Isle HIV workplace education
project wins national award

Star-Bulletin staff

A low-budget Hawaii organization with some high-powered volunteers has won a national award for spreading the word about HIV and AIDS prevention among businesses.

The Hawaii Industry Venture, with a staff of one and an annual budget of $39,100, yesterday received the first National Business and Labor Award for Leadership on HIV/AIDS from the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention.

Hawaii Industry Venture, founded in 1994 and funded by the Hawaii Community Foundation, is a partnership of executives who give presentations on HIV and AIDS to companies. The organization has talked to more than 1,000 employees and 1,300 employers, and distributed thousands of brochures.

Participants currently include Kevin Sypniewski, Manager at Unum Insurance; Wayne Hoshigai, attorney at Torkildson, Katz, Fonesca, Jaffe, Moore & Hetherington; Patty Foley, director at Outrigger Hotels and Resorts; Jamie Hartnett, The Promotion Dept.; Kitty Lagareta, president at Hill and Knowlton Hawaii; Alex Nava, Roche Laboratories; Bryan Tallo, director at Aloha Airlines; and Pauline Worsham, Vice President of Community Relations at Bank of Hawaii.