HONOLULU – A career that spanned five decades, six full-time athletics directors and countless hours comes to an end today when longtime secretary Margie Okimoto officially retires from the University of Hawai'i Athletics Department. As secretary in the Athletics Director's office, Okimoto has served under six full-time A.D.s, including current boss Jim Donovan, and two acting directors in 40 years of service.

 

“Margie is a dedicated and loyal employee and speaking on behalf of the entire athletics department, she will be truly missed,” Donovan said. “She's the first one to arrive each morning, turning on all the lights, and usually the last to leave. She answers all my calls, schedules all my meetings, and does all the paperwork. She never complains, always gets the job done and has been doing that for four decades. Without question, Margie is the heart and soul of this athletics department.”

 

Okimoto, the longest tenured employee in UH Athletics Department history, has been a fixture in the department since starting her employment in 1969 under then-A.D. the late Paul Durham, whom she worked with for six years. From 1975-76, Okimoto was secretary for acting director Dr. Edward Chui before beginning a seven-year stint with Ray Nagel.

 

With the arrival of the late Stan Sheriff in 1983, Okimoto would begin her longest tenure with one A.D. Sheriff's 10-year term as director ended abruptly with his sudden death in 1993. Associate A.D. Hugh Yoshida took over the post and served until 2002.

 

Herman Frazier was Okimoto's fifth full-time A.D. and he held the position until January 2008. Associate A.D. Carl Clapp served on an interim basis until Donovan's arrival in March 2008.

 

Okimoto's longevity is attributed to the success of her supervisors of which Durham, Nagel, and Sheriff are enshrined in the school's Sports Circle of Honor. Durham oversaw the basketball team's “Fabulous Five” era and the hiring of legendary baseball coach Les Murakami in 1971. Nagel spearheaded the program's admittance into the Western Athletic Conference in 1979. Sheriff is credited for obtaining funds for the construction of the 10,300-seat on-campus arena which bears his name.

 

“Margie is a wonderful person and was an outstanding secretary for me,” Nagel said. “I can't imagine anyone else who could do the job she did. Everything she did was done with perfection.”

 

During Okimoto's four decades with UH, she has seen the growth of the department which gained NCAA Division I status in 1974. She witnessed the program's first NCAA team championship in 1982 and again the following year when the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team repeated as national champions. She was there for the football team's first WAC Championship and mainland bowl victory in 1992 and the unforgettable 2007 undefeated regular season and Sugar Bowl appearance.

 

While Okimoto may not have witnessed all of these events in person, as she was always summoned to staff the offices and answer phone calls, she has been a regular at home football and men's basketball games for nearly 40 years.

 

Okimoto's tenure is longer than former tennis head coach Jim Schwitter's 38-year career, equipment manager Ken Fujimura's 37-year employment, assistant head coach George Lumpkin's 33-year association with the football team, women's volleyball head coach Dave Shoji's 33-year career, and former business manager Mike Nagafuchi's 32-year employment.

 

In 40-plus years with the department, more than 500 employees and coaches have come and gone. From a corner of a portable building in 1969, Okimoto has occupied her desk in the Athletics Complex since 1981.

 

“Margie has worked under seven A.D.s since 1969 and that's an accomplishment in itself,” Yoshida said. “She was the kind of person all of the A.D.s were able to work with and she was a person you could always trust and depend on. She was always there when we needed her the most.”

 

Okimoto and her husband, Larry, reside in Manoa with their two dogs. She enjoys watching Korean dramas and babysitting her two grandchildren and looks forward to her second trip ever to Las Vegas this summer. During her retirement, she will continue to attend UH football and men's basketball games and “travel round the world.”

 

“I'll miss her smiling face whenever I passed by the A.D.'s office. I still remember seeing her young little daughters grow up and I'll miss her famous pastries and desserts.”

 

“She's the most loyal and dedicated worker that I've known in the department. I'll miss greeting her every morning and seeing her sitting at her desk.”

 

“Margie is an icon, she persevered and I can't imagine passing by her desk without seeing her. She was always there when I needed help and had nothing but nice things to say.”

 

“She is a very pleasant person with not only the staff but visitors to the athletics director. She was a very dedicated employee and I can't remember a day she missed from work for illness or other reasons. She was very comfortable person to be around and that's an important quality as the A.D.'s secretary.”

 

“She's been a staple of the athletics department. She's gives you an honest answer and is a good listener without any biases. She's seen a lot of different things and when she tells you something it's the gospel. She always has a pleasant demeanor for the university and its people. I'll always remember her and I taking an aerobics class and I really got to know her on a social level.”

“Whenever I see her, she always tells me 'Good Morning' or 'Hi Kenji' and I'll miss that the most. She's very soft-spoken unless she needs to tell you something but she never forgets to greet people.”

“She is one of the true team players at the UH Athletics Department. She's everybody's friend, judges no one and we're all going to miss her tremendously.”

“Margie was a pleasure to work with and I've always liked her. I worked with her closely when I was the faculty rep and got to know her quite well. She'll be missed and its sad to see her go.”

 

To Margie: Mahalo Nui Loa, A Hui Hou. You will be missed dearly. Enjoy your retirement!!!