Hawaiʻi Public Radio will mark a major milestone on Nov. 13 as we celebrate 45 years on the air.
To prepare for the upcoming anniversary, we are shining a light on our long-time staffers who work behind the scenes by asking about their favorite memories and their hopes for the next 45 years of HPR.
Bernie Shimono, HPR's Chief Finance and Operations Officer, recalled fun times mingling with colleagues and guests, like Spanish singer and actor Charo.
"She was awesome," Shimono regaled. "She would talk to the volunteers answering phones, dance with the guys who wanted to, and even the women there were having fun.
Dedicated news reporting is something that Shimono has helped provide as an HPR staff member and relied upon as a member of her community, and that's why community connection is her focus for the next 45 years.
"Often, people know we are here, but they don't really know what we do. They need to be more connected, or we need to be more connected with the community," she said. "The news is always the foundation."
HPR Chief Community Giving Officer Valerie Yee has been with HPR since the station's fledgling days — and for her, it's been a joy to watch it grow.
"I actually measure my time by how many transmitters the station has. So when I joined the station, we had three, and now we have an abundance," she recounted. "It's been really exciting to see the station continue to grow."
For Yee, nothing hits home like hearing firsthand about the HPR's impact from the public.
"What's been really fun for me is when we have our station open houses that folks are coming in who said, 'I grew up listening to Hawaiʻi Public Radio. Now these are my kids, and they're listening too.'"
If you'd like to join in on the anniversary celebrations, follow this link to become a supporter of Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
This story aired on The Conversation on Nov. 9, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
