SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT VIP Foodservice

By: Deidre Tegarden

I was reminded of the above Rudyard Kipling quote as I listened to Nelson Okumura talk about his mother, Lorraine, and the important lessons she imparted to him … the lessons of hard work, responsibility, standing by your word and giving back to the community that supports you.

Established by Nelson’s father Roy Okumura, VIP Foodservice has been part of the Maui community since 1951. In 1985 the company opened Cash & Carry (now Island Grocery Depot) with stores in Kahului and Lahaina. The business has always been a family affair. Nelson’s mother was a stay at home mother, and when he entered fourth grade she went to work at VIP to help her husband develop a family business.

“The idea of family is very important to the company,” Nelson said. “We have employees that have been with us for over 40 years. That’s important.”

Now President of VIP, Nelson Okumura knew from a young age that he wanted to work in the family business and ultimately, one day, run the company. Working at the company began during high school summer vacations and followed into his time at the University of Hawai‘i and during breaks from his time in the Army Reserve.

Nelson started in the sales department and eventually evolved to sales manager.

“The secret to being a good sales person is you have to have a plan, you have to really anticipate customer needs and develop skills,” he explained, adding that he is a fan of the soft sale. “In our business it is about the long-term relationship. You must prove by your actions that you are valuable. We still have our original customers. Mother would stress the importance of giving back. Business only occurs thanks to the community. So you cannot just take, you must give back.”

That idea of “giving back” is why the Roy and Lorraine Okumura Foundation was established in 2014. It has helped countless nonprofits across Maui, including the Nisei Veterans Memorial Center (NVMC).

“The NVMC has always been important to my family,” Nelson added. He first learned about the stories of the Nisei while in elementary school, including from his father’s cousin, the late WWII Nisei veteran Harold Okumura, MIS.

“From that time, I really felt a part of what they did and I have carried that feeling with me for most of my life. It is import- ant to perpetuate the story, values and what they did. I met a young woman at an event. She was Japanese American, and I told her about the NVMC. She had not been aware of the Nisei story and that surprised me. It is so important that we share with the next generation what these men accomplished and sacrificed.”

Nelson Okumura definitely “walks the talk” and has been a supporter of the NVMC since its inception, holding various leadership positions. Although no longer on the board, he continues to come to the campus clean-up days. Nelson is never too busy to take a phone call or meeting and can make sense of the most difficult problem. He makes everyone feel welcomed and a part of the family. I think his mother would be very happy to see her lessons are being practiced every day.

NELSON OKUMURA VIP Foodservice President