SEPTEMBER 30, 2019, MA‘ALAEA, MAUI, HAWAIʻI – Maui Ocean Center, The Aquarium of Hawai‘i has appointed Toni Rojas as the new Director of Marketing.
“We are pleased to welcome Toni to the team,” said Tapani Vuori, Maui Ocean Center’s General Manager, “She is joining us at an exciting time as we continue to grow Maui Ocean Center as a world-class Aquarium while building deeper community relationships. Her outstanding leadership and passion will further drive our mission of fostering understanding, wonder, and respect for Hawai‘i’s marine life.”
Dynamic and community-centric, Rojas joins the Aquarium as an award-winning, results-driven executive strategist with proven performance in Hawai‘i sales. With a skillset ranging from business development to marketing communication, Rojas is renowned for her creative approach to community engagement. She previously served as the Marketing Director and Vice President of Business & Community Development at the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center where she established over 300 community events. Her iconic “Let It Snow!” holiday program earned the prestigious International Council of Shopping Centers Gold Maxi Award for Cause Marketing in 2017.
Prior to joining Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center, she was a 30 year veteran of the hospitality industry, including key positions in Hawai‘i’s resorts, destination management, and the visitors bureau. She also developed her own marketing and event production company and co-created a number of Maui signature events including AgFest, Maui Brewers Festival, and Ka‘anapali Fresh, to name a few. Rojas has held the notable Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation for over 25 years.
Pacific Business News named Rojas as a 2018 Women Who Mean Business Honoree in recognition of her contributions to her company and community. Honorees were chosen from more than 100 nominations statewide from both for-profit and non-profit industries.
Rojas is an active volunteer, serving on the board of directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui and Maui Chamber of Commerce. She is founder and chairperson of the Special Olympics Maui Swim & Fin annual fundraiser and received recognition of 2014 Family of the Year and 2016 Volunteer of the Year. She lives in Makawao with her husband, youngest daughter, and dog. She and her husband have three daughters and three grandsons residing in Maui, Florida, and Germany. In her free time, Rojas enjoys international travel, artful designing, and ocean activities.
