Innovation Awards Presented

"Innovation is about a lot more than just technology," said Governor Lingle. "It is about finding better ways to do things - more environmentally sensitive, less expensive ways that reach a broader segment of the community to get the entire community in the frame of mind of being better and getting better at everything we do."

The Governor congratulated this month's recipients for their work to show the state how innovation can help address many of the challenges facing society and can be employed in all sectors of our community.

"These individuals and organizations have taken innovative approaches to protect our environment, help at-risk youth become leaders in their community and expand students' learning beyond the traditional classroom setting," she said.

The recipients of this month's Governor's Innovation Award recipients are:

Innovation by an Individual:  Erwin Hudelist

Erwin Hudelist, president of Hagedone Printing, has implemented innovative solutions to make Hawai`i's largest printing company more environmentally friendly and Hawai`i a cleaner, greener state.  The company Hudelist joined in 1998 was once cited as a heavy industrial polluter.  Under his leadership, the company adopted new printing processes and technologies to reduce the emissions from evaporated inks and solvents.  To reduce the amount of paper waste, Hudelist implemented a paper recycling effort that has recycled more than 3,000 metric tons of paper waste that otherwise would have ended up in landfills.  The earnings from the paper recycling are used to purchase more recycled paper for other print orders.

Hudelist's actions inspired the Governor to make changes in her own office. During the ceremony, the Governor announced her office will no longer use styrofoam cups or bottled water.

Innovation by an Organization:  Wai`anae Community Re-Development Corporation

The Wai`anae Community Re-Development Corporation has developed innovative programs to improve the lives of young people from O`ahu's Leeward Coast and mobilize them to become leaders and "agents of change" in their community.  The programs merge education, economic development and Hawaiian cultural elements to help young people overcome a myriad of obstacles, including teen pregnancy, school drop out, alcohol and drug use, homelessness and arrests.

Innovation in Government: West Hawai`i Explorations Academy Public Charter School

As a public charter school, West Hawai`i Explorations Academy (WHEA) has developed innovative teaching methods that focus on outdoor environmental science learning that will instill a lifetime of innovative thinking in their students.  The school has developed a wide array of research-based practices that allow its students to interact and learn in the community via long-term projects, instead of primarily in a traditional classroom.

Governor Lingle initiated the Governor's Innovation Award to acknowledge and encourage innovation across all sectors statewide.  The awards, which are being presented monthly, recognize deserving individuals, companies, nonprofits, organizations and government agencies that are developing innovative products, services and processes.  The award is part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s Hawai`i Innovation Initiative, a comprehensive plan to transform Hawai`i's economy from one dependent on land development to one that builds on the human ingenuity and ability to innovate and compete successfully in the global economy. 

• Watch the ceremony.
• For more information about the awards, and to submit a nomination, please visit: http://hawaii.gov/gov/innovation-award