach programs, and Kurosawa frequently volunteers her time and talent to assist at such activities as the Urban Garden Sale and the Farm Fair. As an indicator of her high regard and affection for CTAHR students, Kurosawa attends commencement ceremonies, and even prepares "Hawaiʻi" farewell gifts to send home with international students.

Kurosawa also received the CTAHR Outstanding Civil Service Employee Award for 2004.

Stanley Yogi — Custodial employee, Department of Buildings and Grounds Management, assigned to the College of Business Administration (CBA)

Yogi has been a prime reason for the continued "greening" of the business college environment, assisting with plantings and making sure that the plants thrive — even taking the initiative to secure a sprinkler on his own to water and nourish a previously brown and "spotty" hillside on the CBA grounds. He is responsible for clean restrooms in the complex, and maintains the safety of the area by assuring the trees and ornamental plants are properly trimmed.

His nominator was especially appreciative of Yogi‘s assistance with the CBA book sale to benefit the Hawaii Food Bank, and for his universally positive, cheerful and efficient approach to his assigned responsibilities.

This is the first year the Manoa Chancellor has designated an award recipient for an outstanding buildings and grounds maintenance employee.