$3.6M gift from Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation

Supports UH's Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head

The Takitani Foundation presented the UH Culinary Institute of the Pacific with a check for $3.6M.

Link to video and sound (details below): https://bit.ly/30EXjrT

Honolulu, HI (August 27, 2019) – Today the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation (Takitani Foundation) donated an additional $2.5 million to the University of Hawai‘i’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP) at Diamond Head to support culinary education in the institute’s new and growing facility. This builds on their 2017 gift of $1.1 million, bringing their total support for construction and programs of the CIP to $3.6 million. In recognition of their generous support, the innovation center building at the CIP will be named the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Innovation Center.

UH President David Lassner said, “This gift is helping create a unique world-class home for one of UH’s signature programs, the Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP).  The CIP will change the lives of UH students from multiple campuses across the island, will help meet the workforce needs of our own hospitality community, and will be a shining beacon for Hawaiʻi’s leadership in culinary innovation and excellence.  The full CIP vision is now becoming a reality thanks to the dedication and generous support of the state, community partners and donors like our friends at the Takitani Foundation, who have graced us again with their incredible generosity.”

Mamoru and Aiko Takitani, founders of Hawaiian Host, created the Takitani Foundation in 1993 to express their appreciation to the local community for its support of Hawaiian Host products. Since inception, the Takitani Foundation has provided scholarships to Hawaiʻi students who exemplify the qualities of hard work, high academic achievement, commitment to excellence, and community service, values that the Takitanis lived by. The Takitani Foundation is dedicated to helping Hawai‘i’s students achieve their educational and career goals, and supporting educational initiatives that benefit them.

"Mamoru Takitani was a true innovator. He was the first person who envisioned combining delicious macadamia nuts with his original signature milk chocolate recipe to create what is recognized worldwide today as one of Hawai‘i’s most iconic gifts,” said Michael W. Perry, chairman of the Takitani Foundation Board of Directors. “Naming the Innovation Center at the Culinary Institute of the Pacific is a fitting tribute to Mamoru and Aiko Takitani.”

“We are excited about the new Innovation Center and the potential for fresh new ideas in the culinary arts here in Hawaiʻi,” said Ed Schultz, president of Hawaiian Host. “We are pleased to continue the Takitanis' vision for Hawaiian Host and contribute to the mission and work of the Takitani Foundation to support youth in their educational goals.”

Over the years the Takitani Foundation has provided over $5.4 million in scholarships and grants in Hawaiʻi. At UH, the Takitani Foundation has been a key funder of the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) program at the Shidler College of Business at UH Mānoa, and recently funded the 13^th Year Programs at Windward Community College and Honolulu Community College for students in need of support.

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About the Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP)

 As part of the University of Hawai‘i System of universities and colleges, the 7.8-acre high tech campus is located minutes from Honolulu’s business center on the slopes of Diamond Head. The CIP is an advanced, one-of-a-kind culinary campus that has a global reach emphasizing the cultural diversity of the Islands with a commitment to sustainability, research, and advanced learning opportunities in culinary management and food service. For more information, contact Kapi‘olani CC Career and Technical Education Dean John Richards at johnlric@hawaii.edu.

About the University of Hawai‘i

Established in 1907 and fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the University of Hawai‘i System includes 10 campuses and dozens of educational, training and research centers across the state. As the sole public system of higher education in Hawai‘i, UH offers an array of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees and community programs. UH enrolls about 50,000 students from Hawai‘i, the U.S. continent and around the world. For more information visit UHNews.org, www.hawaii.edu, Facebook or Twitter.

About the University of Hawai‘i Foundation

The University of Hawai‘i Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the UH System. The mission of the University of Hawai‘i Foundation is to unite donors’ passions with UH’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawai‘i and our future generations. www.uhfoundation.org

VIDEO:

B-ROLL: (1:24)

5 shots check presentation

11 shots file of Kapi‘olani CC culinary team practicing for national competition.

SOUND:

John Richards, Executive Director, UH Culinary Institute of the Pacific (:14)

“This is a remarkable day where public and private vision meet.  Which it what it takes to build and bring a world class culinary campus to Hawai‘i.”

Janice Luke Loo, President, Takitani Foundation (:21)

“The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation is very, very happy to support the Culinary Institute of the Pacific.  It does so many good things and most importantly it was Mr. and Mrs. Takikani’s wish to reward and support aspiring and deserving scholars, and entrepreneurs.”

Ed Schultz, President, Hawaiian Host (:15)

“Today we’re here because through our efforts of making chocolate covered macadamia nuts and distributing profits to the Takitani Foundation,  we’ve put that money back into Hawai‘i education through the Culinary Institute of the Pacific.”

For more information, visit: http://www.uhfoundation.org