AWARDS

Congratulations to the 2022 AWWA Hawaii Section Award Recipients!
Please congratulate them when you see them!

See Past Awardees at https://hiawwa.org/past-award-winners.

2022 George Warren Fuller Award Recipient 

JUANITA REYHER-COLON

This year’s George Warren Fuller awardee for the Hawaii Section of the American Water Works Association is Juanita Noelani Reyher-Colon. CONGRATULATIONS Juanita!

George Warren Fuller Awards are presented annually by the American Water Works Association to the sections’ respective selected member for their distinguished service to the water supply field in commemoration of sound engineering skill . . . brilliant diplomatic talent . . . and constructive leadership which characterized the life of George Warren Fuller.

Juanita was born on Oahu and raised on Molokai. Her personal upbringing has instilled in her a commitment to volunteerism, and a desire to work for greater female representation in all professions. She is currently the Executive Director of the Hawaii Rural Water Association (HRWA). Juanita’s contributions to the water industry are significant and diverse. She currently serves as the Director for the Hawaii Section of the American Water Works Association and as a board member on the Maui County Board of Water Supply. She is a member of the American Backflow Prevention Association, coordinator for the Hawaii Small Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network (HI-SWARN), Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) Hawaii facilitator, co-chair of the Molokai Climate Change Network, member of the Molokai Fire Task Force, and member of the East Molokai Watershed Partnership.

Juanita’s service and contributions to the Hawaii Section have been equally significant:

• Chair for the Small Water Systems Committee, 2010 to 2014

• At-Large Trustee, 2014 – 2016

• Vice Chair 2016 -2017

• Chair 2017-2018

• Past Chair 2018-2019

• Treasurer 2019-2020

• Director 2020 -2023

As one of the members of the Selection Committee so aptly put it “I was drawn to Juanita right away. She is open, friendly, and fun to be around. She knows her stuff, but is not afraid to ask questions. Just a good person.”§

By Ross Kaneko ~ Fuller Award Committee Chair

The Nomination Form for the 2023 Fuller Award can be downloaded here.

2022 Special Recognition Award Recipient

CARLY KANEKO

2022 Scholarship Award Recipient

Jaycie Matsunami

This year the Hawaii Section gave one academic scholarship of $3,000 to Jaycie, the daughter of Garret and Ronelle Matsunami. She is a senior at Aiea High School, and currently carries a cumulative grade point average of 4.133. She has not decided on a college at this time, and has considered following dad’s footsteps into Civil Engineering. She is also strongly looking at concentrating in finance and marketing, and becoming a project manager for a development firm. She sees the value of water conservation, and will look to innovations in water use and conservation as a must do.

Jaycie has been involved with various educational, and community service programs. She is involved in the Aiea student government, currently holding the position of Senior Class President, moving her way up the ranks since her freshman year. She is also Vice President of the American Red Cross Club, and helps organize blood drives. She is Secretary of the Key Club. Jaycie is currently working part time at Aiea Hongwanji Preschool and Kindergarten as a teacher’s assistant.

Please join me in congratulating Jaycie and her parents for earning the AWWA Hawaii Section Scholarship award for 2022.§

This year we received no applications for the One Water Operator Scholarship.§

By Jeffrey Pearson ~ Scholarship Committee Co-Chair

Last Updated: 04/11/2022_JS