Top 10 Performer

HONOLULU

Russell Okata, executive director of the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA)/AFSCME Local 152, was one of 10 people recognized by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin as having "changed Hawaii" in 2004.

The newspaper cited HGEA's grassroots political machine for shifting the balance of power in the state House by supporting Democrats who unseated five Republican incumbents. Those victories, the paper acknowledged, "will make it more difficult for Gov. Linda Lingle (R) to reject pro-labor measures."

Under Okata's leadership, the union in 2004 also agreed to a two-year contract that included pay increases ranging from 5 to 9 percent. Lingle had vetoed the raises, but was overridden by the legislature after Okata — who is an International vice president — pointed out that other public employee unions had received large pay hikes.