By Guam Business Magazine Staff

Meet the executives who were nominated this year for Guam Business Magazine’s Executive of the Year. We are proud to recognize these nine individuals, who have made an impact on their colleagues, companies and community through notable achievements in their businesses and institutions in the past year.

Gener F. Deliquina

Gener F. Deliquina is the CEO of Coast 360 Federal Credit Union. He was born in the Philippines and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School. Originally chasing his childhood dream of being an electrical engineer, Deliquina enrolled in the pre-engineering program at the University of Guam under full scholarship. But in order to continue his education as an engineer, he would have had to travel from Guam and would consequently lose his scholarship. Instead, Deliquina made the decision to change his degree after seeing the potential for a career in accounting. He retained his scholarship and earned his bachelor’s in accounting from the University of Guam in 1992.

Deliquina, who has worked in all manners of jobs including kitchen helper, janitor, sales clerk and a “fish attendant” at a local store, dove into the financial industry in 1992 working for the Department of Administration. He spent four years there as an accountant becoming the general accounting manager in 1996. After nearly 10 years practicing his expertise at DOA, Deliquina moved to Coast 360, assuming the role of chief financial officer in April 2005.

Deliquina was appointed CEO of Coast 360 in June.

Among community posts, he has served as treasurer of the Association of Government Accountants and board member/treasurer for the Guam Humanities Council, and is director/officer of the newly established Guam Gymnastics Federation.  He represents the credit union at a variety of institutions and ensures Coast360 donates and sponsors a variety of community nonprofits and events in support of the American Red Cross; Rigalu Foundation (bus stops for school children); War Survivors Memorial Foundation; Make-A-Wish Foundation; American Cancer Society; Guam Chamber of Commerce; Guam Women’s Club; GMH Volunteers’ Association; UOG Endowment Fund; Soroptomist International of Guam/Marianas; iRecycle; local churches; local schools; and local mayors’ offices.  Coast360 also provides financial literacy and educational presentations year round to various elementary and post-secondary school students.

Deliquina is also owner and director of Fusion Dance Studio, which he founded. Students compete at national level, bringing home gold and silver awards, including the National Title in 2008 at the Dance Xplosion Competition in Orlando, Fla. Proceeds from his dance studio’s concerts have supported local charities such as the Guam Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Guam Special Olympics, and Erica’s House. The studio has also done special performances for civic organizations such as the Rigalu Foundation, Youth for Youth, Guam Cancer Care and American Red Cross.

Deliquina shares his success with partner Gene G. Dydasco.

James S. Herbert III

James S. “Jim” Herbert III is the general manager of Triple J Five Star Wholesale Foods and graduated from Wake Forest University in 1988 with a bachelor’s of science. He began work with Triple J Wholesale as a management trainee in 1993, then was promoted to assistant general manager in 1994 and general manager in 1998.

Prior to beginning his career with Triple J, Herbert’s first job was as a summer intern at the Eastman Chemical Co., doing shift work in the plant where Tenite chips were manufactured to make various plastic products. His original plan upon graduating from college was to attend medical school, and he worked as a research laboratory manager and technician in North Carolina prior to moving to Guam and starting his work at Triple J in 1993.

He says that his two greatest mentors are his mother, Linda S. Quillen, who taught him the value of hard work, and Triple J Chairman and CEO Robert H. Jones, who brought out the best in him and taught him to “always put more into the pot than you take out.”

Triple J Wholesale and its parent company are supportive of numerous community events and occasions. Herbert is also highly active in the local community, serving as an active member of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, the Armed Forces Committee, the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association, the Guam Visitors Bureau, the Guam Tourism Foundation and the Micronesian Chefs’ Association. He is also the co-chairman of the Guam Chamber’s Membership Development Committee, the allied vice-chairman of GHRA, chairman of the Guam Tourism Foundation, and treasurer of the Micronesian Chefs’ Association, and serves as a Junior Achievement advisor.

Jeffrey P. Larsen

Jeffrey P. Larsen is the president of TakeCare Insurance Co. Born in Utah, Larsen initially began pursuing a career in law at Southern Utah University, but after realizing his passions were elsewhere, switched to studying business administration. He received a bachelor’s in 1994.

After interning on Capitol Hill working for Sen. Robert F. Bennett, Larsen began working in a call center, managing at both domestic and international levels. Through this, he was exposed to the industry of health care, which would prove to become Larsen’s future field of expertise.

From 1991 to 2000, Larsen worked for Convergys Corp. as an account manager and a senior manager. From 2002 to 2005, he was senior account director at APAC Customer Services. In 2005, Larsen joined United Healthcare and was director for account management operations and senior regional director for the Western Region until 2010. He briefly held a general manager position with ACS Xerox Corp. before becoming president and health plan administrator for TakeCare in July 2010.

TakeCare donates to numerous non-profits and events, particularly in the field of health care and wellness. Some of the many community organizations TakeCare donates to are: Youth 4 Youth, Oasis Empowerment Center,  Make-A-Wish Foundation, Victim Advocates Reaching Out (VARO),  Guam Diabetes Association and GMH Volunteers Association. Larsen is treasurer/secretary of the board of the TakeCare Foundation, a nonprofit foundation that supports organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guam, Sanctuary Inc., Guam Humanities Council and Catholic Social Services.

Larsen is married to Danielle, and they have five children: Parker, 15, Treysen, 13, Mya, 11, Brock, 9, and Lily, 7.

Renie A. Llaneta

Renie “Rey” A. Llaneta is president and owner of RE/MAX Asyenda Realty in Manila, the Western Pacific region manager of Chugach Alaska Corp. and the president and owner of VML Inc.

Llaneta was born in Manila and moved to Guam at the age of 4. He graduated from the University of Guam with a bachelor’s in general psychology and later earned a master’s of science from Kansas State University in adult and occupational education. After graduating from UOG, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, through the Reserve Officers Training Corps program. Llaneta went on to serve for more than 21 years of active duty service and seven years of service with the U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Army National Guard.

While in the military, he received numerous military awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal and the Guam Commendation Medal, among others.

Llaneta has held various contracting management positions in the Guam Army National Guard, the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency; the U.S. Army Central Command in Dharhan, Saudi Arabia, and the division the First Infantry Division (U.S. Army) at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Chugach supports various nonprofit endeavors, such as Habitat for Humanity, Guam Public Library, the Guam Veterans Cemetery, Guam USO and Guam Animals in Need. Llaneta serves as the governor’s special economic advisor for the Philippines; as a director of the Makati Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and co-chairman of the Alcohol Beverage Control board. He is a board member of Hurao and the Veterans Business Outreach Center. He is also a member of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, Guam Veterans Council, and the Society of American Military Engineers, Guam and the Philippines.

Llaneta and his wife of 30 years, Betty Lyn Quichocho, have three children: Veronica Llaneta Rios, 28; Michael Rey Quichocho Llaneta, 27; and Lianne Llaneta Santos, 25.

Hiroyuki Miyata

Hiroyuki Miyata is the president and CEO of LeoPalace Resort Guam Corp., which does business as LeoPalace Resort. Born and raised in Japan, Miyata was inspired to become a leader when classmates at Fukiage Elementary School elected him chairman of the student council. He went on to graduate from Gifu High School in 1966. Later, Miyata earned his 1972 bachelor’s in law from Waseda University in Tokyo.

After graduating from college, Miyata began working in the accounting department of Sumitomo Construction Co. Ltd. There, he came under the guidance of the branch general manager, who inspired Miyata to learn English, to work hard and to enjoy life. Miyata became president of Sumitomo Construction in 2005. Prior to becoming president and CEO of LeoPalace Resort in 2012, Miyata was senior managing director for LeoPalace 21 Corp. in Japan.

Miyata ensures that LeoPalace lends support to numerous community organizations and nonprofits, to include sporting organizations. Along with his executive responsibilities, Miyata is a member of the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association under LeoPalace, is advisor to groups such as the Sumitomo Group of Companies and holds membership in the alumni groups of his former schools.

Miyata is married to Shinobu and has two children: Hiroake, 36, and Kosuke, 33.

Milton K. Morinaga

Milton K. Morinaga is the managing director of PHR Ken Micronesia Inc. and vice president of PHR Micronesia Inc. Born in Japan, Morinaga got his start in the hospitality industry working at a French restaurant and pastry shop while in high school. He later moved to Hawaii, where he attended the University of Hawaii’s College of Continuing Education in 1974 and transitioned to the university’s Manoa campus two years later.

While at UH, he learned about supervisory development, restaurant operations, human relations, food and beverage management, front office procedures, security management and basic bookkeeping before graduating with a 1980 bachelor’s in sociology. He also became a Certified Hotel Administrator in 1981 and obtained his Hawaii realtor’s license in 1989.

While pursuing his education, Morinaga entered into the fledgling Hawaiian tourism industry as acting general manager of the Waikiki Park Heights Hotel branch of Kobayashi Travel Service Ltd. He held the position until 1978 when he became the assistant hotel manager of the Imperial Hawaii Hotel in Waikiki. After graduating from UH, he held a series of middle management positions in multiple aspects of hotel administration until 1989, when he began to work his way up the ranks of the Southern Pacific Hawaii Corp. to upper management positions.

In 2004, he began working for the Marianas Hospitality Corp. as owner’s representative, executive officer and director of the Hyatt Regency Guam. When the Hyatt was purchased by PHR Ken Micronesia Inc. in 2007, Morinaga was retained as vice president and director.

Morinaga is active in the local community donating to numerous events and nonprofits through PHR Ken Micronesia and acting as the fundraising manager for the Historic Inalahan Foundation and as a member of the Guam Visitors Bureau’s board of directors, where he serves as chairman of the Japan Marketing Committee. He is also an honorary deputy police chief for the Guam Police Department and has worked with the department on donating vehicles and renovating the Tumon police facilities. PHR Ken Micronesia assists a variety of nonprofit organizations in the community, including the American Red Cross, the Make-A-Wish Foundation,  the Department of Chamorro Affairs, the U.S. Navy League, the Guam UOG Endowment Foundation  and the Guam Medical Association.

Morinaga has two children: Kayla M. Morinaga, 27, and Michelle E. Morinaga, 24.

Donna R.M. Quinata

Donna R.M. Quinata is the senior vice president of Guam AutoSpot Mitsubishi. Quinata was born and raised on Guam and graduated from the Academy of Our Lady of Guam in 1980.

After Quinata’s first job as a sales clerk at Diana’s dress shop, she dove into the auto sales industry, working for PMC/Pacific Mazda as sales manager from 1985 to 1991. From there, Quinata served at Ocean Pacific Motors – BMW as an assistant auto manager, then moved to Atkins Kroll Inc., where she spent almost 14 years as a field sales associate. She became senior vice president of Guam AutoSpot Mitsubishi in January.

Along with her responsibilities at Guam AutoSpot and the donations of the company, Quinata serves as committee member for the Manhita Chamorro Special Fundraising Events and the “Nihi!” Development. She is a board member for Academy of Our Lady of Guam, on the Tourism Educational Council Development Committee, and on the Bill Muna Foundation. She also serves as a parent volunteer for Sunshine Kids in Production. Guam AutoSpot  is  a sponsor of the War of Survivors foundation.

She is married to John Michael Quinata and has four children: Derrick, 34, Nicole, 20, Raymond Blas, 40, and Tiffany Tam, 34.

John M. Robertson

John M. Robertson earned a 1961 bachelor’s of science in architectural engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a field he chose based on a desire to build churches, schools and hospitals in developing countries. After being licensed as a civil engineer in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Hawaii, Washington, Missouri and Virginia and as a structural engineer in Texas, he used his nearly two decades of practical experience in founding AmOrient Engineering in 1979.

After working on projects all around the world in countries including Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Thailand and Taiwan, he relocated the company to Guam in June 1999.

His most recent projects include the repair of Naval Base Guam’s Romeo Wharf, the upgrade of the Port Authority of Guam’s container yard and the
construction of new water tanks for the Guam Waterworks Authority.

Since relocating the company to Guam, aside from AmOrient’s donations to community organizations, Robertson has served on and chaired numerous committees contributing to the welfare of the island and its people. In addition to his innumerable past positions, he currently chairs the Military, Labor and Government Relations Committee of the Guam Contractors Association, as well as the board of trustees for the GCA Trades Academy. He also serves as vice president of the Guam Symphony Society’s board of directors, treasurer for the Pacific Islands University Board of Trustees, treasurer of the Society of American Military Engineers Guam Post, and is a board member for the Employers Council, Guam Society of Professional Engineers, the Navy League Guam Chapter and the University of Guam’s Engineering College advisory committee.

Robertson is married to Vannapha “Anna” Khaika Robertson and has three children: Virginia Lynn Robertson Thompson, 56; Donna Gail Robertson Aderhold, 54; and Erik John Wattana Robertson, 32.

Peter R. Sgro Jr.

Peter R. Sgro Jr. is the president and chairman of the board of International Group Inc.  He received a bachelor’s from the University of Portland in management and finance in 1982. He attended the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1985 for jurisprudence and the University of Notre Dame London Law Centre in his second year with a focus on international legal transactions.

He entered the workforce at 8 years old as a bagger and stocker at his grandparents’ supermarket, then known as Ada’s Market.

Sgro has committed much of his time to the community and the less fortunate. In particular, he is heavily involved in many organizations that promote health care. He is a member of Guam Cancer Coalition and the Guam Homeless Coalition. He has volunteered with Kamalen Karidat to feed the needy and the Carmelite nuns to help with their weekly needs. Through his businesses he has made generous donations to the community. International Group Inc. has partnered with the Rotary Club of Pasig, Manila, to assist in and foster sustainability for a poverty stricken village in the mountains adjacent to Clark.

He serves as the chairman and founder of Guam Healthcare and Hospital Development Foundation, chairman of the Veterans Healthcare Advisory Council and was recently voted in as chairman of the board of the Guam Chamber of Commerce. At the chamber, he is also an executive committee member and is a mentor for the Guam Young Professionals. Sgro is chairman of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors.

Sgro has several ongoing projects. He is the development team leader for the construction on Guam of a regional veterans hospital, veterans behavioral center and clinic. He is also a member of a team for the maintenance and management of the Highway 5B Hanoi-HaiPhong project.

Sgro is the father of Christopher, 27; Matthew, 25; Katarina, 22; and Maria, 20.

2014 Executive of the Year: Norman T. Tenorio