Leslie Wilcox Blogs

Maui's Leona Rocha Wilson and H-Poko

Ever heard of H-Poko? 

 It was the nickname of an old Maui plantation camp, Hamakuapoko, where Leona Rocha Wilson spent her early childhood in a close-knit Portuguese family. Later her family moved to "Dream City," better known today as Kahului!

Leona is my guest tomorrow night (Tues., March 30, 2010) at 7:30 on Long Story Short on PBS Hawaii. She spent decades in business on the East Coast. She invented a still-popular home-sewing tool--the fashion ruler--and served as a national spokesperson in the home sewing industry.

Today, back on Maui and retired, she hosts a Maui Community College cable show called Go School, No Come Like Me. It's her way of encouraging families to support loved ones to transform their lives through education.

She's a remarkable woman, self-made, full of personality, interested  in others. She always was a quick learner and she found mentors along the way who helped her in business. For those of you who aren't in Hawaii to see the TV program, we'll post a podcast on our website, www.pbshawaii.org

Not long after the talk-story was taped, Leona's longtime husband William Wilson, former owner of the Butterick garment pattern company, was hospitalized for more than a month and passed away.

Our heartfelt condolences to Leona and her  family...

Careful Political References at Heftel Memorial Service

Cec Heftel was a Democrat in heavily Democratic Hawaii--but he wasn't an Establishment Democrat. A successful broadcast entrepreneur, he considered himself an independent within the Democratic Party and he didn't need the party's financial backing.

So when major political leaders took the podium at today's memorial service for the former U.S. Representative at the Hawaii Theatre, there was a certain restraint, a sense of delicacy,  in the sharing of memories. The speeches were gracious, all  right, especially in reference to Heftel's intellect,vision in media and communications, and personal generosity. But words were chosen carefully in the telling of political tales.

There was more than one reason for picking words carefully. Some of the heavy hitters in the illustrious front row had lost tough battles to each other along the way and they have by no means forgotten. Two seem poised to face off again, in a race for Governor.

Speakers were U.S. Senior Senator Daniel Inouye, Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, former U.S. Rep. Ed Case, and the lone Republican, former U.S. Rep. Patricia Saiki, still looking and sounding strong and sharp. (U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka was traveling, but sent laudatory remarks.)

The memorial service also featured precious video segments showing KGMB's fabled history in elevating the quality of broadcast news under the leadership of Cec Heftel and Bob Sevey in the 60s and 70s. There were also clips from the wildly popular Checkers and Pogo shows (KGMB owner Heftel's brainchild) and unrestrained, hilarious stories about Heftel's incredible business zeal and stream of new ideas, related by former KGMB Radio d.j. George "Granny Goose" Grove. The videos were the work of former KGMB creative folks led by Phil Arnone and John Wray, with former KGMB reporter Carolyn Tanaka as writer and Lawrence Pacheco handling the editing.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?s=12218768

Heftel's widow Rebecca organized the  memorial service. It was emceed by Heftel's former press secretary, Doug Carlson. Barbara Tyers, the dedicated assistant who kept up with Heftel's energy for more than 40 years, was among the former staffers and longtime friends and associates who attended.

It was a lively afternoon, punctuated by applause.  Cec, who liked good pacing and high energy in productions, would have enjoyed it.

Black-Belt and Dog-Sledding CFOs!

  Another stereotype bites the dust. CFOs are dour nay-sayers. Not.

  Not if you follow Pacific Business News' CFO of the Year competition. The recent awards ceremony, in both corporate and nonprofit categories, turned up financial officers who provide confidence and stability, detect silver linings in dark clouds, and find ways to make good things happen.

www.bizjournals.com/pacific/afterhours/11041.html?b=1269835200

 And--they have personal lives and a sense of humor. Imagine.

  I was on hand at the Halekulani Hotel to announce the two winners.

  In the nonprofit category--Kenneth Uemura, VP and CFO of Hawaii Pacific University, was credited with rescuing the Oceanic Institute, which was on the verge of closure, and with relocating the hard-to-find university book store and making it a go-to, profitable enterprise. He's a black belt in karate, When I asked him to show his most intimidating CFO karate stance, he said he couldn't do that. But if the audience wanted, he could show them his black belt. Whereupon he lifted his jacket--revealing a conventional black leather belt holding up his trousers.

  In the corporate category--CFO Ann Nakagawa was honored for meeting a tight six-month deadline to change her company's identity from AIG Hawaii into Farmers Insurance Hawaii. On vacations, she looks for adventure, which in the past has included parasailing and dog-sledding.

Carolyn Berry's Gift of Access to the Arts

Many people are bemoaning the loss of music and arts classes in Hawaii schools, and the shrinking number of arts-related school excursions--as the budget axe continues to swing.

Carolyn Berry of Honolulu is doing more than shaking her head. 

She's giving a priceless gift of arts experiences to the citizens of Hawaii, including home-delivery to all of those schoolchildren who no longer have music and arts classes.

What Carolyn is doing is underwriting an entire year of Great Performances  and Great Performances at the Met on PBS Hawaii. She even introduces these lush programs on television, letting viewers know she's saving them seats.

These are high quality, noncommercial programs featuring classic and contemporary performances in dance, music, theatre.

We're happy to have Carolyn serving on our PBS Hawaii Board of Directors. www.pbshawaii.org/about/about_boardofdirectors.php  But one doesn't have to be a board member to underwrite PBS Hawaii programs. As an individual, Carolyn is making sure that all Hawaii citizens, adults and children, have free, convenient access to the arts. 

I'm one in 16...No, I'm more special than that

Everyone likes to feel special. The Blood Bank of Hawaii has informed me, after having me sit back, relax and let them tap into the blood flow in my arm, that I'm one in 16. That is to say, one in 16 people have the same blood type in Hawaii. 

But I'm encouraged to feel even more special. Because of these people with my blood type, only 3 per cent are listed as Hawaii blood donors. www.bbh.org

So, my Rh negative blood is in demand. And the Blood Bank will no doubt be calling and reminding me to keep giving. A person in good health can safely donate blood every eight weeks.

 Blood donation is at once very personal and quite impersonal. I'm literally giving part of myself to help someone whose identity I'll never know.  My pint of blood, the amount in a single donation, can be used to help as many as three lives. 

The capable Blood Bank staff made my 45 minutes in their mobile van, parked at Our Redeemer Lutheran High in Manoa, go quickly and comfortably. And they gave me juice and cookies.

 With a bit of a sugar rush, I walked out feeling like a very special saver of lives--without the action-hero leotard and tights.

 

   

Guy Kawasaki on Leadership

Guy Kawasaki, venture capitalist and a co-founder of alltop.com (on which this blog appears in the Hawaii section), is featured in a fascinating Q&A in today's New York Times.

www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/business/21corner.html?pagewanted=1

He talks about the importance of lessons learned in failure. And points out that it's a lot easier for a leader to make a decision than to implement it.

My favorite quote:  "I learned from Steve Jobs that some things need to be believed to be seen."

I feel the truth of this statement in seeking funding for PBS Hawaii's Hiki No statewide student news network, now under development in Hawaii. It's an innovative multi-media initiative pulling together public, private and charter schools in the exercise of journalism, democracy, giving voice to the powerless, and 21st-century workforce skills.

Some people catch the vision of it; others want to see it in operation before they make up their mind. So far, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation and Commercial Data Systems see it in their mind's eye, believe in it and have invested in its creation.

 www.pbshawaii.org/hikino/index.php

Hiki No means "can do" in the Hawaiian language--and ultimately it'll be the students of Hawaii (Guy used to be one of them!) who'll show that this can be done. It will be a vehicle for many people and places that have been invisible in Honolulu-centric media.

When you believe, you'll see it!  Or, wait to see it and believe.

"Graduating" from Elementary to High School

Speaking of high school, which I did the other day on this blog, I've learned that my Kalani High classmate Mitchell Otani, the principal of Kane'ohe Elementay, has been tapped to be the next principal of Kalani High in Honolulu.

What a full circle that is for Mitch! He'll succeed the well-regarded Gerald Teramae, who's leaving the DOE to become a dean at 'Iolani School.

Kalani is one of those public schools, like Aiea High, where former students like to return to work. One thing for sure, the former students know all of the campus hiding places and they have a good handle on excuses dressed up as reasons. And they empathize with kids trying to make the most of themselves and sometimes getting off-track, since they were there and know how it goes.

My Classmate, School Principal Mitch Otani

When I graduated from Kalani High in Honolulu, I couldn't imagine what I or my classmates would be doing 10 years hence--when we'd be "old."

Now, more than 30 years later, I know what what we oldsters are doing. There's probably a disproportionate percentage of lawyers, journalists and educators.

 One of the educators, Mitchell Otani, will be at my workplace tonight (Thurs., March 18 2010)  to take part in  televised live discussion about reforming public education. The TV program is "Insights on PBS Hawaii."

 In school, I didn't peg Mitch as a future educator, but I knew he had great enthusiasm for people and ideas.  You could always count on him to be engaged and you could count on him to do what he said he would do. As  a high school student, he already had strong convictions. I sensed he also had just a bit of an edge--the kind one needs to make things happen.

Indeed, he has been making things happen.The longtime principal at Kaneohe Elementary,  he was Hawaii's National Distinguished Principal of the Year in 2007. Our producers, seeking appropriate participants for a show about school reform, found their way to Mitch.

I'm not familiar enough with his career, but here's an anecdote that gives you an idea about what kind of a guy he is:  A few years ago, several people he knew (one was me) were being honored by the Public Schools Foundation of Hawaii. It's an excellent fundraiser for public schools and tickets are pricey.

Mitch didn't attend as a guest. But he did stop by. Dressed informally and carrying his small child and a lei, he found me among the hundreds of people, warmly and briefly congratulated me, and headed out the door. Pau. He probably spent an hour making the round trip drive from home and dealing with Waikiki parking, just to share his aloha for a minute.

When I called to thank him the next day, he called it a small gesture. He just wanted me to know he was happy for me.

His "small gesture" continues to resonate with me over the years. It was an example of inspirational leadership and it's motivated me to go out of my way to take important little moments to support others. 

And tonight on "Insights on PBS Hawaii," I predict that my old friend and Kalani classmate will continue to show--despite the challenges of the times-- great enthusiasm and strong convictions.

***Other guests will be Randall Roth, UH law school prof and education policy expert; Mike Strembitsky, former Superintendent of Edmonton Public Schools (Canada); and Darrel Galera, principal of Moanalua High.

Hawaiian Skills Without Hawaiian Blood

M. Puakea Nogelmeier, who teaches Hawaiian language  at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, is well-respected as a researcher, translator, book editor and kumu hula. But he acknowledges that some  in

the Hawaiian-language field think that a person in his position should have native Hawaiian blood. He suggests that they check  employment laws.

This is a matter of sensitivity for other dedicated scholars of the Hawaiian language as well. They don't have koko (the blood) but they are pursuing  the knowledge and skills. Some have a little koko. How much do critics consider to be enough?

Puakea, in a brand-new episode of Long Story Short on PBS Hawaii, makes reference to those who'd like him to board a plane back to Minnesota.

Meanwhile, commuters boarding TheBus on Oahu hear Puakea's voice, announcing stops. Many busriders say that his pronunciation of Hawaiian street names has made them more aware and more careful in their use of the language.

 In a wide-ranging conversation, Puakea also speaks of kaona, hidden meanings, and explains that the concept is often misunderstood.

The Long Story Short program will air at 7:30 pm Tuesday (March 16, 2010) on PBS Hawaii. Later we'll post a written transcript and make a podcast available at www.pbshawaii.org

Of Rabbits and Rotarians

Today I had the pleasure of driving counter to the flow of early-morning rush hour. I headed out before dawn to Kapolei, easily going the speed limit on the H-1 freeway west and facing a blaze of bright headlights on slow-going cars pointed to Honolulu.

Turning onto the new North-South Road in Kapolei, there was only a Royal construction truck--and my soccer-mom sedan. I watched the sun come up as my car seemed to float on a smooth road unblighted by potholes.

 My early foray was to speak at a regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Kapolei Sunrise. Breakfast was served--and a member told me that the group's signature crispy bacon is worth any amount of trouble getting to the meeting. Wasn't hungry, so I'll take her word for it.

 I shared what PBS Hawaii is up to--and afterward, stayed to chat with club members.

What a diverse group! Members are into trucking, anti-aging care, journalism, and raising worms and rabbits. One woman stopped by to thank me for coming and then left cheerfully for a chemotherapy treatment.

I noticed this group added a fifth question to Rotary's Four-Way Test:

1. Is it true?

2. Is it fair to all concerned?

3. Will it build good will and better friendships?

4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

5.  WILL IT BE FUN?