HFD to recognize top employees

Three Honolulu Department employees, including a battalion chief, will be recognized next week as HFD’s top employees of the year.

Battalion Chief Paul Kato was chosen as the manager of the year; Capts. Joseph Condlin and Elliot Mattos were named as HFD’s uniformed employees of the year; and Young Paek will be honored as civilian employee of the year.

Kato is a 24-year veteran responsible for the HFD’s $130 million budget. He is also the project manager of the apparatus committee and oversees procurement and maintenance of apparatuses.

Condlin oversees fire operations training and has been with the department for 17 years.

Mattos has 29 years of service with the HFD. In addition to working with the storeroom, he is also a senior member of the training and research bureau’s instructor cadre and assists with training.

Paek for over 17 years he has been responsible for designing custom test jigs, creating radio programs, and developing innovative equipment testing procedures for the city and state as part of the HFD radio shop.

The three will be honored at a luncheon hosted by the 200 Club Oct. 6. The HFD will also recognize employees with 25 and 35 years of service.

Fire Chief Manuel P. Neves said, “They are outstanding public servants and represent the best of the HFD. The Department sincerely appreciates The 200 Club’s assistance, which makes it possible to honor and recognize our exemplary employees and recognize dedicated HFD employees who have provided 25 and 35 years of service.”

The 200 Club was formed in 1968 by a group of local businessmen to aid the families of fire fighters and police officers killed in the line of duty.