Champions help to heal communities — Part 3
by Sharon Higa | Jan. 22, 2025
The HEI Charitable Foundation annually recognizes six outstanding employee volunteers with a $1,000 donation awarded to a nonprofit organization of their choice. The 2024 Kokua Community Service Champions are all leaders with a desire to serve and through giving back are helping bridge the gap so communities can heal and thrive. I’m pleased to introduce this year’s honorees and their selected nonprofits through a series of blogs dedicated to each individual champion.
John DiGiovanni, Senior Business Solutions Consultant, Energy Delivery
Prior to joining Hawaiian Electric in 2017, John DiGiovanni served our country as an active-duty member of the United States Marine Corps and today brings the same level of dedication, leadership and commitment to excellence to his current role at Hawaiian Electric as well as his service to local communities as a volunteer for youth and veteran organizations.
The now retired Lieutenant Colonel has a well-rounded background in the Marine Corps with stints as an electrician and aircrew before moving into project / program management, strategic planning / transformation, IT business solutions and Master Black Belt in continuous improvement under the Lean Six Sigma certification, the highest achievement in the program.
John’s leadership and love of country, community and building up the next generation earned him a spot as one of our 2024 Kokua Champions. As a leader, he inspires others through his actions and it’s especially visible in his work with the Young Marines, an award-winning program for boys and girls ages 8–18 years that focuses on character building and leadership while promoting a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. Young Marines is John’s selection to receive the HEI donation.
“My journey with the Young Marines Program began in 2005 when my kids brought home a flyer while we were stationed in Okinawa, Japan,” said John. The flyer was an invitation to join a local boot camp with the Camp Foster Young Marines.
“At first, we thought it was just a small, local group but to our surprise, we discovered it was part of a National Youth Program that at the time boasted nearly 300 units across the United States with 10,000 youth members and 2,500 adult volunteers.”
After returning to the states, John joined a local unit in Maryland and his involvement grew as he established three units including the Pyramid Rock Young Marines on Oʻahu which he currently leads at MCBH Kaneohe (Eastside) and Kapolei (Westside). “All five of our children participated in the program, and our family has remained dedicated to supporting it ever since,” he said.
Over the last decade, John has mentored more than 250 students and annually leads about 20 projects while devoting 3,600+ hours of community service to benefit Hawaii and the next generation.
In his role as an adult volunteer with the Young Marines, John leads by example and encourages teens to be physically and mentally fit and to do well in school. This includes supporting Red Ribbon Week and Youth Drug Demand Reduction efforts which are prevention campaigns aimed at reducing drug use and addressing the underlying issues of substance abuse.
John also mentors teenagers to plan, prepare and execute support for community service projects including wreath laying services on Memorial Day, marching in holiday parades and providing color guard details and logistics support for Veteran’s Day and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Week activities; the latter alone involving more than 175 Young Marines and adult volunteers from the mainland.
In his capacity as a volunteer with the Young Marines, John also supported other military-related organizations such as the Marine Corps League (currently Commandant of our Aloha Detachment #363), American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Council. He also has participated as a volunteer for community events supported by Hawaiian Electric, such as the Okinawan Festival, Malama Puuloa, Diamond Head Theatre and more.
“My passion for mentorship and volunteerism has flourished through the Young Marines program,” John said, in closing. “By mentoring and teaching young people, we are shaping future leaders who are better citizens — committed to community service, supporting local families and veterans, serving others, and living healthy, drug-free lives. It is a privilege to help guide the next generation to make a positive impact in their communities.”
Sharon Higa is a senior communications consultant at Hawaiian Electric.
