THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS NETWORK

Letter of appreciation from The Pew Charitable Trusts

The Pew Charitable Trusts retained SF&A in March of 2006 to help advise local political and media strategy to advance the goal of establishing a National Marine Sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. On June 15th, 2006, President George Bush declared the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands a National Monument, now officially named Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Foster said, "We are of course pleased to have played even a small role in seeing this occur. The many individuals and organizations who have worked so hard on this during the past seven years are to be commended."




State sets aside $4 million for Honolulu Symphony

In January 2006, SF&A was retained by the 107-year old Honolulu Symphony Society to help shepherd legislation through the Hawai`i State legislature that resulted in a $4 Million matching grant for the Honolulu Symphony Foundation's endowment trust fund, and a $150,000 State "Grant In Aid" -- later increased to $250K. Foster noted, "We were particularly pleased with the outcome of this team effort. There was not a single "no" vote during the many public hearings and House and Senate floor votes."




July, 2000 - June, 2003

Stewards of Waimea Valley Web site

Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Letter of appreciation

SF&A was originally commissioned by the Forward Foundation in 1999 to facilitate the public acquisition and restoration of the sacred Hawai'i Ahupua'a (land division from mountain to ocean) of Waimea, O'ahu. "This is the fastest I have ever seen the Council or City move on an issue," said former Honolulu City Council Member Rene Mansho, and the project was presented as "a model for community based tourism development" by the University of California, Chico during the 2001 International Conference on Tourism Development and Management hosted by the Government of China. Surprisingly, the Valley was again threatened in December of 2005 after a long series of court actions and delays. SF&A again rose to the occasion to rally support and the long saga culminated on Dec. 7, 2005, "In a stunning example of people power..." when the public pressure SF & A had helped organize caused the Honolulu City Council -- in a 9-0 vote -- to reverse an earlier vote to subdivide the historic 1,875-acre site. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs now owns the sacred Ahupua'a of Waimea for all time.



1995 - Current
Advocates For Consumer Rights WEB SITE
Client Comments

Since 1995, SF&A has performed the communications and political strategy for Hawaii's Advocates For Consumer Rights. AFCR's most-recent project was Hawaii's unique "Fair Gas Price" law. The "Gas Cap," which was first passed in 2002 became operative on September 1, 2005, and was the first such law in the nation to try and curb the rapacious oil industry and was being closely followed by seven other states who are considering similar regulatory legislation. The "Gas Cap" was sidelined during the 2006 Hawai`i State Legislative Session after hundreds-of-thousands of dollars flowed from the oil industry into numerous powerful incumbent legislator's campaign chests and the once-supportive body voted to "suspend" the Gas Cap" and add "more transparency" to the industry reporting process. Scott Foster noted in a national AP story, "While the jury is still out on this one, Hawaii's now-named "Fair Price Indicator" will be like a flashing red neon sign reminding Hawaii's consumers what the prices would have been under the Gas Cap. The Fair Price Indicator will haunt the elected officials and industry minions who sold Hawaii's consumers out -- again to The Oil Oligopoly."




Voter Owned Hawai`i
June, 1999 - Present

After nine years, SF&A continues to act as a political & communications consultant to Voter Owned Hawai`i, formerly Hawai`i Clean Elections. Working to institute a full publically-funded political campaign finance system in Hawai`i, in 2008 VOE saw the first such bill passed in Hawai`i which will allow the County of Hawai`i to use the system for the 2010 elections, "a major political coup."




INLANDBOATMENS' UNION
STRIKE
June 30 - July 5, 2004

SF & A performed the communications and media strategy for the Inlandboatmen's Union (IBU) strike against the venerable Hawai'i Tug & Barge and Young Brothers ocean transportation companies. Hawaii's PACIFIC BUSINESS NEWS described the event, "Result: a surgical strike in and out in four days."


Iz Statue

Client Comments

Scott Foster & Associates provided the emergency pro bono communications services resulting in a last-minute groundswell of financial support and political pressure pouring in from around the world - assuring the timely completion, transport, and September 20, 2003 public dedication of the statue of Israel Kamakawiwo`ole. The bronze bust of the internationally-revered Hawaiian musician will forever perpetuate the rich legacy of "Brudda Iz." Eshewing Waikiki, the artist selected Kamakawiwo`ole's own neighborhood on O`ahu's historic Wai`anae Coast for the statues' location.
November, 1999 - May, 2004
Client Comments

The successful conclusion on July 17, 2003, of an 11-week nurses' strike at Oahu's rural Wahiawa General Hospital also marked the end of the fourth successful nurses' strike since January 19, 2003, for which SF&A had performed strategic communications, planning and implementation. The actions were covered by "one in seven" American newspapers, reported on CNN, in Mexico and Canada, and was featured on two broadcasts by the internationally-syndicated American radio commentator, Paul Harvey. Sue Scheider, JD, (then) Executive Director, Hawai'i Nurses' Union said, "There was not a single day during that three-month period when we did not have media coverage - in fact, we believe our strikes at three hospitals received just as much coverage (and not just local coverage) as any strike in the world in the last decade."




Client Comments

Contracted in January, 2002, to advance the issue of Death With Dignity through the Hawai'i State Legislature. While the original goal had been to achieve only a House Health Committee hearing, the free-media and public-opinion campaigns employed by SF&A indeed caused the issue to become "the hot button issue of the session" and Death With Dignity came within 3 votes of becoming state law. Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano noted, "This issue has never moved this far, this fast in any state legislature."
1998 - 2000
Client Comments

Contracted by the Drug Policy Forum of Hawai'i to devise and implement the organizational and communications strategies needed to successfully pass the legislation now allowing the medical use of marijuana in Hawai'i - the first state in the nation to do so through legislation. The DPFH website originally designed and maintained by SF&A - with its then highly advanced video-streaming capabilities - was touted as the model for state drug-reform organizations by national drug-policy organizations.


July 1, 1999 - September 30, 1999
Contracted by the Hawai'i Coalition For Health to save the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns Schools of Medicine and Public Health from the budget ax during a severe economic downturn. The Medical School closure was prevented and the School of Public Health was downgraded to a department.



September 1, 1998 - November 3, 1998

Client Comments;

The 1998 Hawai'i Gubernatorial Campaign marked the third time since 1994 for which the services of SF&A had been contracted by Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano. SF&A Developed and implemented grass-roots & free-media public information and opinion strategies for the successful reelection of the Governor.



March 1, 1997 - May 27, 1998

At the personal request of the Governor of Hawai'i, Scott Foster was retained for 18 months to work directly with the Governor's Senior Staff and his appointed Directors in identifying and realizing specific high-profile projects deemed vital to the Governor's reelection.

  • Designed, produced, coordinated and managed the logistics to mount The Governor's Town-Hall Meetings, a six-month series of high-profile live and televised public-information forums conducted throughout the state with the Governor, Lt. Governor, their Chiefs of Staff, all Department Directors and Senior Policy Advisors in attendance.

  • Initiated, secured outside funding, and oversaw installation of a state-of-the-art media production & editing facility within the Governor's Office, and obtained a dedicated Governor's television channel within the Capitol complex - also connected to existing inter-island and international fiber-optic distribution systems.

  • Conceived, designed, and implemented The Governor's Report, a weekly television digest of the Governor's televised press conferences.

  • Designed, drafted, and produced The Governor's Community Report. The 40+ geographically targeted monthly public-information publications were hand carried and distributed by an organized pool of senior administration officials through Oahu's Neighborhood Board system and the Governor's neighbor island offices. Some 40,000 reports and related attachments were ultimately produced and distributed.

  • Conducted the public-education campaign articulating the Governor's reasoning behind the State acquisition during an economic downturn of the 300 acres now comprising Hawaii's Ka Iwi State Park. Then owned by Kamehameha Schools-Bishop Estate, this preservation effort prevents further development on Oahu's pristine Ka Iwi Coast.


  • Advance and ground communications for The Clinton Whitehouse during the President's visit to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of VJ Day in Hawai'i;
  • 1994 Benjamin J. Cayetano successful Campaign for Governor -  Client Comments;
  • consultant since 1986 to successful candidates for the Hawai'i State House &Senate, and U.S. Congressional campaigns in Hawai'i;
  • marketing projects for Hong Kong investor, Mr. Edward Eu;
  • personal projects for Mr. Tom Gentry, Gentry Properties;
  • marketing collatoral for King Travel and the Pleasant Hawaiian Holiday corporations  - Client Comments
  • public-opinion strategy for T. J. Mahoney and Company Re: Matlock House transitional prison housing facility.



    The Associates have donated public-relations, marketing services or produced fund-raising events for: