BDC Director David Daly named MEO Employee of the Year

Business Development Center Director David Daly was named Maui Economic Opportunity Employee of the Year at the nonprofit’s holiday gathering Dec. 19.

Daly was selected from the cadre of the Employee of Month winners for 2025 and was the Employee of the Month for March. The Employee of the Month and Year nominations are made by staff with selection by the administrative team.

The award recognizes outstanding service in carrying out MEO’s Mission “to strengthen the community…while helping people in need restore their hope, empowering them to reach their potential and enrich their lives” and embodying MEO’s core values of teamwork, integrity, personal excellence, empathy, creativity, flexibility and respect.

Daly was nominated by longtime receptionist Kai Oliver, who had a firsthand view of his interactions with staff and the public. She said he is “always warm and friendly” with clients and “an excellent listener.”

“His natural character with customers and employees of MEO shows compassion, understanding and fairness to all,” Oliver said. “One of his greatest gifts he has is his funny and humorous sayings for expressions that really and truly make you smile for the rest of the day.”

Oliver made the nomination prior to her retirement earlier this year; she died this summer.

As the director of BDC, David leads a five-person department ‒ with a specialist on Moloka`i ‒ that offers general business micro- and agricultural- grants, the Core Four business planning, teen and adult financial literacy classes and credit counseling. He joined MEO in March 2009.

He received a cash award and an extra day off.

For more information about BDC, call 808-249-2990.