KIUC's Energy Wise Guys - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

For an electric cooperative such as KIUC, service means more than delivering electricity to
customers. While its core mission is to keep the lights on and offer programs to help you use
electricity more efficiently, it also is committed to building a stronger community.
When Kaua‘i United Way campaign
coordinators Kymi Sakai and Dawn Cummings
started their 2009 campaign last September, they
knew they were facing some challenges,
considering the tough economic conditions.
While they didn’t think they could come close
to KIUC’s 2008 goals, it didn’t discourage them
from planning their presentations to employees
and the Board of Directors, and thinking of a
fundraiser to boost the campaign.
They adopted a mindset that the campaign was
more than raising money and meeting goals. They
saw it as an opportunity to give back to the
community through the support of the 27
agencies that are allocated money through the
Kaua‘i United Way.
They moved forward with their steadfast goal of
100 percent employee and board participation
and to meet or exceed the prior year’s dollar
amount in pledges.
When the results of the campaign were tallied
in November, they had reached an impressive 87
percent participation level—just a 3 percent drop
from the prior year’s participation. Despite that,
employee pledges totaled $22,412. That was an
increase of 4 percent compared with 2008’s totals.
KIUC has a well­established record of broad
community support. Co­op employees have
consistently been one of the top five corporate
gift­givers to Kaua‘i United Way’s campaign. For
the second consecutive year, KIUC has garnered
the number 1 spot in campaign gift­giving,
thanks to the generosity of the employees and
Board of Directors.
The co­op’s participation extends beyond fund raising. Member
Services Manager Barbara Nagamine has served on the Kaua‘i United
Way board since 1998, and is entering her fifth term as a director.
Singlehandedly, Barbara brought the previously obscure Agency
Relations Committee to prominence. Thanks to Barbara, each board
member now visits at least one participating agency and issues a
formal report. In conjunction with staff visits and agency representation
at United Way hearings, this gives the Allocations Committee more
information from which to draw as funding decisions are made.
For her efforts, Barbara was awarded the prestigious 2009 Founder’s
Award. The honor is presented annually to the Kaua‘i United Way Board
member who best exemplifies the noble intentions and spirit of the
organization’s founders.
Elsie and Mabel Wilcox, A. Hebard Case, Lindsay Faye, Andrew Gross and Bernard D. Pratt founded
Kaua‘i United Way in 1943, determined to “transmit the community not less but greater, better and
more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.”
KIUC’s CEO Randy Hee, Chairman Teofilo “Phil” Tacbian and KUW Coordinators Dawn Cummings and Kymi Sakai
presented a check of matching KIUC contributions to Scott Giarmin and Loretta Geiss from Kaua‘i United Way.
KIUC IN THE COMMUNITY
Kaua‘i United Way
Photos by Shelley Paik
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