Five distinguished individuals were recognized at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business Hall of Honor Awards on October 8 at the Sheraton Waikīkī. These individuals were selected for their outstanding contributions to their profession, community and to the Shidler College of Business. The evening culminated with a special Visionary Award presented to Jay H. Shidler, founder and managing partner of The Shidler Group, for his contribution to the college and to the University of Hawaiʻi.
In 2006, Shidler donated $25 million to the college. In honor of his gift, the college was renamed the Shidler College of Business.
The gift allowed the college to increase student scholarship and faculty research support, expand academic programs, provide matching gift opportunities, and upgrade the building exterior, classrooms and surrounding environment. Since then, Shidler quietly donated another $6 million to further renovate the college facilities. In 2014, Shidler made a commitment of $69 million, extending his total gift to $100 million. To date, this is the largest private donation in the history of UH.
- Related UH news story: “Historic $100 million gift presented to Shidler College of Business” October 17, 2014
Shidler Hall of Honor inductees
- Tran Trong Kien, chairman and CEO of Thien Minh Group, one of the largest integrated travel companies in the Southeast Asian region with 17 offices in 11 countries
- Eric Martinson, senior vice president of endowment at the Queen’s Health Systems and president of Queen Emma Land Company and the Queen’s Development Corporation
- Dawn Matsumoto, Gerhard G. Mueller Endowed Professor of Accounting at the University of Washington
- Lawrence Rodriguez, retired managing partner of Ernest and Young Hawaiʻi, retired executive vice president and CFO at Central Pacific Bank and executive-in-residence at the Shidler College of Business
- Allen Uyeda, retired president and CEO of First Insurance Company of Hawaiʻi
“It was an honor to present Jay with the college’s first Visionary Award and also induct five amazing business leaders into our Hall of Honor,” said Vance Roley, dean of the Shidler College of Business. “Through their leadership, entrepreneurial success and public service, these stellar individuals have made significant impacts in their profession, community and to the college. They are excellent examples of the quality of our alumni and friends in Hawaiʻi and around the world.”
The Shidler Hall of Honor Awards is an annual fundraising event to honor outstanding alumni and friends of the college. Since 1992, the college has inducted 86 alumni and friends from around the world.
—By Dolly Omiya
