The following executives were nominated this year for Guam Business Magazine’s Executive of the Year. We are proud to recognize these individuals, who have made an impact on their colleagues, companies and community through notable achievements in their businesses and institutions in the past year.
By Guam Business Staff
Nita C. Baldovino is owner of Rambie’s Fast Food, vice president of Island Family Pharmacy and administrator of the Nicolette Baldovino Community Foundation Inc.
She opened Rambie’s, a restaurant that focused on Filipino and Chamorro food, in 1987 at the Hafa Adai Exchange. She added a second location at the Micronesia Mall.
Her daughter Nicolette Baldovino founded Island Family Pharmacy, which opened in 2022. Tragically, she passed away that same year. Nita Baldovino then turned her energy into keeping the pharmacy going as vice president. She also created the foundation in her daughter’s memory and honor. The foundation aims to help people in Guam who are faced with various health issues such as breast cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure.
Born in Pampanga in the Philippines, Baldovino graduated from Guagua National College where she majored in accounting. After moving to Guam she worked at Guam’s Rexall Drugs and worked her way from cashier to supervisor. She went on to the Bank of Hawaii where she worked as a national cash register operator, then was transferred to the Financial Control department where she would work her way up to become a marketing representative. Four years after leaving BOH, she was invited to attend a small business training in Hawaii. It was there where she learned how to prepare a business plan and run a small business.
Baldovino was first active in various organizations including the Circulo Pampangueno of Guam, Guam Women’s Club, Soroptimist International of Guam, and Paradise Lions Club. She became vice president of the Filipino Community of Guam in November 1998, and a year later would become FCG’s first female president.
Her accomplishments were recognized by Albert Del Rosario during his tenure as Philippine Ambassador to Washington, D.C. The Guam Legislature, in 2007, recognized Baldovino for her accomplishments as president of the Filipino Community of Guam. In 2016 her business accomplishments were recognized when Guam Business Magazine awarded her the Guam Business Magazine Business Woman of the YearLifetime Achievment Award.
She is most proud of being able to build Rambies while raising her children and getting them through college. They are Neal Baldovino, Geraldine Baldovino, Kevin Baldovino and Nicolette Baldovino (deceased).
Cesar C. Cabot is a founding partner at the Law Offices of Cabot Mantanona LLP, a real estate broker at Access Property Development and Vantage Realty, the principal developer at C.W. Holdings LLC and Cabot Development LLC, a shareholder in the Guam Brewery, and CEO of Sky Development LLC, a local wholesaler of both food and non-food products from the U.S., Philippines, Indonesia, and Taiwan.
C.W. Holdings LLC, which does business as the Medical Arts Center, hasas its primary tenant Guam Regional Medical City. As of fall 2023, Medical Arts Center had gained a second major tenant. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs signed a property lease contract. The goal, Cabot told the Journal, — sister publication to the magazine —was to create a “place of healing” and a contract with Veterans Affairs would help expand local services for veterans in Guam.
Cabot holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Guam and a 1988 doctorate of jurisprudence from the University of Oregon School of Law.
Cabot’s first job was in the business community was as an accounting clerk for N. Oscar Miyashita. He would move to Mobil International Corp. where he worked as a purchasing assistant.
His first law-related job was from 1986 as a law clerk at the Superior Court of Guam then as a law clerk at the Public Defender Service Corp. He moved to Oregon where he worked at the Lane County Public Defender’s Office.
Cabot returned to Guam to work at the Office of the Attorney General and then the Public Defender Service Corp. He would soon go into the private sector, as a partner in the Law Offices of Taitano, Perez & Cabot. A later iteration of the firm was as the Law Offices of Cabot, Perez, & Mantanona.
In 1997, Cabot became principal of the Law Offices of Cesar C. Cabot, P.C. and he and Rawlen Mantanona, now managing partner, would join together for what has become a long-term partnership of the Law Offices of Cabot Mantanona LLP.
Cabot has now been practicing law in Guam, Hawaii, and the Northern Mariana Islands for more than 35 years and is proud to have been able to make a difference and contributing to making Guam a better place.
Cabot currently serves as the chairman for the Guam Bar Association Ethics Committee and is a member of the Guam Bar Association Foreign Lawyers Association, and the Drafting and Advisory Committee on the Guam Rules Governing the Admission to the Practice of Law and the Guam Rules for the Discipline of Attorney.
The practice supports numerous community endeavors.
Cabot is married to Tiffany DelaCruz Cabot, and they have three children, Philip Michael D. Bamba, Stephen Ross D. Cabot, and Angelica D. Cabot.
William H. Best IV serves as vice president and general manager for Smithbridge Guam Inc.
Best joined the Smithbridge team in 2021 and brought with him more than 40 years of experience in the engineering, construction, and fabrication industries, including the management of wide variety of engineering, construction, and fabrication projects. His experience in program management and development, project development and management, design management, estimating, safety and quality, and focus on team building and customer retention have also served the Smithbridge team well.
He is responsible for five divisions: crane hire division, ready mix concrete division, precast concrete division, contracting division and quarry division. Best works to create opportunities for the divisions to work together to benefit customers. He’s been able to help diversify the Smithbridge contracting division to include award-winning projects, such as the Sandcastle renovation, and the self-propelled modular tractor used to move the Ukudu Power Plant equipment successfully from the Port of Guam to the power plant site.
Best is no stranger to Micronesia. He served as the Pacific regional director of operations for San Juan Construction Inc. where his area of responsibility included the west coast of the U.S. mainland to Japan though the bulk of the work was in the Marshall Islands.
The California native earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of California at Los Angeles before starting his career.
He began working at Mansfield Contracting Corp. in 1982, where he worked his way from project coordinator to eventually senior project manager. He then moved to Lockwood Green Engineers in 1999 where he was manager of Construction & EPC/EPCM Services. He moved to L-Con Engineers & Constructors in 2004 as vice president of the Industrial & Manufacturing Division. His career eventually brought him to Maverick Caldareria LLC as senior vice president and general manager. In 2018, he started working at San Juan Construction Inc. and would move in 2020 to TG Energy Industrial Services as vice president of operations and construction before moving to Guam.
Best is a member of the Guam Contractors Association board of directors, American Association of Civil Engineers, and the Association of Builders and Contractors.
Smithbridge supports various community organizations including the Guam Contractors Association, Guam Trades Academy, and the Guam National Tennis Center, and also extend services to the village of Yigo through the Yigo Mayor’s Office.
Best has two children: Garrett P. Best, and Dr. Ashley Best Romine.
John D. Day is president and chief operating officer for Pacific Data Systems, and president of Pacific Systems Corp.
Day took the helm in 1990 and has built a team that has nimbly navigated PDS and their clients through the quick-paced evolution of technology in telecommunications in the last few decades. PDS provides hardware, software, telecom and professional services to enterprise, local and federal government, and residential customers.
Day earned an associates of science degree at the University of Guam in 1977.
His first job was working in the family business for Merizo Charters for three years. He learned about everything related to boats and also learned valuable lessons in running a business.
He then started working for the American Red Cross as part of the Vietnam Refugee Locator Project. Day then worked as a debris technician for the U.S. Navy Department of Public works from May 1976. As he worked for both the American Red Cross and the U.S. Navy, Day held another job working as staff and shift manager for Shakey’s Pizza until 1977.
Day started his career at Pacific Data Systems when founder Larry Briggs hired him. Day started as data control and computer operator. He would work his way up to a manager level and eventually become the president and chief operations officer — positions he has held for about 33 years.
Day’s expertise ranges in all aspects of telecommunications networks, operations, and design and infrastructure. He is also experienced in design, procurement, and implementation of IT networks with extensive expertise in government procurement in Guam and Northern Mariana Islands.
He’s particularly proud of having been able to navigate 47 years of quickly developing and evolving technology — from punched cards to 100gB Internet. He says that it is important for a company to evolve with the technology lest you get left behind, adding the past is littered with companies that could not adapt to changes in the last five decades.
Pacific Data Systems supports the Guam Chamber of Commerce, Guam Contractors Association, Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association, and Rotary Clubs of Guam.
Day is currently a member of the board of directors for Pacific Missionary Aviation. The organization uses aircrafts and boats for medical transportation between outlying islands in Yap, Palau, Pohnpei, and in the Philippines.
Day is married to Alita Day. They have two daughters, Kara Day and Kana Day.
Matthew S. Hunter is the vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Dylan Mechanical Construction Services Inc. He is also the Responsible Management Employee. In these positions, he oversees various aspects of company operations and construction projects, from general operations management to financial matters, ensuring compliance with regulations, labor force contract requirements, and building codes.
On a day-to-day basis, Hunter oversees the general operations management for construction projects on and off military bases in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and the Philippines.
He says his proudest career achievement is starting at the bottom of the career ladder and worked his way up, which has given him a comprehension of the challenges faced by front-line employees. Having held entry-level and mid-management positions, he understands the issues facing front-line staff. This gives him the ability to implement meaningful changes and initiatives to benefit the entire team.
He started working at the age of 13 as a math tutor at Gear Up Tutoring Program and as a ranch hand at the San Nicolas Ranch.
As part of his entry into the construction industry, Hunter earned a number of certificates from HVAC installation to instruction, to finish carpentry and customer service.
Beginning in 2002 and through 2004, Hunter taught computer skills at Guam International Christian Academy while simultaneously working as service manager, then general manager at Hunters Technology Group.
In 2005, he moved to TJI Air Conditioning where he took the position of HVAC technician and field supervisor. He would soon move to BME & Sons where he continued his HVAC work but also was the mechanical superintendent. He would work for a year at Vector Marketing/Cutco as a sales manager before moving to Dylan Mechanical in 2013. While there, he also has returned to his HVAC profession as an instructor at GCA Trades Academy.
Hunter and Dylan Mechanical’s community support includes the Guam Contractors Association, American Red Cross and The Salvation Army.
Most recently, he’s proud to have worked alongside 25 dedicated employees with cleanup after Typhoon Mawar. He says the experience strengthened his belief in the power of teamwork and the resilience of humanity.
Hunter is married to Maesie A. Hunter and has eight children: Brandon A. Rote, Kalani Mae A. Rote, Gilbert “Champ” A. Rote, Georgeanna Q. Tyquiengco, Jarynn A. Quintanilla, Rhayna A. Quintanilla, Jerry Tom A. Quintanilla, and Alana Hunter.