Guam magazine names 2021 Executive of the Year nominees

BARRIGADA, Guam—Guam Business Magazine announced yesterday the nominees for the 2021 Guam Business Magazine Executive of the Year. The annual Executive of the Year award program recognizes executives who have made outstanding contributions to the business communities of Micronesia and who have raised the bar in their fields.
The nominees are:

■ Ernesto V. “Jun” Espaldon Jr., president of Quick Services Foods Inc., which does business as Wendy’s and Cold Stone Creamery;
■ Herbert J. Johnston Jr., education director, GCA Trades Academy; and president, Guam Association for Career & Technical Education;
■ Thomas W. Krise, president of the University of Guam; chairman of the Research Corporation of UOG; and executive secretary of the UOG Endowment Foundation;
■ Dr. Hoa V. Nguyen, co-founder, American Medical Center;
■ Nick Song, president of Haevichi Hospitality Guam Inc., which does business as the Westin Resort Guam;
■ Edward G. Untalan, executive vice president and Retail Banking region manager for the Guam and CNMI region of First Hawaiian Bank.

The winner will be revealed at the May 7 Executive of the Year reception at the Hyatt Regency Guam, together with the release of the May-June issue of Guam Business Magazine, which will feature the awardee on the cover.

Since 1983, the title of Executive of the Year has been awarded annually, recognizing executives who have made outstanding contributions to the business communities of Micronesia, have raised the bar in their fields and are considerably involved in the community.

Due to COVID-19, no award was made last year.

However, Guam Business Magazine, the Executives of the Year, and supporters of the program awarded checks in January 2021 through the “Guam Business Magazine New Year, New Hope Initiative” to five non-profits that operate in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, for a total of $20,500 in donations.

Past Executive of the Year recipients include Robert H. Jones of Triple J Enterprises Inc. (1983); John M. Borlas of IT&E Overseas Inc. (1984); Philip J. Flores of BankPacific (1985); Mark V. Pangilinan of M.V. Pangelinan Enterprises Inc. (1987); the late Kenneth T. Jones of Jones & Guerrero Co. (1994); the late Edward M. Calvo of Calvo Enterprises Inc. (1995); Marian Aldan-Pierce of DFS Saipan (2000); Juan T. Guerrero of Herman’s Modern Bakery Inc. (2003); Joseph M. Crisostomo of Cars Plus LLC, Cycles Plus and Payless Car Rental (2004); David M. Sablan of Century Group of Companies (2005); Lee P. Webber of MDA Guam (2007); Laura-Lynn V. Dacanay of First Hawaiian Bank (2008); Jerry Cho Yee Tan of TanHoldings Inc. (2009); Lourdes A. “Lou” Leon Guerrero of Bank of Guam (2010); Jay R. Shedd of IT&E (2011); Jerrold C. Johnson of Hawaiian Rock Products (2012); George Chiu of TanHoldings (2013); Norman T. Tenorio of Joeten Enterprises Inc., Pacifica Insurance Underwriters Inc., Tropical Instant Press Inc., Saipan Shipping Co., Saipan Stevedore and Advance Carrier (2014); Jeffrey B. Jones of Triple J Enterprises Inc. (2015); and Jose C. “Joe” Ayuyu of McDonald’s of Guam and Saipan, RJ Corp. and RJ Guam LLC (2016). (PR)