Ha‘aheo 675

23 years with Alaka'i Mechanical, 23 years as a Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Kaneohe

What high school did you go? Castle High School '98

What does it mean to be a member of Local 675? Building a career, you can be proud of, taking pride in the work you do and providing security for your family.

What is the most valuable benefit the Union provides? The opportunity to create long-term financial security for my family.

How did you get started in the Trades? My dad, Allen Loo, was a pipefitter welder for 33 years with Local 675. He told me to sign in once he noticed I was done exploring career options on my own.

What is more important: your benefits or your pay? They go hand in hand. I cannot really put the importance of one over the other.

How do you motivate the younger generation that is getting into the Trade? Something new that I am planning on doing is being very transparent with what my annuity and pension is projected to be when I retire. In addition, show them how my external investments are situated. I hope that they will understand the value of sound financial management and you can still live your life while doing it.

What advice would you give to a new apprentice or someone just starting out? This is not a “I'm going to try this out” job. It's a commitment and a career that can provide a comfortable situation for you and your family that rivals careers that require college degrees. But you need to dump all thoughts of instant gratification. You will be only as successful as you are willing to follow, learn, communicate and eventually lead.

Best plate lunch spot? I'm more of a ramen guy, Hokkaido Ramen or Junpu - spicy tan tan. Kaneohe L&L - they are the only ones who don't use that horrible watery katsu sauce.

25 years with Alaka'i Mechanical, 26 years as a Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Pearl City

What high school did you go? Saint Louis School '94

What does it mean to be a member of Local 675? It means I'm part of an elite group of proud men & women that take pride in their career.

What is the most valuable benefit the Union provides? Medical, dental and retirement plans.

Who was influential with you joining the Union? He may not know this, but it was Deric Ceria. I was at Coca Cola fixing soda machines until speaking with Deric.

How do you motivate the younger generation that is getting into the Trade? Tell them you can live very comfortably by investing in yourself.

What advice would you give to a new apprentice or someone just starting out? Don't give up. Nothing comes easy.

Best plate lunch spot? Alicia's Market - everything.

20 years with Alaka'i Mechanical, 21 years as a Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Kanehili, Kapolei

What high school did you go? Kamehameha Schools '98

What does it mean to be a member of Local 675? It's an honor to be a part of this Union. Not only does the Union support us with training, but they also have family functions that we enjoy.

What is the most valuable benefit the Union provides? The Union provides me the opportunity to raise my family in Hawaii.

Who was influential with you joining the Union? My Uncle, Vernon Rosa. I was just about to have my 2nd child and needed to get a career.

Who inspired or helped you along the way? Danny Freitas and Aukuso Gaisoa. If you could start over, would you choose the same trade? I think all the goods and bads made me into the person I am today.

How do you motivate the younger generation that is getting into the Trade? I find that I need to communicate more effectively by breaking things down.

What advice would you give to a new apprentice or someone just starting out? Come to work every day with a purpose.

Best plate lunch spot? Family BBQ - House Special.

23 years with Alaka'i Mechanical, 23 years as a Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Aiea

What high school did you go? Aiea High School '93

What does it mean to be a member of Local 675? Being a member of Local 675 is more than just having a job, it's being part of a brotherhood. It's having the opportunity to learn through the apprenticeship program but also learning out in the field from the older generation who dedicated themselves to the trade. They passed down their knowledge and experience and now it's our time.

How did you get started in the Trades? At the time, I was working for a pumping company that Alaka'i contracted with and that's where I got to know Wally Iaea. Wally took the time to talk to me before introducing me to Donovan Lewis. That's when I learned about Local 675 and the opportunities the Union could provide. My wife and I had just purchased a house so that was one of the hardest decisions to make. Starting over with apprentice pay was a hard transition. Fortunately, plumbing service always has after hour service calls so I would take what I could get.

If you had to change one thing in your career, what would that be? If I had the chance to go back and start over, the only thing I would change was the time I came into the Union. Just out of high school would have been perfect but I would still want to be a service plumber.

What advice would you give to a new apprentice or someone just starting out? Now I say the same thing Donovan and Wally had told me, think of the bigger picture, think long term.

Best plate lunch spot? Soon's Kal-Bi Drive-In.

19 years with Climate Pros, 14 years as a Union Member (transferred from Local 597)

Where is your Hometown? St. Charles, Illinois

What high school did you go? St. Charles East High School '06

Who was influential with you joining the Union? I grew up in a Union household, props to my mom - she was a Union Steward for the Post Office.

How do you motivate the younger generation that is getting into the Trade? I've learned that being open and honest as much as you can, and being more forward has been the best path.

What advice would you give to a new apprentice or someone just starting out? How you treat situations - be about business. Don't let your feelings get in the way of your career. You need to understand that your reputation isn't just about you - it's also about the people around you. Being nice can only take you so far.

You have the potential. It's all up to you - it's in your hands. It's your decision which path you're going to take. You're only as good as the team around you.

Best plate lunch spot? Don't have one but I love plate lunches…all MAC!

17 years with Climate Pros, 7 years as a Union Member (transferred from Local 597)

Where is your Hometown? Downers Grove, Illinois (moved to Hawaii in the summer of 2015)

What high school did you go? Downers Grove South High School '00

What does it mean to be a member of Local 675? It's an honor to represent the people in our trade and part of something bigger than just yourself. Being a member has also given me the ability to provide for my family beyond the normal paycheck. Benefits like the vacation fund have allowed us to take vacations and make memories together that we might not otherwise have been able to do.

It's all encompassing. It's not just a job, it's a career you build your life around, and it can provide so much more. It's great to have the backing of the Union.

If you had to change one thing in your career, what would that be? I would have started saving more for retirement earlier in my career. When you're young, retirement seems like it is forever away, but the earlier you start taking advantage of your pension, annuity and other retirement opportunities, the better position you'll be in the future.

How do you motivate the younger generation that is getting into the Trade? One thing I tell everyone is the first six months to a year can be overwhelming. It's information overload, and you're going to make mistakes - sometimes they may even be big ones. What matters isn't just what you messed up; it's what you do afterward. Own it, learn from it and follow through. Your response to a mistake says a lot more about you than the mistake itself.

What advice would you give to a new apprentice or someone just starting out? Look at it as a career, not just a job. Jobs come and go, but a career can set you up for life. Take the time to learn the trade, build your skills and take advantage of the opportunities the Union gives you.

12 years with Climate Pros, 10 years as a Union Member

Where is your Hometown? Waianae

What high school did you go? Waianae High School '03

How did you get started in the Trades? I was in landscaping for a long time. Then I realized that I wasn't going to get anywhere. My brother was in the military and lived in Colorado. I moved to Colorado with my wife and wanted to start a trade, so I went to trade school for refrigeration. On the last day of class, I decided Colorado was not for me, so I moved back to Hawaii.

If you had to change one thing in your career, what would that be? Start at an earlier age, right out of high school.

How do you motivate the younger generation that is getting into the Trade? I let them know that you will be able to own your own house in 5 years and have financial stability. If you stick with it, you can even retire early.

What advice would you give to a new apprentice or someone just starting out? Learn from your mistakes, don't let anyone influence your progression. When you are given an opportunity - take it.

Best plate lunch spot? Country Kitchen in Ewa Beach - Loco Moco.