Ha'aheo 675

14 years with Air Central, 28 years as a Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Town

What high school did you go? Roosevelt High School '86

Who inspired or helped you along the way? I would like to give thanks to Alton Fujimoto for giving me a chance when I first started at Oahu Air Conditioning. He was my foreman and a great mentor.

What do you enjoy most about the work you do? I like service work because it's hands-on and gives me the chance to interact with people. Unlike construction where you stay at one job site, service work is something new every day. You get to meet new people and see different stuff every day.

What advice would you give to an apprentice? Work hard, be a sponge - be willing to learn, listen to others and keep an open mind. Hard work pays off. I'm old school.

What does it mean to be a member of Local 675? It's a brotherhood, you are part of a community.

Favorite food: cow.

13 years with Air Central, 19 years as a Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Mililani

What high school did you go? Mililani High School '01

What got you interested in joining the Union? After graduating from high school, I attended HCC and completed the Automotive program. After graduation, I worked in the automotive industry for about a year. My wife's aunty encouraged me to join the Union and told me how good the benefits were. After thinking it over, I realized I would have to reach the top level in the automotive industry to get the same pay as the Union.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? Finishing the job and making sure it was done the right way.

What is the most interesting project you have worked on? The helicopter lifts for a job at Shirokiya Ala Moana. We got to use the military helicopter for the lifts. There were 16-20 people on the job from all trades and a lot of logistics were involved in the job.

Most important lesson you have learned on the job. Work hard, you are never done learning, there will always be stuff to learn, and you will never know it all.

8 Years Furuta Plumbing / 35 Years Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Mililani

What high school did you go? Mililani High School '89

How did you get started in the trades? It's kind of interesting but when I was a senior in high school, my dad sat me down and asked what I planned to do after graduation. At the time, I wanted to become an auto mechanic, but my dad encouraged me to become a plumber.
I somehow ended up taking the entrance test for the plumbing apprenticeship, passed the test, and completed the interview process. Only 25 apprentices were selected for the class, and I was fortunate to be one of them.
I was dispatched to Heide & Cook where I started my plumbing career. That is where I met Sam Barrett Sr. and Sam Barrett Jr., and where I really developed my skills and understanding of the trade.
Sam Barrett Sr. had a tremendous influence on me. He taught me not only the technical skills of plumbing, but also the mindset and work ethic required to succeed. He was hard on me at times, but I never took it personally. I understood that he was pushing me to become better, and I learned a great deal from him. Many of those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career and I am passing that knowledge down to next generations.

Has your company's vision remained the same? Yes, our goal has always been to build a high-performing team that continues to improve. As long as we're getting 1% better every single day, I'm happy. It's about continuously learning, improving, and all moving in the right direction.

What advice would you give to a new apprentice or someone just starting out? Be humble & hungry. Have a great attitude, hustle, be respectful, and you will build a successful career.

What does it mean to be a member of Local 675? I'm very proud of being a member of Local 675. The training, knowledge, and experience provided through Local 675 help create skilled tradespeople that the islands need.
Our Union provides great opportunities, but success still takes time and commitment. You have to put in the work and learn from those around you.

What experience has influenced how you lead Furuta Plumbing? Outside of plumbing, I also serve as an MMA referee and have found many similarities between officiating and leading a company.
As a referee, you are responsible for protecting the safety of the fighters while making quick decisions under pressure. You have to remain calm in highly emotional situations, be confident in your decisions, and treat everyone fairly.
I approach leadership at Furuta Plumbing the same way.
People may not always agree with every decision I make, but I believe that when people know you are fair, honest, consistent, and have their best interests in mind, they will respect your decisions.

6 Years Furuta Plumbing / 5 Years Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Mililani

What high school did you go? Mililani High School '14

Who inspired or helped you along the way? My mom, Lii, plays a major role in Furuta Plumbing and has helped shape the company into what it is today. Watching her lead and stay committed to the company and our team has taught me a lot about responsibility, dedication, and what it takes to build something successful. I was also fortunate to play football at the University of Hawai'i and serve as a team captain. That experience helped develop my leadership skills and taught me a lot about discipline, accountability, teamwork, and leading by example. I've carried many of those lessons with me into the trade.
More recently, my family and I relocated from Oahu to the Big Island so I could take on the responsibility of establishing and leading Furuta Plumbing's new Big Island branch. Moving my family to another island and helping build a new branch from the ground up was a big decision, but it has given me the opportunity to grow as a leader and help build something for the future.
Now that I have children of my own, I understand even more the importance of setting an example. I try to pass on those same values of hard work, discipline, and a positive attitude on to my kids every day.

If you had a personal motto, what would it be? Every morning when my kids wake up, I tell them, “It's a great day,” and they respond, “To have a great day.”
That's our way of starting every day on the right foot, and it's something I try to carry with me in both work and life.
I believe attitude has a lot to do with how you work, learn, and grow. You can't always control what happens throughout the day, but you can control how you respond to it. For me, having the right attitude can make all the difference.

5 Years Furuta Plumbing / 22 Years Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Ewa Beach

What high school did you go? Mililani High School '91

What do you feel is the most valuable benefit the Union provides? Honestly, it's hard to choose just one because the Union provides so many valuable benefits. The wages allow you to provide a good life for your family, and the pension and annuity give you security and something to look forward to after a long career in the trade. I'm also grateful for other benefits that Furuta Plumbing offers, which gives us an additional layer of financial security.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? Winning bids—especially the big ones!
Estimating is challenging, and that's what I enjoy about it. A lot of time, strategy, and effort go into putting together a competitive bid, so when we are awarded a major project, there's a real sense of accomplishment.
It's also been amazing to see the growth of Furuta Plumbing and know that I have played a part in that growth. It takes the entire team working together to turn what started on paper into a successful project.

What advice would you give to an apprentice? Be loyal, have a great attitude, and stay humble.
Come to work willing to listen and learn from the people around you. Don't be afraid to ask questions and understand that becoming good at the trade takes time and hard work.

21 years with Honolulu Fire Protection, 31 years as a Union Member

What is your Hometown? Makakilo

What high school did you go? Kamehameha Schools '91

History of Honolulu Fire Protection: I was working at Commercial Plumbing and wanted to get ahead to take care of my family. I knew I needed to do something, so I decided to take a chance and start my own company. While I was working, I studied for my contractor license. After I passed the license exam, I opened Honolulu Fire Protection. In the beginning it was hard, and money was tight. I started by working with people I knew to get jobs and eventually the business grew from there.

What do you feel is the most valuable benefit the Union provides? The Union provides good wages and benefits which you need to survive in Hawaii. But the guys need to work hard for the benefits. It's a partnership on both ends.

What is one of the biggest challenges in your position? The biggest challenge is making sure there is enough work to keep the men working. It's tough because you're competing with other companies for jobs. If there isn't enough work for the men, you feel bad.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? I like seeing guys who have been here for a long time do well. It's good to see them making a living, raising their families and having kids. It's almost like they are your own kids - I want to see them succeed.
The biggest strength of this company is the camaraderie and teamwork we have here. The guys get along both at work and outside of work and they're always willing to help each other out.

What is the best career advice you have received? I have watched a lot of people work over the years. My dad told me, people may not like you, but if you work hard, they will respect you. Work hard and everyone will respect that.

Favorite place to eat: Restaurant Kunio - miso butterfish and tempura.

3 years with Honolulu Fire Protection, 14 years with the Union

What is your Hometown? Waipahu

What high school did you go? Lanakila Baptist School '06

What do you feel is the most valuable benefit the Union provides? The retirement benefits (pension and annuity). You work hard so you can enjoy later. The pay and family medical is also good.

What is a memorable project you have worked on? Working on the three rail stations. We worked on Kapolei, Pearl City, and the Stadium stations.

What advice would you give to an apprentice or someone just starting out? Be on time. There is always something to do - whether it's sweeping or cleaning up, stay busy. Stay one step ahead of your journeyman, be aware of what they are doing and what they will need.

What is one of the biggest challenges in your position? Scheduling the work and managing manpower. Many times, you need to juggle manpower when issues come up in the field or emergency repairs are needed.

Where do you see the fire sprinkler industry headed? There will always be a need, you are dealing with the safety of lives. There will always be steady work.

Who inspired, taught you or helped you in your career? All the journeymen before me. I learned from each of them, you take the best parts, build your own path, and create your own style.

What does it mean to be a member of Local 675? Everything - it has helped me support my family, buy a house, and survive in Hawaii. That's the strength of the Union.