ultimately principal. In 2008, amid Hawai‘i’s economic uncertainty, Miki stepped into the role of President and COO. Instead of slowing down, she launched Hi’ialoakuäpapa Sustainable Marketplace of the Pacific, a sustainable design showroom that brought clients together with local innovators, artisans and technology partners. “Some people thought we were crazy for opening a sustainability center during a downturn,” she says. “But it shared a vision of sustainable stewardship and financially helped us and our partners through those challenging years.” This era also marked the beginning of G70’s many sustainability “firsts” in Hawai‘i—from the state’s first LEED Platinum school and first LEED Platinum lab facility to the first LEED Platinum commercial interior, along with landmark projects such as the nation’s first net-zero affordable housing community and new net-zero, HI-CHPS–certified educational environments. FINDING HOME IN AN UNEXPECTED PLACE One of G70’s most distinctive collaboration stories involve its own headquarters. In searching for a new office, traditional tower suites didn’t fit the firm’s personality. Miki wanted something connected to the street and the daily life of Honolulu. Standing inside Bank of Hawai‘i’s main branch, inspiration struck: convert part of their central financial center into G70’s new home. “It was probably a proposal the bank had never seen before,” Miki says. But the idea resonated, and the transition became a model of adaptive visioning. The resulting office spans the mezzanine and tower levels, combining high security, natural light, and open collaboration zones. With G70’s new mobile systems already in place, the firm transitioned seamlessly into hybrid work during COVID-19. The headquarters now symbolizes G70’s adaptability and partnership-driven mindset. WHERE PEOPLE COME FIRST G70’s identity has always been defined by its people. Family, faith, and mutual support shape the firm’s operations, with a strong emphasis on wellbeing 43 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12 GROUP 70 INTERNATIONAL (G70)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx