GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES EXPORTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
For Immediate Release: October 2, 2003
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today recognized the Big Island Abalone Corporation as the 2003 Governor's Exporter of the Year.
The Big Island Abalone Corporation was among seven companies and individuals honored at an awards ceremony at Washington Place for outstanding achievements in exporting Hawai`i’s products and services. The aquaculture firm specializes in growing high-valued abalone. Success in exporting, combined with a solid commitment for expansion and growth in Hawai`i, contributed to its selection as the overall winner.
"We want to recognize companies and individuals that significantly contribute to expanding Hawai`i's exports of products or services to the rest of the world," said Governor Lingle. "These outstanding businesses provide quality job opportunities for our resident and help position Hawai`i in the global market place.”
These businesses represent the vitality of Hawai`i's export diversification efforts. Three of the seven winning companies are current tenants at the Manoa Innovation Center, a full-service incubation facility managed by the state’s High Technology Development Corporation.
The Exporter of the Year was awarded to the Exporter of Fresh Commodities, the Big Island Abalone Corporation, which is an aquaculture firm growing abalone and marketing its products primarily to Japan and Asia.
Manoa Innovation Center’s Blue Planet Software, Inc., and Oceanic Imaging Consultants, Inc. were each awarded Exporter of High Technology and are both recognized world wide for their work and software development. Blue Planet is best known for its game ware, Tetris. Oceanic Imaging Consultants, Inc. has developed and markets software that enables their clientele to map the ocean bottom for navigational and research applications.
Safe Water Systems, LLC, also a tenant at the Manoa Innovation Center, was awarded Exporter of Manufactured Products. It has a unique product that is producing potable water for many third world countries without the use of electricity, fuels or chemicals, affecting the livelihood of over 100,000 people in 48 countries.
Cates International, Inc. was awarded New Exporter. It has made significant inroads in establishing its products in the U.S. market and is the first aquaculture firm in the nation to be granted an open ocean leasing agreement to raise the fish, moi, in submerged cages offshore.
Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc. was awarded Exporter of Professional Services and is recognized as the worldwide leader in the planning, simulation and installation of submarine cables and deep ocean pipes.
Richard Nelson of Hawaii Biz Link, LLC, was recognized as the Outstanding Contributor to Exporting and is known throughout the Hawai`i agricultural industry and the Big Island business community for his selfless and tireless work to increase agricultural exports from Hawai`i. He has concentrated on improving transportation, getting products to market and the marketing of agricultural products.
Co-sponsoring the Governor’s Exporter of the Year Awards program with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is the State Department of Agriculture. Participating in support are the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii and the Pacific Business News.
For more information about the Governor's Exporter of the Year Awards program or exporting and overseas marketing opportunities, please call DBEDT Communications at (808) 587-2784; fax: (808) 587-2427; e-mail to info@dbedt.hawaii.gov.
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For more information, contact:
Ted Liu
Director, DBEDT
Phone: (808) 586-2355
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7705
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043
2003 EXPORTER OF THE YEAR WINNERS
Exporter of the Year and Exporter of Fresh Commodities
Big Island Abalone Corporation
Michael Buchal, President
Sponsor: Victoria Hasty, First Hawaiian Bank
The Big Island Abalone Corporation (BIAC) is an aquaculture business operating in the Hawai`i Ocean Sciences and Technology (HOST) Park at Keahole Point, Big Island. They originally started as a R&D tenant at the State of Hawai`i - Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority in 1997, and in 2000 broke ground in the HOST park to start their commercial venture. At full capacity they will be the nation’s largest abalone farm producing upwards of 100 tons of abalone annually and potentially the largest in the world. 55% of their product is currently consumed in Japan, of which 90% is shipped live.
Their distinctive mark in exporting is their approach to entering the Japanese market, a historically difficult food market to enter. BIAC has gained brand recognition and a solid reputation that delivers predictable pricing, high quality and a select customer base. BIAC’s in-country sales force has made inroads throughout Japan through the use of non-traditional channels of distribution.
Over 60 hotels throughout Tokyo carry this product.
Development of omiyagi packs.
Development of live tank holding facilities in Tokyo.
Iron Chef Morimoto has expressed interest in including the product in his chain of restaurants.
Former Iron Chef Tan is developing product lines along with other abalone processors in Japan.
BIAC is on its way to being one of the most successful aquaculture firms to enter into exporting in recent years
Exporter of High Technology
Blue Planet Software, Inc.
Henk B. Rogers, President & CEO
Sponsor: Ken Tomi, High Technology Development Corporation
Blue Planet Software, Inc. represents and redesigns computer games. It has successfully established itself as a top game design company. Its most recognized game, Tetris, is wildly successful in the international market for computer games. They have redesigned the game software to work with a Japanese publisher of mobile phone games, G-Mode. Blue Planet Software, Inc. is an example of Hawai`i’s future wave of companies that will be at the core of firms exporting high-technology intellectual property. They have also demonstrated that the world is truly their market place.
Exporter of High Technology
Oceanic Imaging Consultants, Inc.
Thomas B. Reed IV, Owner/President
Sponsor: Carolyn Ching CPA
Oceanic Imaging Consultants, Inc. (OIC) was founded in 1993 and was a spin-off from research developed at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa. They started in the State’s incubator, Manoa Innovation Center, and blossomed. OIC develops seafloor imaging software and systems that acquire side-scan sonar, interferometric, multi-beam bathymetry, sub-bottom and navigational data for underwater mapping applications.
They have successfully marketed this technology to the Department of Defense as well as other foreign entities in Korea, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Denmark, and China. Much of their success has been a tried and true process of consistently marketing their products at key technology trade shows, some of which were sponsored through the State of Hawai`i’s Ocean Resources Branch.
OIC has developed relationships with key sonar companies Bethos and Ultra Electronics of Weymouth, England, and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. These relationships have allowed OIC to excel in international and domestic sales and successfully compete in the world market.
Exporter of Professional Services
Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc.
Joseph C. Van Ryzin, President
Sponsor: Art Tokin, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc. is a kama`aina company with its roots going back to 1973. Located at the Makai Pier at Makapu`u, O`ahu, this ocean engineering company has offered services worldwide, providing technical expertise in deep-water intake pipelines and systems software for the development and planning of simulation and at-sea installation of submarine telecommunications and power cables. Their software product is the dominant software used worldwide in the telecommunications industry.
They are the recognized leaders in the planning, simulation and installation of submarine cables. Their lists of clientele are from around the world, including France, USA, Italy, Norway, Belgium, Canada, England, Singapore, Japan, French Polynesia, and others.
The company’s recent deployment of the NELHA 55” diameter deep seawater pipeline in 3,000 feet of water was recognized as one of the top six civil engineering projects in the United States.
As most of their income is derived from exporting, they are an exporter to be recognized.
Exporter of Manufactured Products
Safe Water Systems, LLC
William Hartzell, President
Sponsor: Naomi Masuno, Central Pacific Bank
How often can a company claim that it is saving peoples lives around the world? Safe Water Systems, Inc. invented and developed the technology and a product that produces safe drinking water without the use of electricity, fuel or chemicals. It has been marketing and donating its Solar Water Pasteurizers in 48 countries, affecting the lives of over 100,000 people.
Its product, the Solar Water Pasteurizer, is a safe and low-cost solution to a worldwide problem of contaminated drinking water. The challenge however has not been a lack of clientele, but more often than not, the clientele are people too poor to afford the units. The company has overcome this challenge by establishing alliances with funding organizations, relief organizations, a variety of businesses and marketing agents throughout the world.
Safe Water Systems, Inc. is also a successful tenant in the State’s Manoa Innovation Center. It is a prime example of how “great and wonderful things” can come from a small venture and how the State’s incubator is helping to create remarkable companies.
New Exporter
Cates International, Inc.
John R. Cates, President and Virginia Enos, Vice President
Sponsor: Joel Stauring, Bank of Hawai`i
Moi (Polydactylus sexfilis), recognized as the fish of the Ali`i, is now being produced for all to eat. Cates International, Inc. is the first aquaculture firm in the nation to be granted an open ocean leasing agreement to raise fish in submerged cages offshore. They have successfully established a market in restaurants and at fish counters throughout Hawai`i and are now making inroads in export markets. Moi is gaining exposure in restaurants across the U.S. Its deep roots in the Hawaiian culture and cuisine is a significant marketing point of interest. Locally, moi is a highly sought-after fish with delicate flesh that is great for steaming or baking.
The Oceanic Institute and the University of Hawai`i developed the concept of growing fish in submerged cages and John Cates transferred this technology into reality. The cages are submerged two miles offshore where there is little impact on shoreline ecosystems and where they are away from sight and shipping lanes. Cates International is one of Hawai`i’s newest of exporters.
Outstanding Contributor
Richard L. Nelson
Agricultural Specialist & Marketer
Hawaii Biz Link, LLC
Sponsor: Carol VanCamp
Hawai`i Island Chamber of Commerce
Richard Nelson is known throughout the Hawai`i agricultural industry and the Big Island business community for his selfless and tireless work to increase agricultural exports from Hawai`i. He has concentrated on improving transportation, getting products to market, and marketing agricultural products.
Through his active work with industry groups, agencies and local manufacturers/growers over the past ten years, Nelson has helped to establish:
Improved packaging and branding of the floral industry.
Better shipping rates for exporters.
Educational materials and resource books to help exporters and the cargo industry.
Better shipping service and more available flights and facilities via FedEx and UPS.
Hawai`i’s first Agricultural Expo.
Community support for agriculture related issues.
The successful trades show contingent of Hawai`i companies at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California.
