Maui Chamber announces small business nominees for awards ceremony March 30

The 2021 Mayor’s Small Business Awards that were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic now will be held on March 30, with all nominees and winners honored during a ceremony at the Maui Beach Hotel in Kahului.

Registration is required, with tickets available to purchase at MauiChamber.com by clicking on the Events page. Until March 17, the price is $69 for dinner and cocktails. The price increases to $79 after that date.

“We are thrilled to share the exceptional businesses nominated for this event,” Maui Chamber of Commerce President Pamela Tumpap said. “These small businesses are pillars in our community and showcase the Aloha Spirit in their work every day.”

The nominees for each category:

Lifetime achievement award (for individual doing business in Maui County for more than 20 years, with up to 100 employees):

• Kush Fine Art – Vladimir Kush
• Service Rentals & Supplies – Ryan Ouye

Exceptional small business of the year (10 or fewer employees): 

• Beauty By Nature – Lani Morris 
• GJ’s Fishing Tackle and Supply – Glen Goya
• The Maui Cookie Lady – Mitzi Toro
• Tyler Coons Maui – Tyler Coons

Exceptional small business of the year (11 to 39 employees): 

• Coconut Condos – Angela Leone
• SixtyTwo MarcKet – Marc McDowell
• Truss Systems Hawaii – Scott Loomer

Outstanding non-profit business (100 or fewer employees): 

• Feed My Sheep
• Project Ho’omana 
• Roots School

Young small businessperson of the year (under age 40 as of Dec. 16, 2021):

• U’i Ahuna – So U’i Designs
• Tiara Rivera – Geeky Mama’s Studios
• Heidi Watanabe – Mountain View Bounty Farms and Watanabe Vegetable Processing

The Mayor’s Small Business Awards recognizes outstanding businesses in our community that have 100 or fewer employees. Other criteria include: demonstrating business leadership in a changing economic environment; creating a quality work environment for their employees; exhibiting the Aloha Spirit and exemplary customer service; developing partnerships with other sectors of the community; and demonstrating other exceptional qualities or traits. 

The event at the Maui Beach Hotel rainbow ballroom runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on March 30. For more information and available sponsorships, please visit MauiChamber.com or contact the Maui Chamber of Commerce at 808-244-0081 or [email protected].

*Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story had a photo caption that incorrectly identified the winner of the Lifetime Achievement award. The complete list of recipients is posted in a followup article here.