MPIAA Awards
The MPIAA continues the tradition of honoring outstanding alumni and distinguished Mid-Pacific supporters for their service to the school and the community at the Alumni Pā‘ina, which is the school’s largest alumni gathering of the year. Awards are scheduled to be presented to the 2025 honorees at the next Alumni Pā‘ina on Saturday, July 19, 2025. Below are the award descriptions and criteria:
Nominations are due by January 28, 2025. Submit your nomination online or contact Ross Willkom, Director of Alumni & Parent Engagement at alumni@midpac.edu or (808) 973-5117. Thank you!
Wa‘ahila Award
This distinguished award is presented to a graduate of Mid-Pacific Institute or a person closely associated with Mid-Pacific who has excelled in his/her field of endeavor and has attained a level of prominence which exceeds his/her service to Mid-Pacific, yet reflects favorably on Mid-Pacific Institute.
Criteria
- Graduate of Mid-Pacific is preferred. Non-graduates with ties to Mid-Pacific may be considered.
- Preference will be given for excellence in field of endeavor or prominence within the community, which reflects favorably on Mid-Pacific.
- This award will be made only when there are qualified candidates.
Honorees
| Award Year | Honoree |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Dr. Edna Hussey |
| 2023 | Ann Kondo |
| 2022 | Wade Ueoka ’93 |
| 2020/2021 | Michael B. Wood |
| 2019 | Mark Hines |
| 2018 | Satoru Izutsu ’46 |
| 2017 | Troy Tanji ’82 |
| 2016 | Irene (Imamura) Matsumoto ’47 |
| 2015 | Ronald Yara ’65 Rudy Puana ’90 |
| 2014 | Don Botelho Frank Watase ’41 |
| 2013 | Joe C. Rice |
| 2012 | Ronald Moon ’58 |
| 2011 | NONE |
| 2010 | Michael Lanakila Casupang |
| 2009 | NONE |
| 2008 | Ariel (Fung) Chun ’60 Atherton Family |
| 2007 | William Aull (deceased) |
| 2006 | James Kometani ’57 |
| 2005 | Dickson Lee ’64 |
Alumnus/Alumna of the Year
The highest award of the MPIAA is presented to a person who has provided outstanding service to the school, displayed a strong sense of support and loyalty, and has dedicated significant effort to the improvement of Mid-Pacific.
Criteria
- Graduate of Mid-Pacific is preferred; former Mid-Pacific students but non-graduates may be considered.
- All things being equal, preference will be given for service to Mid-Pacific.
- Award(s) will be presented annually.
- Person selected must be someone with a favorable reputation.
- Person must be living when selected.
- Person must be present to receive the award.
Honorees
| Award Year | Honoree |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Michael Maeda ’79 |
| 2023 | Todd Jinbo ’96 |
| 2022 | Kenneth J. Kobatake ’65 |
| 2020/2021 | Steven Teruya ’70 |
| 2019 | Hovey Lambert ’69 |
| 2018 | Ronald Yara ’65 |
| 2017 | Eric Koike ’93 |
| 2016 | Bill Wheeler ’78 |
| 2015 | James Honke ’58 |
| 2014 | Dickson Lee ’64 |
| 2013 | Karen (Kawano) Koles ’63 |
| 2012 | Jim Kometani ’57 (2nd award) |
| 2011 | Walter Ozawa ’63 |
| 2010 | Calvin Kuniyuki ’66 |
| 2009 | Galen Narimatsu ’55 |
| 2008 | Claude Takanishi ’69 |
| 2007 | Alan Hinazumi ’61 (2nd Award) (deceased) |
| 2006 | Lynn (Warashina) Murata ’63 |
| 2005 | Dorothy (Hanamaikai) Crowell ’55 (2nd award) |
| 2004 | George Okihiro ’47 |
| 2003 | Frank Watase ’41 |
| 2002 | Emily (Hino) Fujii ’47 |
| 2001 | H.S. Kawakami ’22 (2nd Award) (deceased) |
| 2000 | Carl Watanabe ’64 |
| 1999 | Wayne Fujimoto ’70 Ruby (Kawasaki) Takebayashi ’56 (deceased) |
| 1998 | Mary Anne (Pinho) Kusaka ’53 |
| 1997 | Beatrice (Herrera) Sailer ’56 Carlier Wheeler ’97 (honorary) |
| 1996 | Les Cingcade (deceased) |
| 1995 | The Arakawa Family |
| 1994 | Kaname Nakamaru ’23 (deceased) |
| 1993 | Edward Yamanaka ’47 (deceased) |
| 1992 | James Kometani ’57 |
| 1991 | Masaichi Imoto ’25 (3rd award) (deceased) |
| 1990 | Ronald Moon ’58 |
| 1989 | Takuji Fujimura ’43 (deceased) |
| 1988 | Dai Ho Chun ’26 (deceased) |
| 1987 | Alan Hinazumi ’61 (1st award) (deceased) Alan Sabate ’63 |
| 1986 | Ah Jook (Leong) Ku ’29 (deceased) |
| 1985 | Harold Kometani ’36 (2nd award) (deceased) |
| 1984 | Larry Isobe ’52 (deceased) |
| 1983 | Robert Sasaki ’35 (deceased) |
| 1982 | Donna (Chun) Wong ’36 (deceased) |
| 1981 | Masaichi Imoto ’25 (2nd award) (deceased) Robert Iwamura ’25 (deceased) Fred Takahashi ’33 (deceased) Edmund Young ’22 (2nd award) (deceased) |
| 1980 | Alexander Atherton (deceased) |
| 1979 | Robert Taira ’33 (deceased) |
| 1978 | Lincoln Ishida ’49 |
| 1977 | Michael Okihiro ’43 |
| 1976 | Joseph Kuroda ’45 |
| 1975 | Fortunato Teho, Sr. ’23 (deceased) |
| 1974 | Carlton Hanta ’48 |
| 1973 | T. Raymond Sekiya ’51 |
| 1972 | Robert Hinazumi ’44 |
| 1971 | Raymond Nagata ’47 (deceased) |
| 1970 | Ben Kaito ’44 |
| 1969 | Dorothy (Hanamaikai) Crowell ’55 (1st award) |
| 1968 | Will Hayashi ’46 (deceased) |
| 1967 | Masato Doi ’39 (deceased) |
| 1966 | Y. Baron Goto ’20 (deceased) |
| 1965 | Teruo Himoto ’41 (deceased) |
| 1964 | Thomas Uyeno ’34 (deceased) |
| 1963 | Takashi Kitaoka ’30 (deceased) |
| 1962 | Clarence Koike ’24 (deceased) |
| 1961 | Harold Kometani ’36 (1st award) (deceased) |
| 1960 | Tsuneko (Nakamoto) Yawata ’33 (deceased) |
| 1959 | Sai Chow Doo ’26 (deceased) Katsumi Kometani ’25 (deceased) |
| 1958 | Edmund Young ’22 (1st award) (deceased) |
| 1957 | Max Kitaoka ’28 (deceased) |
| 1956 | Masaichi Imoto ’25 (1st award) (deceased) |
| 1955 | Herbert Taketa ’20 (deceased) |
| 1954 | Harvey Kawakami ’22 (deceased) |
| 1953 | Tsuneo Koike ’20 (deceased) James Morita ’32 (deceased) Steere Noda ’11 (deceased) |
