UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources recognizes Meadow Gold executive

Glenn Muranaka

Glenn K. Muranaka, recently retired president and general manager of Meadow Gold Dairies, will receive the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources’ 2018 Ka Lei Hano Heritage Award at the college’s annual awards banquet May 4.

Muranaka is being recognized for a lifetime of sound leadership and civic involvement. His solution-oriented ability to plan for strategic change, encourage product development, enhance organizational productivity and strengthen brand equity ensured the vitality of a local agribusiness in a challenging environment, while his commitment to employees’ professional development and community involvement enhanced societal wellbeing.

During a 45-year career with Meadow Gold, Muranaka became the first locally-born executive to head the state’s largest dairy. He joined the company in 1972 as a statistical clerk after earning an accounting degree from Kapi‘olani Community College and studying management and accounting at UH Mānoa. Under his leadership, Meadow Gold has been a strong and longstanding supporter of CTAHR student and community activities as well as partnering with the Hawai‘i Department of Education to promote health, fitness and nutrition. The company supports community organizations ranging from youth soccer to the American Heart Association and Hawai‘i Island Food Basket and Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital.

“It’s not always about price and it’s not always about location. It’s about doing what feels right,” Muranaka told Hawai‘i Business in 2010. His formula worked: he boosted employee morale and consumer confidence to make Meadow Gold of Hawai‘i a top 250 Company in Hawai‘i and one of the top performing units in parent company Dean Foods.

The father of three has been inducted into the Halls of Fame of both his alma mater, McKinley High School, and the Hawai‘i Food Industry Association. He has also been recognized by Hawai‘i Community Foundation, named a Small Business Hawai‘i Business Booster and acknowledged by the authors of 2011 book Executive Thinking: From Brightness to Brilliance alongside the likes of Harvard University business school dean and former prime minister of Singapore Stephen Covey.

For more information about the CTAHR awards banquet, visit the website at ctahr.hawaii.edu/banquet or call 808-956-2405.

ABOUT CTAHR: The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources is the founding college of the University of Hawai‘i and integral to its land-grant missions of teaching, research and Cooperative Extension outreach. Information at www.ctahr.hawaii.edu

For more information, visit: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/banquet