UH buildings and grounds maintenance employees recognized

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Arlene Abiang, (808) 956-5637
Mia Noguchi, (808) 956-9095
External Affairs & University Relations
Posted: Aug 18, 2005

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaiʻi has selected Roxanne Adams as the 2005 recipient of the President‘s Award for Excellence in Buildings and Grounds Maintenance. The 2004 award will be given to Harris Okuda who will be posthumously recognized for his service to the university. The award honors UH employees who exhibit dedication and sustained superior performance in a maintenance, landscaping, custodial, shop or trucking position.

Roxanne Adams is a grounds manager with the buildings and grounds management office at UH Mānoa. Her experience with landscaping, botanical gardens, as well as operating her own native plant nursery has made her an expert of native plants around the university and in the community. Adams recently designed the natural resources and environmental management department‘s native and ecosystem educational garden in the Sherman Courtyard, which won the 2005 Betty Crocker Landscape Award for a Community Garden.

Harris Okuda was a groundskeeper with the student housing office at UH Mānoa. Okuda will be posthumously recognized and remembered for being a skilled, effective, supportive and caring employee of the university. His approachable and friendly manner made it easy for residents and fellow employees to seek him out. On a number of occasions, colleagues observed him taking time out of his busy schedule to address a concern or question, which he happily did.

Adams and Mr. Okuda‘s family members will be recognized along with other UH award winners at a system-wide ceremony in September.