I grew up in the 1960s. Distinguished SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was beginning her march for women as an attorney founding the ACLU Women’s Rights Project. Nancy Sinatra’s boots were walking all over men. And the two most important women in my life, my mother and grandmother, demanded I live a life respecting and honoring women. My career path is cratered with potholes for doing just that — standing up for and protecting women in the workplace.
UPDATE 11.7.25: LOCALS Lack Honor in Hawai’i
When rich, powerful and connected officials, politicians and corporate executive cheat, ordinary people cheat as well. LOCALS believe they are entitled and somebody owes them a living. They love their favors — and favors equal corruption and cheating. Kapahulu Safeway must lock up items in their store from LOCALS (below left).
Ana Vee in her hit song, Hawai’i, says one is “blessed to be born and raised.” Sadly, those blessed to be born in paradise are by nature cheaters. There is an absence of honor in Hawai’i.
For more, SEE: Scott Goold Debates Kamehameha Schools with Native Hawaiians
Josh Green led the action to STEAL billions from mainland insurers who had covered families and businesses in Lahaina. HECO CEO Shelee Kimura and executives, along with Kamehameha School Trustees, were at fault. They all signed on to cheating insurance companies, who were not at fault, by denying subjugation rights.
Josh Green and Associates now EXTORT American Taxpayers demanding $10 billion payment in exchange for the U.S. military using lands in Hawai’i (above right). Should American Taxpayers require LOCALS to pay for the defense of the islands?
Each month, I receive a check from the State of New Mexico Education Retirement Fund — about $49.44. That’s how much I earned after paying into the system before female principal, Becky Almeter, and female associate at central office, fired me for standing up for my 15-year-old female special needs student.
Jane Doe was exceptionally bright, generally well-adjusted, but attempted suicide the previous year after her parents were killed in a car accident. She was fragile. My job was to nurture her until she was mentally prepared to return to the traditional classroom space. An office aide came to my room late October during 5th period. Asked me to bring another student, Sean, to a meeting.
When Sean and I arrived, Jane Doe was slumped over in the corner sobbing and drowning in tears. There were three male administrators sitting across from her. Adding the two of us, it was five males versus one, tiny, fragile, broken female. What the fuck? The optics of this scene horrified me. I started to speak. Vice Principal Percy Larrañaga motioned me to be quiet.
I watched in terror as these men belittled and humiliated my young, frightened and delicate student. After the meeting, I rushed to consult with her counselor. She urged me to file a complaint, as she also was concerned about her mental state. Filed a complaint the next day against the three male administrators.
My female principal fired me two weeks later — somehow my paperwork mysteriously disappeared — although I had signed duplicate copies in my possession. Each month when I receive my $49.44, I remember how women treated me for caring about women.
Collapse of Moral Courage
George Packer wrote this week in The Atlantic, “The Depth of MAGA’s Moral Collapse.” Claims cruelty and humiliation have become the Trump administration’s common currency. Cruelty and humiliation are the common currency of female managers at Hawaiian Electric Company. From the White House to paradise, male or female, there is an absence of HONOR in our nation.
My story begins with my supervisor, Lori Yafuso. Throw in HR rep Elizabeth “Liz” Dear, HR director Shana Buco, HECO attorneys Thao T. Tran and Susan Li, HEI attorney and HCRC commissioner chair Liann Ebesugawa, and the queen of the bunch, disgraced HEI CEO & President, HECO Chairman of the Board Constance Hee Lau.
From my experience, although my coworkers — primarily Asian — were outstanding and excellent professionals, there was not a thimble of HONOR or moral courage in the female management ranks.
On November 13, 2018, Supervisor Lori responded to my email with a 90-day review. As a manager, Lori claimed to treat others as she liked to be treated: The Golden Rule.
Thank you Scott for your very kind words. I am still very new to supervising, I started managing this team in May 2017. I just treat everyone as I like to be managed.
But….YOU have been a great asset to our team and it is your personality and humble nature that makes all of us so comfortable working together. We have had contractors on the DBA team before, but never with the synergy and positive energy that you bring with you. I believe you have had the greatest influence in our success and glad that we selected the right contractor. You have definitely made your mark here at HECO and have set the bar very high for future contractors!
Thank you for being you…keep doing what you do…keep that good karma flowing!
Lori Yafuso, November 13, 2018
HECO attorneys Susan Li and Thao T. Tran claim I “never was employed by HECO.” Lori however said, “You have been a great asset to our team … you have had the greatest influence in our success and glad that we selected the right contractor.” If I wasn’t employed by HECO, their policies would not apply to me.
HONOR? Lori had just approved my timesheet. Lori recruited me to work for HECO on the island of O’ahu, Hawai’i. Lori told me when and where to come to work, what to wear, where to sit, assigned me a HECO desk, computer and phone, directed me to work with HECO staff and on HECO projects, told me when to go to lunch, and when to go home each night. Not my employer?
I was the “property” of EdgeRock Technology Partners (ETP). Imagine you hire an electrician to install an EV hookup in your car port. Company ABC sends an electrician to your home. You direct the electrician. The electrician works for you. You are employing the electrician, but the electrician is property of Company ABC. You pay a service fee to Company ABC for using their trained electrician.
I was hired and employed by HECO. HECO paid a hefty service fee to ETP for my labor. ETP then paid me. However, to people without a thimble of honor, I was never “employed” by the Company. All funds for my labor and services came from HECO and ratepayers in Hawai’i.
Because I “definitely made [my] mark here at HECO and have set the bar very high for future contractors,” Lori and HECO extended my contract through July 2019, and then offered me a permanent position in January 2019. No contracted employee has ever had “the synergy and positive energy that you bring with you.”
Lori and HECO were clear, “Thank you for being you…keep doing what you do…keep that good karma flowing!” I brought good karma. I soon found out why I was so unusual to the Company. These women managers did not have “good karma.”
Although managing our department for over a year, Lori failed to discuss my medications prior to beginning work as required. Talked about what to wear. Didn’t say a thing about legal medications or illicit drugs. Her responsibility. All were without a thimble of honor.
Web of Lies and Deception
Per Lori and HECO’s request, I formally applied for the open position. To do so, I had to petition ETP to release me as their “property.” HECO fast-tracked me. In a hurry, the female managers again failed to provide me with all the needed and required policy information.
Lori had provided only the HEI Code of Conduct from HEI CEO & President, HECO Chairman Constance Hee Lau, who was considered the queen of Hawai’i. I honored and trusted the word of the queen.
I was injured, disabled, and prescribed the legal pain analgesic medical cannabis. Under the queen’s rules, my medication was permitted. Shana Buco served as HR director. She directed me to work with her assistant Elizabeth “Liz” Dear on a required drug screen. I don’t use illegal or non-prescribed drugs, so I had no concerns about the test. To be sure however, I asked Elizabeth “Liz” Dear about the Company policy when she contacted me. I remember distinctly that she told me I would be fine.
I served Lori and HECO as a database administrator. I must deal in certainties, not maybes or probablies or possiblies. If I am unsure and execute a function on a HECO database, I could maybe or probably or possibly shut down the entire electrical grid across three islands of O’ahu, Maui or Big Island. In my line of work, 99% correct can be a disaster. I must therefore be certain 100%.
Thus, I’m certain Elizabeth “Liz” Dear told me that I would be fine. Although HECO lawyers claim differently, they impeached Elizabeth “Liz” Dear’s legal testimony. She has no honor; neither do they.
Based on HECO’s assurances, I submitted to their drug screen. HECO security staff informed me the next week I had been approved. HR director Shana Buco and HECO fired me the next week. HR director Shana Buco told me to exit the building immediately and that I was no longer eligible to be employed at the Company.
My supervisor Lori Yafuso, in tears gave me a hug, confirmed the termination, and said good-bye. Received a couple emails from Lori about timesheet and HECO keycard, but she never spoke with me again. Lori didn’t even extend the customary luncheon invitation as tradition with departing staff. GOOD-BYE, drug abuser !!!
Thank you for being you…keep doing what you do…keep that good karma flowing!
KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO !!! What I did was use medical cannabis each night for my chronic severe pain, legally, and that allowed me to sleep restfully, and have “the greatest influence in our success,” and continue “the synergy and positive energy that you bring with you.”
Lori and HECO colleagues watched me closely for some six months. What they observed was an outstanding employee and positive human being, who used medical cannabis nightly.
Hi Scott,
I personally never saw any evidence of you being impaired. Quite the contrary in fact. I would say sharp, expedient, professional, technical, humble, the whole package really. But I did notice you had a limp, so I suspected you were in pain, but you never mentioned anything, and I never bothered to ask, our conversations were always about getting things done, and you delivered in times when we had to deliver and get things done.Marijuana is a complex issue, often misunderstood, has been known to relieve pain, and when used correctly does not impair.
HECO IT Colleague, name withheld to protect from retaliation
The Golden Rule of HECO
Jesus and many spiritual prophets have expressed the golden rule, “Do unto others as you want done unto you.” My supervisor Lori Yafuso claimed she lived and managed by this principle. With me, she didn’t. I don’t believe Elizabeth “Liz” Dear, Shana Buco, Thao T. Tran, Susan Li, Liann Ebesugawa or Connie Lau would want to be treated as Hawaiian Electric did unto me. I would never treat another person in such a discriminatory, cruel and dishonorable manner.
Consider this scenario. Hawai’i is dominated by Asians. The female management group was dominated by Asian women. And Asian women suffer high incidence of breast cancer. Terrible, catastrophic disease. Took my aunt in her prime. Now imagine one of Lori Yafuso’s exceptional Asian female employees contracting breast cancer.
Like me, this female would serve in a “non-safety sensitive” employment role. Like me, the woman uses medical cannabis to manage her pain and nausea of chemotherapy treatment. Would HECO Asian women fire this Asian female employee? No can, brah!
Queen Connie Lau demanded the Company and employees be fair to each other. She also provided a Waiver of the Code for exceptions, as warranted. I’m certain the Asian female would be a granted an exception. White male? The record shows Asian female HECO management fired me. Do unto others, right?
HECO did not follow the Golden Rule of Jesus and others. Instead, their golden rule is “She who has the gold rules,” and these boots are made for walking all over you!
As I detailed in another blog post, “Elizabeth Dear is a SELFISH Soldier’s Wife,” Elizabeth “Liz” Dear was not honorable with me, and Shana Buco was not honorable with me. In my UPDATE 10.16.25, I documented how Thao T. Tran and Susan Li were not honorable to me. Supervisor Lori Yafuso was not honorable.
I filed a discrimination complaint with the Hawai’i Civil Rights Commission (HCRC). In over 3.5 years, under the direction of William Hoshijo, and HEI attorney and commissioner chair Liann Ebesugawa, the HCRC refused to complete investigation of my grievance. Honorable? You make the call.
About a week after my termination, I pleaded with Queen and HEI CEO & President, HECO Chairman of the Board Constance Hee Lau to give me an audience before her royal court. My favorite president, Barack Obama, had appointed Connie to serve the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC). Queen Lau was considered “Hawaii’s most powerful and highest-paid woman executive.”
Queen Connie made her mark inserting Asian women into the male-dominated electricity generation industry, “When I joined the Hawaiian Electric Companies 32 years ago, there were no women executives. There was one woman manager who was head of union relations, and there was only one non-Caucasian executive, a Japanese male who was head of regulatory relations.” [source]
Queen Connie was not interested in helping or honoring White men. Scott Goold and Jeff W. Ubben (above), chairman of ValueAct Capital, claimed Connie Lau’s management was “bad.” Interestingly, in 1893, two White men claimed Queen Lili’uokalani’s management of the Kingdom of Hawai’i was bad. Both queens were removed by the people.
HEI and HECO culture was not White-male friendly. Asian female managers had the gold and they made the rules. Even a top-rated, exemplary White male employee, and his “personality and humble nature that makes all of us so comfortable working together,” was not valuable enough to save, to extend a waiver or make an exception.
Thao T. Tran and Susan Li claim they offered me an opportunity to return to employment with HECO. Partially True and Deceptive. The lawyers, not doctors, required me to end COLD TURKEY the use of my legal, prescribed and powerful medication. The lawyers, not doctors, required me to submit to a urine screen, which detects past use, not current, although I pleaded to use a blood test that measures current use. Denied.
As a long time medical patient, cannabis residue stores in the fat of the user. Not only did I have to stop using my medication, also had to reduce the fat on my body. I wanted to return to work desperately, so immediately launched into a starvation diet. In about a month, I dropped to around 173lbs from about 195lbs. Fell one day due to exhaustion, nearly passing out.
HECO lawyers claim I “undisputedly refused” the offered accommodation. Never refused. From the moment I was notified, stopped using my medication. I had been rushed to Queens Emergency Room by EMTs on March 28, 2019, after being splattered all over the road by a distracted motorist. Broken pelvis, dislocated shoulder, road rash, but I stopped all pain medication about a week later … COLD TURKEY, as HECO lawyers Thao T. Tran and Susan Li demanded.
Nearly killed me. Made me sick. Screamed in pain; screamed at my wife; screamed at the world. Stood on the ledge of my 25th floor window contemplating suicide. Pain was too intense to sleep. Hadn’t slept in weeks. My wife told officials she didn’t recognize her husband of some 21+ years.
Yet on May 3, 2019, Thao T. Tran ended negotiations, rescinded the offer, writing to my attorney, “Thank you for your email and the proposed counteroffer. This is to inform you that we reject your counteroffer and, as you know, our offer is off the table as the deadline to respond to that offer has passed.”
Twelve (12) days later, I tested negative for THC-COOH. All that work, suffering and torture, Thao T. Tran had withdrawn HECO’s offer. HECO lawyers were not honorable.
HECO lawyers, not doctors, initially gave me 45 days. Did it in about 39. Doctors warned detox could take months, and false positives were possible. THC-COOH stores in fat. Hard workouts, missing a meal, would burn fat and could release THC-COOH into the blood — even with no current use. Blood tests are precise. HECO lawyers, not doctors, denied the more scientific and medically-safe approach.
HECO’s Golden Rule: we have the gold and we have ruled. Not a thimble of honor by the Asian female managers at Hawaiian Electric.
Keep that good karma flowing, said my supervisor, Lori Yafuso. I tried. Lori summoned me to O’ahu on August 8, 2018. Said a prayer of thanks to Tūtū Pele. Karma? On August 8, 2023, exactly five years later, Tūtū Pele incinerated Lahaina town due to faulty HECO electrical poles and wiring. Biggest human-caused disaster in state history.
When Queen Connie joined the Hawaiian Electric Companies 32 years ago, there were no women executives. By 2023, women executives dominated. The Asian female-dominated management team killed at least 102+ human beings, including keiki. Torched over 2,200+ buildings and homes. Left destitute more than 8,000+ residents. Majority remain victimized still today. HECO CEO & President Shelee Kimura received a raise.
The Asian ladies at HECO should have learned from me to keep that good karma flowing! HECO fired me; killed a career. HECO then started a fire; killed 102+ … KARMA can be a cold witch in hell.
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