Island Honda wins Small Business of the Year Award

By Wendy Osher 

Anne Oishi of Island Honda accepted the company’s award for Small Business of the Year with 11-50 Employees during the Mayor’s Small Business Awards Dinner, held Friday in Wailea.  The event celebrated businesses that have persevered and thrived even in challenging economic times.  Mayor Charmaine Tavares, who presented the awards, noted, “For every $100 we spend at a locally-owned business, nearly half goes back into our community.”  Also honored with a Small Business Award was Rusty Gage of Valley Isle Gymnastics who was recognized as Small Business of the Year with 0-10 employees. 

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qorr2uG6eUk /]

Anne Oishi of Island Honda accepts the company's Small Business Award during the 2010 Mayor's Small Business Awards Ceremony in Wailea.

Finalists in the Small Business categories were:  

• Dunes at Maui Lani Golf Course, David Gleason
• Gilbert & Associates, Larry Gilbert
• Island Honda, Anne Oishi (winner  business with 11-50 employees)
• Kalei Koa Farm, Rick Tamanaha
• Kula Country Farm, Monden Family
• Maui Thing, Saedene Ota
• Native Intelligence, Kapono’ai Molitau
• Playbook  Consulting Group, Leslie Mullens
• Valley Isle Gymnastics, Rusty Gage (winner business with 0-10 employees)

***** If you enjoyed this post, you may also like our story on Maui’s Economic Forecast by First Hawaiian Bank Economist Dr. Leroy Laney or our feature on Maui’s Young Small Business Person of the Year, Duane Ting.  At the same awards dinner, Harry and Neil Hasegawa were honored with the Mayor’s Lifetime Achievement Award for the 100 year old Hasegawa General Store in Hana, Maui.