Local organizations honored for dedication to integrity and ethical business practices.

Media Contacts:

Roseann Freitas, PR and Communications Manager | roseann.freitas@thebbb.org

Whitney Slade, Communications Director | pr-communications@thebbb.org 

HONOLULU, HI. Oct. 28, 2021 - Better Business Bureau Great West + Pacific (BBBGWP), has named three businesses and one charity as winners of the 2021 Torch Award winners for the state of Hawaii.

All Kine Pools & Spas LLC, – Small Business of the Year
American Floor and Home – Large Business of the Year
Island Windows & Doors – Spark Recipient
Kupu – Charity of the Year

The Torch Awards for Ethics is the most prestigious honor BBBGWP bestows on businesses and charities operating within its eight-state service area. Winners are selected based on their commitment to operational integrity and ethical business practices.

“We were thrilled to receive more than 300 Torch Awards submissions this year from businesses and charities alike,” said Tyler Andrew, president and CEO of BBBGWP. “It was truly inspiring to learn how each business makes a daily commitment to not only uphold ethical business practices, but also embody the true meaning of integrity. We hope this recognition helps the winners and finalists stand out in their local communities and encourage more businesses to operate with those same principles.”

Each organization was asked to supply responses to prompts focused on their team's character, culture, customer engagement, and community involvement.

All Kine Pools & Spas, established in 2009 in Kailua Kona, strives to instill family values in all interactions. “Developing this embodiment of ohana (family) helps us to provide each of our clients with a comfortable setting for consultations and alternative budgeting plans to sustain the longevity of their pool and spa investments,” said Owner and Director of Operations, Jamie Baxter.

American Floor and Home, established in 1974 in Honolulu, is owned and operated by its employees after the original owner gave all the employees a loan to own free shares of the company in 2013. “This ethical choice by David Arita has a waterfall effect that is passed on from employees to customers,” said Director of Marketing, Nikki Nakamura. “Everyone gets to learn about the financials of the company just like an owner and come up with their own ideas to help the company succeed.”

Island Windows & Doors, established in 2018 in Honolulu, centers their customers around their mission and philosophy of Kama’aina. “We take our mission very seriously. Kama’aina literally means ‘I am a child of that which feeds me’. We need to malama [care for] what sustains us,” said Co-Owner, Paul Nobbe.

Kupu, established in 2007 in Honolulu, is the largest youth-focused conservation organization in Hawaii. “’Sprout, grow, germinate, or increase.’ The mission of Kupu is to empower youth to serve their
communities through character-building, service-learning, and environmental stewardship opportunities that encourage pono (integrity) with Ke Akua (God), self, and others,” said Chief Operating Officer, Matthew Bauer.

Torch Awards winners from each state were announced as part of a virtual ceremony held on Oct. 28, 2021. Learn more about the impact of the BBB Torch Awards from previous winners featured in the “Passing the Torch” video series.

ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust. In 2020, people turned to BBB more than 160 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.2 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. There are local, independent BBBs across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including BBB Great West & Pacific, which serves more than 20 million consumers in Alaska, Central Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Western Wyoming.