Airline recognized for its wines
Korean Air received gold medals in both the first class sparkling and first class fortified wine categories, in Business Traveller’s Cellars in the Sky Awards 2021.

Korean Air’s first class-champagne — Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque 2012 — and first class fortified wine — Chateau Rieussec 2013 — were the winners in their respective categories.

Business Traveller, the global travel magazine, has been organizing the Cellars in the Sky awards annually since 1985.

Korean Air has been awarded for its in-flight wine in various categories since 2002: it ranked first for Best Business Class Red Wine in 2017; second for Best First and Business Class Rosé Wines in 2019; and third for Best First Class Fortified/Dessert Wine in 2020.

Bank gets the gold
Bank of Guam was awarded Gold honors by the 2022 International AVA Digital Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility Messaging.

The video — Founder’s Day of Giving — highlights the spirit of the bank’s founder Jesus S. Leon Guerrero as employees and community partners come together for a “day of goodwill and service” in the communities where Bank of Guam operates.

Banks make Best International list
Forbes 2022 list of the World’s Best Banks — compiled with Statista — featured Bank of Hawaii and First Hawaiian Bank.

Statista surveyed more than 45,000 customers in 27 countries – to include the U.S. states and 14 languages for their opinions on their current and former banking relationships, according to Forbes. Banks were rated on general satisfaction as well as trust, fees, digital services and financial advice.

University of Guam earns silver Military Friendly School status for third year
The University of Guam has earned a place on the Military Friendly Schools list for the third year in a row, this year increasing its ranking from bronze to silver. The 2022–2023 list of schools will be published in the May and October issues of G.I.Jobs magazine and can also be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

Among 1,800 schools nationwide that participated in the Military Friendly survey, 665 schools received special designations. UOG’s silver status puts it within 30% of the top 10 in its category of small public schools.

The Military Friendly Schools list is a guide of institutions that have favorable rates among veteran students and their families as far as retention and persistence toward their degree, graduation, job placement, and loan repayment and default rates. Schools are scored on public data from federal agencies and survey information from participating organizations.

Magazine’s Country of the Week shares info nationwide
Palau was featured as “Country of the Week,” the week of March 14 in the New York Times series of countries. The weekly interactive quiz introduces students to a country via Times maps, video, photography and stories.

The featured photo showed the Rock Islands.

UOG distinguished alumni announced

Murphy

The University of Guam’s Distinguished Alumni for 2021 are for the College of Natural and Applied Sciences: Richard Randall, biological and geological consultant and research affiliate for the UOG Marine Laboratory and research affiliate, UOG Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific, for the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, who holds a 1971 master’s of science in biology; for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences: Shannon Murphy, editorial contractor for Guampedia.com and owner, Flores Santa Rita; who holds a 1980 bachelor’s in communication and a 2007 master’s in Micronesian studies;  for the School of Business and Public Administration: Stephen C. Ignacio, chief of police, who holds a 2012 bachelor’s of science in public administration and a 2014 master’s of public administration; for the School of Education: Carmen A. Kasperbauer  president, Astumbo Catholic Family Mission;  senator in the 15th and 16th Guam Legislatures, who holds a 1974 bachelor’s in elemetary education; for the School of Health: Arthur J. U. San Agustin, director, Department of Public Health and Social Services, who holds a 1987 bachelor’s of social  work; and for the military award, Lt. Col. Edward C. Camacho, a U.S. Army Infantry and Foreign Area officer, member of the UOG Reserve Officers Training Corps, who holds a 1984 bachelor’s of art in political science.

Guam contractors named among top U.S. performers

The Guam Contractors Association announced five member companies were named to the Associated Builders and Contractors “2022 Top Performers” list, which ranks commercial and industrial contractor members that build long-lasting, high-quality construction projects, based on work hours.

The top performing companies – ranked with others across the nation – are Black Construction Corp., Core Tech International Corp., Pacific Federal Management, IAN Construction Corp., and Agbayani Construction Corp.

To be eligible, companies had to demonstrate world-class safety performance by achieving gold status or higher in ABC’s STEP Safety Management System.

Among Top Trade contractors, Pacific Federal Management ranked 49, and 69 as a Top Specialty contractor.

Black Construction Corp. ranked 10th as a Top Airport contractor, 6th as a Top Government contractor, and 4th as a Top Infrastructure contractor. Core Tech International ranked 14 as a Top Residential contractor.

The ABC Top Performers lists identify the Top 200 Performers, and Top 125 General Contractors among its rankings.

ESGR recognizes employer

(From Left) Renie A. Llaneta, president of Management and Strategic Services and ESGR State Chairman, Giovanni Teodoro, project manager, Chugach Consolidated Solutions Construction Guam;, John Bishop, operations manager, Chugach Government Solutions;  Donald H. Clark, executive vice president and director of compliance for ASC Trust and director for the ESGR Employer Outreach; Cathy C. Gogue, outreach director for the Guam Public Defender and ESGR Employer outreach coordinator; and Maj. Gen. (Ret’d) Benny M. Paulino, vice chairman of the ESGR.
Photo courtesy of the ESGR

Giovanni Teodoro, project manager with Chugach Consolidated Solutions Construction Guam received the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award for the support of his employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve. Teodoro was nominated by Sgt. Arianna Villanueva of the U.S. Army Reserve.

Red Cross recognizes volunteers

Fong

Ayuyu

Defan

Cogar

The Northern Mariana Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross named individuals in Guam and the NMI who were recognized for their service by the American Red Cross Pacific Islands Region.

Marcos Fong was recognized as the Red Cross Volunteer of the Year for Guam by the American Red Cross Pacific Islands Region and Mable Ayuyu Glen was recognized as the Red Cross Volunteer of the Year for Saipan.

In announcing the awards for Guam and the other islands, the Pacific Region said, “These volunteers have gone above and beyond in their roles contributing to the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross.” Volunteers in Hawaii and American Samoa were also recognized.