
Raynard Travilla, marketing specialist with the Northern Marianas College Office of Institutional Advancement, with the 2018 National Council of Marketing & Public Relations Medallion Awards.
Photo courtesy of Northern Marianas College
Northern Marianas College won the 2018 Medallion Awards from the District Six region of the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations, which represents marketing and public relations professionals and community and technical colleges.
NMC won gold, silver and bronze awards for poster graphic design; a bronze award for postcard graphic design; and a bronze award for print advertisement graphic design.
The medallion awards were presented at the annual District Six conference in Arizona.

(From left): Edsel B. Ford II, board member, Ford Motor Company and Jeffrey B. Jones, president and COO, Triple J Enterprises Inc.
Photo courtesy of Triple J Enterprises Inc.
Jeffrey B. Jones, president and COO of Triple J Enterprises Inc., was awarded a Ford Motor Co. Salute to Dealers Award during the 2019 National Automobile Dealers Association Convention and Expo in San Francisco on Jan. 24. Jones was one of six recipients of the award selected from a global field of about 65 nominees from the United States, Canada, Brazil, Europe, Asia Pacific, Mexico and Central America.
The award is given by Ford Motor Co. to dealers who make significant community service contributions. As part of the award, Ford Motor Co. Fund and Community Services will donate $10,000 to a charity of each recipient’s choice. This was the first year Guam was given opportunity to be nominated for the program.

Aguon
Julian Aguon, principal attorney and founder of Blue Ocean Law, was selected by former President Barack Obama to join a 21-member group under the Obama Foundation’s Leaders: Asia Pacific program.
Aguon is licensed to practice law in the Marshall Islands, Palau and Guam. He has served as legal counsel to the Guam Legislature, attorney of record, legal advisor and consultant to the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures, the Pacific Island Health Officers Association, the Local Atoll Governments of Rongelap and Utrik, the Northern Marianas Descent Corp., the Micronesian Shipping Commission and other organizations in Oceania and Europe.
Aguon clerked for the Supreme Court of Guam from 2009 to 2010. He holds a juris doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii and a bachelor’s in sociology from Gonzaga University, where he also minored in philosophy.
Aguon was named one of Guam Business Magazine’s “Forty under 40” in 2016.

Heine
Dwight P. Heine named vice president of the Pacific Islands Development Bank. Heine previously served as CEO of the Office of Commerce, Investment and Tourism in the Marshall Islands and, prior to that, manager of policy development. He also served as assistant secretary in charge of personnel and finance and hospital administrator at the Marshall Islands Ministry of Health. Heine’s experience in the private sector includes time as shipping manager for Pacific International Inc.
Heine holds a master’s in business administration from the University of the South Pacific, a master’s in public health with a concentration in international health from Boston University and a bachelor’s in public policy and administration from Western Oregon State College. He was also awarded the title of Accredited Investment Fiduciary Designee in 2016.

Mori
Bryan Mori, station manager in Yap, for United Airlines, was appointed to the Yap Visitors Bureau board of directors.
Mori has worked for United Airlines for more than 16 years and served on the marketing committee of the 2018 Micronesian Games.

Gooliyan
Susan Gooliyan was appointed manager of sales and marketing for YVB. Gooliyan graduated from the tourism and hospitality management program at the College of Micronesia-Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei, where she served as president of the Tourism Club. She was also a member of the Red Cross Society and interned at the Micronesian Conservation Trust in Pohnpei and the Yap Environmental Protection Agency.

Palacios
Velma M. Palacios was named 2018 Business Person of the Year by the Saipan Chamber of Commerce. Palacios is the director of network operations and engineering for IT&E.
Nominees for the award were:
- Gloria C. Cavanagh, general manager, Pacific Island Club Saipan
- John Hirsh, executive director, American Red Cross Northern Mariana Islands Chapter
- Nola K. Hix, marketing representative, Xerox Corp. Saipan
- Glen Hunter, owner, The Shack Saipan and Airstream Café
- Ron Smith, founder and president, Angil Design Inc.
- Janice Tenorio, customer service and government relations manager for the Northern Mariana Islands, IT&E
The University of Guam announced the winners of the 2018 UOG Distinguished Alumni Awards. One graduate from each of the university’s schools was selected by a panel of judges, as well as one alum who is either retired from or actively serving in the military. Awardees are:
- Margaret Denney, program administrator, 2001 bachelor’s in agriculture, College of Natural and Applied Sciences
- Ranold Canos, high school teacher, Simon Sanchez High School, 2006 master’s in education, administration and supervision, School of Education
- Valerie Reyes, director, Salvation Army Lighthouse Recover Center, 2010 master’s in counseling, School of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Juan Rapadas, clinical psychologist, Judiciary of Guam, 1989 bachelor’s in psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- Gener Delequina, CEO, Coast 360, 1992 bachelor’s in accounting with a minor in management, School of Business and Public Administration
- Brig. Gen. Diron Cruz, assistant adjutant general, Guam Army National Guard, 1985 bachelor’s in business management, military

Conley
Jeffrey Conley joined the Outrigger Guam Beach Resort as director of food and beverage effective Jan. 30. Conley previously worked at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar as assistant director of food and beverage. He has also worked as general manager at the Viceroy Snowmass Luxury Resort and Spa in Colorado and held food and beverage positions for Turnberry Isle Miami Golf Resort and Spa; Hyatt Regency Century Plaza; Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort and Spa; Dallas Fort Worth Marriott Salona; and Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort. He holds a bachelor’s in geography and international business from State University of New York at Buffalo.

Brennan
William B. Brennan joined the law firm of Arriola, Cowan & Arriola as an associate attorney on Jan. 7. Brennan served as law clerk to Judge Anita A. Sukola and senior policy analyst to Sen. Thomas C. Ada in the 32nd Guam Legislature. He received a bachelor’s in communications from the University of California at San Diego in 2011 and graduated from the Dickinson School of Law at Penn State University in 2017.
Jacinta B. Elm was promoted to vice president of anti-money laundering and fraud investigation division manager at Bank of Guam. Elm has worked as anti-money laundering and fraud division assistant manager since 2016 and prior to that served as anti-money laundering training officer. She has also held positions as bank secrecy act officer, compliance associate and customer service associate.
Elm is a certified anti-money laundering specialist and certified fraud examiner. She was honored with the 2017 Guam Small Business Administration Financial Services Champion of the Year and 2018 Bank of Guam President’s Recognition for Supervisor of the Year.
Ellie Rose Flores Diego was promoted to vice president and compliance manager at Bank of Guam. Flores-Diego has worked with the bank as compliance manager, bank secrecy act and anti-money laundering investigator and customer associate.
She holds a bachelor’s of business administration from the University of Guam as well as certifications as a certified regulatory compliance manager and Sheshunoff Certified Regulatory Compliance Specialist.

Cruz
Nicole G. Cruz joined Arriola, Cowan & Arriola as an associate attorney on Jan. 22. Cruz previously worked as a prosecutor at the Office of the Attorney General of Guam at the Family Violence Unit, as a senior policy analyst in the office of Sen. Dennis G. Rodriguez in the 31st and 32nd Guam Legislatures and interned in the office of Madeleine Z. Bordallo during Bordallo’s tenure as Guam’s delegate to Congress. She holds a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Guam and a juris doctorate with a certificate in international and comparative law from Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, California, where she attended as a Fellow for the Center of International and Comparative Law and a member of the Moot Court Honors Board.

Duenas
Ken N. Duenas was promoted to director of Glimpses Media. Duenas joined Glimpses Media in 2017 as general sales manager and has more than 21 years of experience in the sales and finance industries. Prior to joining Glimpses, he was a sales executive for Guam Autospot and the sales and finance manager for Guam Harley-Davidson for 10 years. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Security Forces apprentice course in criminal justice.

Fong
Vikki Fong was promoted to creative content manager of Glimpses of Guam Inc. Fong originally joined Glimpses in 2008 as a production assistant. From there she was promoted to senior designer in 2013 before accepting a position as creative department supervisor in 2017. Fong studied mass media communications at the University of Guam and California State University – East Bay.

Mariano
Anthony M.B. Mariano was promoted to digital manager of Glimpses Media. Mariano joined Glimpses in March 2016 as junior marketing executive before being promoted to digital marketing executive in 2017. He previously spent two years as a staff assistant and event coordinator for the Guam Chamber of Commerce. Mariano holds a bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in marketing from the University of Phoenix and an associate degree in marketing from Guam Community College.

Iwashita
Kevin Iwashita was promoted to media sales manager of Glimpses Media. Iwashita joined Glimpses in 2017 as a product representative. He previously worked in sales for Micronesia Renewable Energy Inc. and Guam Autospot. Iwashita is also a musician for local band D.U.B., which has been active since 1999.
Glimpses Media also hired three new media sales employees:
- Jeneal Lucero;
- Toni Rosario; and
- Michael J. Mafnas.

Camacho

Kloppenburg

Murata

Shinohara
The Guam Visitors Bureau elected four members to serve on the GVB
board of directors. The board is comprised of 13 members including one
alternate member. The four board members are:
- Joann G. Camacho, director of market development, DFS Guam
- Bradley D. Kloppenburg, vice president of business development for
Kloppenburg Enterprises Inc. - Satoru Murata, president, Holiday Tours Micronesia
- Samuel Shinohara, managing director for Pacific airport operations, United Airlines

Jessica Leon Guerrero, owner of M80 Systems and brand manager for Island Wines and Spirits, was named Guam Young Professional of the Year by the Guam Chamber of Commerce.
Photo by Anthony Mariano
Jessica Leon Guerrero was awarded the Reina A. Leddy Guam Young Professional of the Year Award by the Guam Chamber of Commerce. Leon Guerrero is president and owner of M80 Systems and brand manager for Island Wines and Spirits.
Nominees for the award were:
- Francesca Ambrose, account executive, Calvo’s Select Care and owner, Steel Athletics
- Kamia Dierking, director of marketing and communications, GTA
- Selena Elicio, proprietor and managing partner, Outback Steakhouse
- Camilo Lorenzo, account executive, Matson Navigation Co. Inc.
- Earvin Jose, brand manager, Mid Pacific Distributors and Island Beverage Distributors
- John Reyes, vice president, business intelligence manager, Bank of Guam

Arnett

Baleto

Tokito
The Guam Chamber of Commerce board of directors elected its officers for the 2019 administrative year. The newly elected officers are:
- Joe M. Arnett, senior advisor, Deloitte & Touch LLP, was elected chairman of the board
- Christine Won Pat Baleto, master franchisee, Pacific Froots LLC, was elected vice chairwoman
- Mark Tokito, senior vice president, Bank of Hawaii, was re-elected secretary-treasurer