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Local boy Al Tomonari came home in 1997 to open Neiman Marcus at Ala Moana Center in September 1998. On Feb. 28 he will bid a fond aloha to the upscale store and call it a career.
"It’s been a real honor to introduce Neiman Marcus to Hawaii," Al said. "The way we were welcomed back by old and new friends after being away 25 years was special. It’s been nice to know local people like you." The tall, 68-year-old, well-dressed gentleman plans to travel and do more gardening with Joyce, his wife of 27 years, golf with pals and continue with volunteer work.
Al was born in Honolulu, and I’m proud to say he graduated from Roosevelt High, my alma mater, in 1964. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business at the University of Hawaii and began his retail career at Liberty House. He moved to California and worked for Macy’s as a buyer and became VP of men’s merchandising for Macy’s East Division in New York before joining Neiman Marcus in 1991, working at the Beverly Hills store.
He was general manager of the Neiman in Palo Alto, Calif., before coming home. I met Al when Neiman was under construction here. I told him how I once saw Stanley Marcus, the chain’s co-founder, on an escalator in the San Francisco store and how I wanted to rush to him and ask when he would open a Neiman Marcus in Honolulu. Years later it happened, and Tomonari came with the fab store that has the beautiful Mariposa view restaurant on the third floor and eateries on the other two floors. Enjoy retirement, Al! …
UH STUDENT Carley Sizemore, whose late dad was a Navy SEAL, has high praise for "American Sniper," the box-office smash about legendary SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, who was shot and killed by a former Marine reportedly suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Carley, who hopes to be a doctor someday, said she thought the picture was "terrific, awesome. I really loved it."
The picture and its star, Bradley Cooper as Kyle, are both in the running for Academy Awards.
Carley is the only child born to Derek and Korene Sizemore. Derek was a junior powerlifting champ in Oregon when he was growing up. Carley is someone who would make any parent proud. She is in the Hawaii National Guard, is a full-time student working toward a biology degree and has two part-time jobs, one as a waitress and the other as a bartender.
Her dad became a SEAL on his third attempt when she was in her preteens. He was not a sniper. She said he did not talk much about his missions on two deployments. He was a SEAL for four years but had to leave the elite force in 1998 when his knees gave out, Carley said. He died of leukemia in 2012 at age 40 …
PERSONABLE Robert "Bob" Corboy threw what he called an "office party" at the Pacific Club for about 60 people to mark his 50th anniversary with New York Life Insurance Co.
A highlight of the dinner was keynote speaker Robert F. Foley, Corboy’s Schofield Barracks roommate (1963-64) who went on to become a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and retired as a lieutenant general. Foley lives in Washington, D.C., and calls Hawaii his second home.
Corboy is a 1958 Punahou graduate and was a versatile athlete. He went to Santa Clara University, where he was a standout in football and baseball. Upon graduation he was commissioned as an Army officer.
Following three years of service, he left the Army and joined New York Life as well as the Hawaii Special Forces. He served in a Green Beret reserve unit five years before retiring as a captain.
At his company he gained entry to the Million Dollar Round Table his first year. He has done that for 50 consecutive years — the only Hawaii agent to achieve that — and is still going strong. Corboy is married to the former Michele La Rue. They have two children and five grandchildren.
Bob is a baseball historian who says he is basking in the glory of his San Francisco Giants, who have won three of the past five World Series. Go Giants! Foley was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1968 for his heroics in Vietnam in 1966 when he was a 25-year-old captain in the 25th Infantry Division.
The 6-foot-7 Massachusetts athlete turned down 15 college scholarships to enter West Point, where he captained the basketball team in 1963, his senior year …
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
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