2019 Gintong Pamana Leadership Awardees Announced

2019 Gintong Pamana Leadership Awardees Announced

The Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of its annual Gintong Pamana Leadership Awards, which will be held on Wednesday, June 12 at the Maui Beach Hotel.

The awards, which started in 1995, honors members of Maui’s Filipino community for their leadership and community service, said Jorge Tirona, president of the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce.

After the nomination process was closed on May 1, the Gintong Pamana committee confirmed each nomination met the minimum requirements, explained Dulce Karen Butay, Event Chairperson.

“The nominations were then submitted to an independent panel of judges highly qualified in ascertaining leadership. Each judge separately scored each nomination, grading the nominee based on four categories with a maximum amount of 25 points: leadership; service; making a difference; and achievement. The Board of Directors (without seeing the names of the nominees or the scores awarded by the Judges) then determined that a minimum average score of 80 (or B average) was required to receive the Gintong Pamana Leadership Award,” said Tirona.

Melen Magbual Agcolicol

This year’s awardees are Melen Magbual Agcolicol, Owner of Copy Services; Dionicia Dionie Bulosan Cabias, Staffing Supervisor at Hale Makua Health Services; Greg P. Peros, General Manager of Maui Beach Hotel; and Tante T. Urban, Owner/President of Tante’s Island Cuisine.

Agcolicol’s nomination stated “Melen Agcolicol is a natural leader and she has shown that in every organization she has been involved in. Her leadership skills started in high school when she was president of the Maui High School Filipino Club, which was an important milestone in her life, having immigrated to Maui just four years earlier.”

Agcolicol is a past president of the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce, and has also served as Vice President, Secretary, Immediate Past President, and Director. In 2018, Agcolicol served as the Event Chairperson for the Maui Fil-Am Heritage Festival and recently served as a Co-Chairperson of the Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament.

Agcolicol is a current member of the Board of Directors of Binhi at Ani, where she previously served as Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer. As a Director, she has been instrumental in focusing on the building maintenance needs of the Center and has taken a no nonsense approach to ensure the Center will be maintained adequately.

Also in 2018, Agcolicol served as Co-Chairperson of the committee that organized the Welcome Party for Ambassador Joselito Jimeno. Agcolicol was charged with organizing the food, all of which were donated.

In 2014, Agcolicol was awarded the Season for Peace award which honors “ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” The Season for Peace Foundation describes an awardee as someone who “moves our community in the direction of peace through their practice of nonviolence; serves as an unsung ambassador of good will who unselfishly donates time, talent, energy and resources for the greater good; is generous at heart, doing things that often go unnoticed; and is committed to making a positive significant difference in our global community.”

Dionicia Dionie Bulosan Cabias

Cabias’ nomination stated she is “a very awesome and amazing church/community leader to work with considering her attitude, virtues, work ethics, public relation, commitment and passion. She is the magnet of Christ the King Church to bring more people to work effectively and efficiently with common purpose and goal for a better Parish community. She is a role model and mentor to young parishioners to actively participate and get involved.”

Cabias, who was born and raised in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, Republic of the Philippines, arrived in Hawai‘i in 1974. She attended Maui Community College, where she was the Vice President of the MCC Filipino Club and a member of the MCC Filipino Club Dance Troupe). Cabias received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Kapi‘olani Community College.

Cabias was employed for thirty eight years at Hale Makua Health Services. She started as a Nurse Aide, Staff Nurse, Head Nurse, and finally as Staffing Supervisor.As Staffing Supervisor, she works hand in hand with the Human Resources department to recruit nurse aides and nurses, focusing on newly migrated nurses and health professionals from the Philippines.

Cabias has been an active parishioner of Christ the King Church since her arrival in 1974. Since the 1980’s she has been an officer/volunteer for the Parish Pastoral Council. She is the current Chair of the Parish Council, having been in that position since 2017.

Cabias is also the Chairperson of the CTK Church Cancer Ministry, having organized it in 2013. The Cancer Ministry serves those who are vulnerable, sick, and need immediate help especially those who are ill with cancer. The Cancer Ministry provides unconditional compassion, comfort, empathy and moral support by visiting and praying for the sick. The Cancer Ministry also assists the sick by helping them to find resources to make their life stress free and peaceful. For the last three years, Cabias has served as the captain for the CTK Relay for Life teams for the Central and West Maui relays. Cabias has also chaired the CTK Bazaar Committee for five consecutive years.

Cabia’s nomination concluded: “She is a very unique and one of a kind individual. She shares her precious time, invaluable efforts, generous giving of blessings, incomparable support and most of all, she’s a very committed and God-fearing woman who is superb and beyond compare.”

Greg P. Peros

Peros’ nomination stated “Peros has clearly personified his leadership abilities as exemplified by the numerous management positions he has held since entering the hospitality workforce upon graduation from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1992.

Believing what some great leaders have adopted as a doctrine, he subscribes to the belief of leading by example, letting actions speak louder than words, and instilling in others how they too can elevate themselves in life and work.” In 1992, Peros began his career in hospitality at the Grand Wailea Resort, Hotel and Spa. In his four year stint at Grand Wailea, Peros served as Turndown Manager, Housekeeping Tower Manager, Housekeeping Public Areas Manager, and Housekeeping Manager.

From 1996 to 2003, Peros was associated with the Starwood Hotels and Resorts. At the Sheraton Princess Ka‘iulani Hotel in Honolulu, he was Guest Service Manager. At Sheraton Maui Resort in Ka‘anapali, he was Property Operations Manager, Guest Service Manager, and Assistant Front Office Manager. At The Westin Maui in Ka‘anapali, Peros was Service Express Manager (Department Head).

Since 2003, Peros has been at Maui Beach Hotel in Kahului. He has been Executive Housekeeper, Director of Rooms, Director of Sales, and since 2012, General Manager, where he is responsible for all aspects of hotel operations.

Peros has been involved in a variety of community activities. At the top of the list is serving as the 2017 Chairperson of the Maui County Charity Walk, which raised $1.2 million for Maui County.

Peros has served or is a member of the Board of Directors of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association, the Maui High School Foundation, Kiwanis Club of Maui Foundation, Maui Waena Band Boosters, and Friends of Maui Waena. He is a Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Maui and is the current President of Maui Lani Cane Fire Foundation. He is also involved in his church, serving as a Maui Leadership Council member of Catholic Charities Hawai‘i and a Eucharistic Minister & Lector at St. Anthony Church.

Peros also serves as a coach for various youth sports, where he is able to instill the sportsmanship ethic and disciplined behavior in impressionable pre-teen and teen players which allows them to have the proper values befitting someone preparing for adulthood.

Peros’ nomination concluded “He is a positive individual, with a great attitude to complement this and always with Aloha, hoping to inspire others to do the same.”

Tante T. Urban

Urban’s nomination stated: “In the last few years, Tante Urban’s leadership has been crucial in two businesses, two Foundations, and a community newspaper. Tante’s Island Cuisine moved from Kona to Kahului in December 2012. At that time, Tante did not know anyone on Maui but Tante proved that great food, reasonable prices, and excellence in service will bring in the customers. Armed with the success of Tante’s Island Cuisine, Tante opened another restaurant in September 2018—Tante’s Ma‘alaea LLC dba Tante’s Fish Market Restaurant and Bar. Tante has also utilized his leadership skills in the Bahay Kubo Heritage Foundation and created the Tante & Araceli Urban Foundation. When the Bahay Kubo Heritage Foundation was created in 2016 with Tante as Vice President, he has often times taken the ‘bull by the horns’ and pushed the Board to move forward with the Bahay Kubo renovations.

Many of the creative ideas have emanated from Tante’s constantly clicking mind. For example, the fund raising dinner in 2017 was Tante’s idea and Tante continuously uses his relationships to push forward the renovation. In 2017, with Tante as President/Editor, the Fil-Am Voice’s first issue was published. Initially the newspaper was published every other month but with Tante’s forceful leadership, the newspaper quickly became a monthly one. Tante constantly pushes the Fil-Am Voice staff to pursue newsworthy stories and write interesting columns as well as procure new advertisers, which is the bloodline for every newspaper. Running a community newspaper is not easy but Tante is able to bring the staff together to ensure the paper is delivered so its loyal readers can continue to enjoy it.”

Urban received his B.A. in Hotel and Restaurant Management in 1970 from the University of Hawai‘i Hilo. He began his culinary career as a Cook Apprentice at King Kamehameha Hotel, became Chef at Kona Gallery Restaurant, Sous Chef at Keauhou Beach Hotel, Executive Chef at Kona Lagoon Hotel, Executive Chef at Ramada Inn Hotel in Santa Clara, California, Souse Chef at Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu, Head Garde Manger at Royal Waikoloan Hotel, and Chef Garde Manger at Orchid’s at Mauna Lani before venturing into his own restaurant business. He is also the owner of seven apartment rental properties.

He is the Founder and Past President of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Kona and a two-time Past President of the Filipino Organization of Kona.

Through his Foundation, Urban has supported scholarship programs on Maui and in Kona. He has also supported many other causes in Maui’s community, such as the Maui Waena media program.

Through his business, Urban has provided support to the community by employing many employees and giving them the opportunity to be self-sustaining—even while at school or having other jobs. Urban’s nomination concluded: “Tante makes a difference by leading by example.

The saying of ‘Talk is cheap’ does not apply to Tante. In fact, Tante is always making sure that he is completely involved in every activity that he is involved in—whether it’s business or community. Tante is proof that a son of a Sakada can, through hard work and education, succeed in Hawai‘i.”

The Fil-Am Voice congratulates the 2019 Gintong Pamana Leadership Awardees as well as the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce for coordinating this annual event. For more information on tickets and advertising, contact Event Chairperson Dulce Karen Butay at (808) 268-5354 or dulcekarenbutay@yahoo.com.

Alfredo G. Evangelista received the Gintong Pamana Leadership Award in 2014.