Hawaii is known for its tropical flowers, and thanks to the dedication and ingenuity of this alumnus, the state's blooms are enjoyed across the country and around the world.

This alumnus spent seven years in management positions in various family businesses before branching out on his own to start Hawaiian Heart, an anthurium nursery, in 1964. Anthuriums, with their large brightly colored leaves, are known for their beauty, but at the time they presented agricultural and packaging challenges. During the 1960s, he experimented with progressive agricultural practices that greatly reduced the required labor to grow the plants; he also developed better packaging that stabilized flowers while keeping them cool and moist during the shipping process.

In 1976, he founded Green Point Nurseries, a grower and exporter of Hawaiian tropical flowers and foliages. He continued to develop new products and plant transportation solutions and currently employs more than five dozen workers. His pioneering practices have allowed him to use a sustainable approach that requires less pesticide and uses harvested rainwater for irrigation.

In addition to his successful business ventures, this alumnus is committed to giving generously to his community. He serves on the board of advisors for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii-Manoa and he is a founding member of the Hawaii Seals of Quality program, which establishes the standard of quality for Hawaiian agriculture products.

His work has been recognized by the U.S. Senate, which honored him with the productivity award for implementing processes to improve productivity; the U.S. Small Business Administration, which gave him with the Exporter of the Year award for the region; and the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii, which gave him the Hawaii Agriculture Award for the Outstanding Agricultural Operation.

To recognize the work of an entrepreneur whose business puts beauty and color into people's lives, Grinnell is proud to honor Harold Tanouye '57.