{"id":1666,"date":"2022-07-27T10:52:11","date_gmt":"2022-07-27T20:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaii.carpentermediagroup.com\/midweekhawaii\/?p=1666"},"modified":"2022-07-27T10:52:11","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T20:52:11","slug":"sherry-menor-mcnamara","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaii.carpentermediagroup.com\/midweekhawaii\/sherry-menor-mcnamara\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018One of Us\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Photo By Lawrence Tabudlo<\/p><\/div>\n

Sherry Menor-McNamara hopes to be a voice for the neighbor islands as the state\u2019s next lieutenant governor.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Summertime reminds Sherry Menor-McNamara of one of her favorite childhood memories: visiting Grandpa Angelo and Grandma Paulina at their P\u0101hoa farm. She remembers the beautiful anthuriums and being surrounded by tangerine, mountain apple and \u2018ulu trees \u2014 and how all of those living things were the culmination of her grandparents\u2019 hard work.<\/p>\n

Never one to shirk hard work herself, a young Menor-McNamara would help crack macadamia nuts and then accompany her grandparents to town, where they\u2019d sell the day\u2019s wares to local families.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Lieutenant governor hopeful Sherry Menor-McNamara waves signs with the next generation of Hawai\u2018i\u2019s leaders. PHOTO COURTESY SHERRY4LG<\/strong>
<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThey were so community-focused,\u201d she says. \u201cEven if they didn\u2019t have a lot, they\u2019d give whatever was on their farm to those who needed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the heart she wants to lead Hawai\u2018i with as the state\u2019s next lieutenant governor, and aspires to move one step closer after the primaries on Aug. 13.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Sherry Menor-McNamara (center) attends a campaign event in Hilo with (from left) husband John McNamara, Jerry Chang, Harvey and Helen Tajiri, and mom Naomi Menor.
<\/p><\/div>\n

The Hilo native is the only nominee on the ticket who grew up on a neighbor island, and hopes to be a voice for the underrepresented if elected. And though she now calls O\u2018ahu home, her heart is and always will remain on Hawai\u2018i Island.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I admire about Sherry is that she never forgot where she came from,\u201d shares Wai\u0101kea High School classmate Neil Azevedo.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven from small-kid time, we all knew that she would grow to be successful and make a difference for our state. She understands our community because she was raised with us. She will fight for our community because she is one of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

Sherry Menor-McNamara graduated from Wai\u0101kea High School in 1989 and was student body president her senior year. PHOTOS COURTESY SHERRY4LG <\/strong>
<\/p><\/div>\n

As a representative for the entire state of Hawai\u2018i, Menor-McNamara wants to make sure all voices are heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes decisions are too Honolulu centric,\u201d she says. \u201cI have a desire to make Hawai\u2018i a better place for all of us, and it\u2019s the values I grew up with that will help me do that. I\u2019ve applied them to every job I\u2019ve had.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s saying something considering she\u2019s worked at big-name companies like Sony Pictures Entertainment, Elton John Production and Est\u00e9e Lauder, as well as public service appointments in the office of U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and the Executive Office of the President. Most recently, she\u2019s brought those core values to her position as president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawai\u2018i (she\u2019s currently on sabbatical during the campaign), where she made her mark as the organization\u2019s youngest and first female leader in its 173-year history, as well as the first person of Asian descent to serve as CEO of any state chamber. And, she led the organization to a national \u201cChamber of the Year\u201d award \u2014 another first for any Chamber in Hawai\u2018i.<\/p>\n

Breaking new ground is standard for Menor-Mc-Namara, who made the decision to run for lieutenant governor during the pandemic. As head of the Chamber, she saw how the last couple of years have affected the more than 2,000 businesses (80% of those are small businesses) that are part of the organization\u2019s network.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt impacted us heavily and there are challenges that have not improved,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen you look at it, a lot of times it\u2019s the same leadership in office. I felt that during this pivotal, defining moment in Hawai\u2018i that it\u2019s time to move forward and do things differently.\u201d<\/p>\n

Menor-McNamara might be a newcomer to the big stage of Hawai\u2018i politics, but got her feet wet in the world of student government as president\/vice president of her classes, finally becoming student body president her senior year.<\/p>\n

The importance of giving back to the community through public service was a value instilled in her by her dad, Barney Menor, who served in the state House from 1964 to 1970 before going on to become the Managing Director of Hawai\u2018i County.<\/p>\n

As the only candidate to come from a business-minded background, Menor-McNamara relies on her personal experience and educational background to provide a solid framework for the state\u2019s second-highest office. As head of the Chamber, she\u2019s worked with numerous legislators and administrators on all levels of government and knows the intricacies of how state entities work. In addition, she earned her bachelor\u2019s in political science from University of California at Los Angeles, as well as higher-ed degrees from University of Hawai\u2018i at M\u0101noa\u2019s William S. Richardson School of Law and Shidler College of Business.<\/p>\n

And, she\u2019s up for the challenge, which she likens to running a marathon (she\u2019s completed five already and is looking forward to the upcoming Honolulu Marathon in December).<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s challenging my mindset,\u201d explains Menor-McNamara, who\u2019s also a certified yoga sculpt instructor. \u201cThe first several miles you\u2019re on a high, and after you get tired, you push through it.\u201d<\/p>\n

First and foremost, she\u2019s committed to working shoulder to shoulder with the state\u2019s future governor to address the many issues facing Hawai\u2018i, namely the cost of living and price of doing business. She also wants to build up the state\u2019s education and workforce development, specifically honing in on how high schools, community colleges, universities, educators and community organizations can work together to strengthen the talent pipeline.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the need for a comprehensive recovery plan that includes support for local entrepreneurs, who are the backbone of the state\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n

Seeing her grandparents operate their small family farm \u2014 bought with money saved up from working the sugar plantations \u2014 was Menor-McNamara\u2019s introduction to the world of entrepreneurship and the joys small businesses can bring.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have seen firsthand growing up the challenges and sacrifices it takes to run a small business here in Hawai\u2018i,\u201d she notes, adding that her mom Naomi, an immigrant from Japan, started her own business four decades ago that\u2019s still going strong.<\/p>\n

And entrepreneurs are taken with this first-time contender who wants to shine a light on the importance of small businesses to Hawai\u2018i\u2019s economy \u2014 and has concrete plans to help them flourish.<\/p>\n

\u201cSherry does so much behind the scenes to make sure we all have the best opportunities to succeed,\u201d notes chef Sam Choy. \u201cFor me, that means not just fighting for my restaurant and employees, but supporting the farmers and fisherman where I get my food, so I can showcase and serve the best local products and cook with the finest ingredients in the world. This Big Island wahine has vision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Menor-McNamara has plans to be a hands-on type of leader, one who goes out into communities across the islands to talk, learn and collaborate \u2014 not one who remains stuck on the fifth floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of experience in my career on a winding path,\u201d she says with a laugh. \u201cAnd I was able to gain a lot more experience, skills and relationships, and learned to keep an open mind in navigating difficult issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter 16 years with the Chamber, now is the time to do my part,\u201d she adds. \u201cTogether we can build a better Hawai\u2018i.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paid for by Sherry4LG
\nP.O. Box 3323
\nHonolulu, HI 96801<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sherry Menor-McNamara hopes to be a voice for the neighbor islands as the state\u2019s next lieutenant governor. 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