We have had marketing on our mind in recent weeks, with the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority in the headlines. Today, we spotlight a woman who has been honored with a global marketing award for distinguished service. Her feet are planted deep in Waikīkī.
Sam Shenkus of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center arrived on the island decades ago initially to take a job marketing the Ala Moana Shopping Center.
She recently returned from accepting the Distinguished Service Award from the International Council of Shopping Centers, a global trade association founded in 1957.
Shenkus is the first person from Hawaiʻi to be honored with the award. She sat down with The Conversation to explain what this award means to her after decades of engaging with the local retail community.
This story aired on The Conversation on July 18, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
