Friends and colleagues of entrepreneur Guy Toyama remembered him as a passionate advocate for Hawaii’s technology community with a knack for bringing people together.

Toyama, the president and CEO of H2 Technologies, and executive director of Friends of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii, died Sunday after being airlifted to Honolulu from Kona where he had collapsed after competing in a one-mile running race.

“He just had so much enthusiasm and was so positive,” said Gregory Barbour, NELHA executive director. “He really was a big part of our success. He had a big influence on the business community.”

Toyama’s latest venture, H2 Technologies, is focused on using hydrogen as an energy source. Toyama in August announced a partnership with a Taiwan-based company to bring  hydrogen fuel-cell scooters to Honolulu as early as next year.

Ian Kitajima, marketing manager for Honolulu-based Oceanit, said he met with Toyama last month to talk about using Oceanit’s membranes in the fuel-cell scooters. Kitajima said he was shocked to hear that Toyama had died.

“Guy was a runner. He was in good shape and ate well,” said Kitajima, who had known Toyama for years as an active member of the local tech community.

“He had a very welcoming way about him and was able to bring people together,” said Kitajima, who was given a tour of NELHA by Toyama last month. “When guy gives you a tour it’s like the mayor of NELHA taking you around. He is passionate and knowledgeable about every company there. I was impressed.”