LEONARD S. TANAKA, GENERAL MANAGER

Leonard Tanaka, General Manager of T&T ELECTRIC, INC. TEAM Leonard Tanaka and Wife / Partner, Suellen Tanaka started the company in 1983. With over 40 years in the Electrical and Energy fields he brings a wealth of experience in energy efficiency, renewable energy and power.

He is licensed in Hawaii, Guam and American Samoa and recently operating in the Philippines. Mr. Tanaka received his Electrical Science Technology certificate from the University of Hawaii at Hilo in 1976. He obtained the “B” General Building Contractors license in 1993 along with C−17, C−31A and C−3 as well as “A” General Engineering Contractors license.

Mr. Tanaka has an extensive background in all phases of electrical design, construction, maintenance and repairs on residential, commercial, industrial, utility and institutional systems. He is also experienced in pole and line construction, energy management, power generation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy storage, data / telecommunications / fiber optics.

*Federally certified Construction Quality Manager 

SUELLEN TANAKA, OFFICE MANAGER

Suellen Tanaka is the Office Manager of T&T ELECTRIC with a background in banking and public relations. She oversees human resources and the accounting department as the Office Manager.

Leonard and Suellen were selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration as “Small Business Persons of the Year” in 1992. Their recognition as “Small Business Persons of the Year” included both the State of Hawaii and Region IX, which includes the western United States and Guam.

In addition to her corporate responsibilities, Suellen has been and continues to give back to the community, having served on Boards with the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

THOMAS RAFFIPIY, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT TO TNT ELECTRIC, INC.

Tom Raffipiy is a Construction Management Consultant to T&T ELECTRIC. He attended U.S. Army Engineer School – Fort Leonardwood, Missouri. An Honor Graduate 1988 University of Hawaii School of Business. Earned a BBA Degree in Business Administration. Graduate of the Army Engineering school. Thirty (31) years of experience with the U.S. Army, 26 years with the Army Engineer Corps as a Construction Supervisor. Experience includes numerous Vertical Construction, Steel Frame Building, Civil Infrastructure Work, Road and Highway Construction, Overhead and Underground Utilities, Runway Repair, Commercial and Shopping Center Construction.Since his employment with T&T ELECTRIC, Raffipiy has managed over 100 projects ranging in scope from alternative energy, electrical retrofit and upgrades, traffic signals, utility infrastructure upgrades, fiber optic wide area networks to multi-million dollar new construction projects.

BEN KOBAYASHI, LEAD ESTIMATOR

Ben Kobayashi is a Licensed Electrical Contractor, Supervising Electrician with 33 years experience. Projects supervised include: Safeway Kona, Keahole Terminal Improvements PH I & III, Tripler Hospital Library Renovations, Kauai Community College Energy Management Retrofit, Honolulu Community College Energy Management Retrofit, Waiakea Shopping Center and Home Depot Kona. He currently operates out of our office in Lihue, Kauai responsible for all major commercial, industrial and institutional estimating.

KIP DOPP, SENIOR PROJECT ENGINEER

Kip Dopp is a Senior Project Engineer with over 27 years of experience in the field of Alternative Energy. He has a B.S. in Physics and a Master’s Degree in Engineering Administration from the University of Utah. Dopp worked for Rockwell International as an Industrial Engineer.

He founded Lichen Research Center and developed a Solar Heliostat system that won two State of Wyoming SBIR Grants. Dopp spent 8 years as the Product Development Manager at a Hawaii-based solar technology startup company developing Solar Parabolic Trough.

His designs and products has received several patents including recognition for Concentrated Solar Collectors and Drive Systems with Tracking Algorithms. He traveled to Papua New Guinea, Dubai, and Spain developing, installing and supporting installations. He recently has done Solar Contract Work in Japan for Toshiba and Hitachi for Solar installations there.

HOWARD AFUALO, ISLAND MANAGER – AMERICAN SAMOA

Mr. Afualo experience includes managing All Pro Commercial Cleaners in Apia. He was a corporate recruiter for Freeman Guards, Inc. in Hawaii. Managing Director for Pioneer Trucking & Construction in Nuku’alofa. Operations Manager for Pioneer Enterprises. Transportation Supervisor for Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. Accounts Analyst for Discover Card in Utah.

Mr. Afualo has a Bachelor of Science Degree in International Business Management from Brigham Young University Hawaii. He is a licensed local contractor with 20+ years of entrepreneurial and business management experience. His reputation for quality work and customer satisfaction is his asset. An entrepreneur with a reputation for quality work and excellent customer skills; a hallmark of his business work history.

DESIGNED BY NELSON MAKUA

In researching various logo designs, there was some imagery associated with electrical companies that were commonly used such as lightning bolts, electrical sockets, etc. Graphic artist, Nelson Makua, noticed that the trend today was about renewable solar energy and decided that his approach would be about the sun. The challenge though was to create imagery of the sun that was less obvious than most and retained a sense of Hawaiian culture and place.

Makua decided his approach to this design would use the art of ‘ohe kāpala used in kapa making to give it a Hawaiian feel. The styled triangular spear shapes flow in a circular pattern symbolizing the flow of energy constantly renewing itself in turn forming the image of the sun. The three circular patterns signify generations, the past and the future like the piko. The pattern formed also reminds one of the weaving of hala and palm fronds by Hawaiian and many south pacific cultures. The logo is culturally traditional in it’s meaning and also contemporary in it’s appeal.

T&T Electric, Inc. has been acquired by BayWa r.e. Power Solutions, Inc., a legal entity of BayWa r.e.

BayWa r.e. Power Solutions, Inc. is an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Contractor that provides tailored & turnkey renewable energy solutions and asset management for Commercial, Industrial, and Utility-scale projects. BayWa r.e. Power Solutions, Inc., is headquartered in Sacramento, CA, with offices in Reno, NV, and Oahu, Maui, and the island of Hawai’i. To learn more visit their website.

We are confident that this acquisition will mean great things for our customers. We are thankful for the support from BayWa r.e. and excited about what’s to come.