Two Mid-Pacific graduates were recently honored with regional Emmy Awards. Congratulations to Jon Suyat '93 and Aaron Katagiri '07 for their achievements recognized at the 49th Annual Northern California Area Emmy Awards. Both are employed at KGMB/KHNL Hawaii News Now.

Video journalist Jon Suyat '93 has covered general assignment news for the past seven years. He worked as executive producer/photographer on "Prescribing Hope: Trapped on the Streets."

Suyat mentioned some of his professional highlights: covering hurricanes and lava flows on Hawai'i Island; the Hokule'a when she left for Tahiti in 2014 and again in 2016 when the crew celebrated World Oceans Day at the United Nations in New York City; Flying to Eugene, Oregon, to shoot Marcus Mariota's last home game as a Duck and a few weeks later flying out to NYC to watch him win the Heisman Trophy; covering UH Football for a week in Sydney, Australia; and traveling to the Bay Area to cover Super Bowl 50 between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos.

"I love my job," Suyat said enthusiastically.

Aaron Katagiri '07 has worked at Hawaii News Now for just over six years with the last four of those in the marketing department as a writer/producer/designer. His job allows him the opportunity to work on a variety of elements that appear in news, commercials, station promos, and local programming. He has four Emmy nominations and this is his first win.

His award was in the category of "Lifestyle - Feature/Segment" for the "HI Now" segment, "Pike Place Market: Where farmers, artisans, and small businesses thrive."

Katagiri's role on this specific project was graphic artist on a team that included Executive Producer Chimaine Pouteau, Producer/Host Jobeth Devera, Photographer/Editor Joey Kirstine, and Director/Photographer/Editor Katie Ann Lange.

"Receiving this honor along with the other members of the HI News Now team is a pretty awesome milestone in my career," Katagiri said. "I am extremely proud of the entire team for the total of three Emmy nominations the show received this year and grateful for all the  support from family, friends, teachers, and colleagues."