SI GROUP promotes a workplace founded on mutual respect and open communication. Because our goal is to exceed our clients’ expectations, we invest in education and industry certification for our employees. As a result, our reputation for service and accuracy are exemplary. Additionally, our employees are supported and take pride in their work. With an average tenure of 10+ years among our employees, our account administrators develop strong relationships with our clients and are focused on delivering the highest level of client service.

Our leadership team provides senior level plan consulting services to SI GROUP clients. We work with employers and industry partners to design and implement retirement plans tailored to each client’s goals and needs. Because of SI GROUP’s reputation for dealing with complex issues, we are often approached by attorneys to assist the attorneys’ clients with plan corrections in accordance with the Department of Labor’s Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program and the Internal Revenue Service’s Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System.

Founders

Craig M. Suemori, QKA, QPA, CPC, ERPA, AIFATM

Craig M. Suemori is a co-founder and President of SI GROUP, which began operations in November 1985. Mr. Suemori has a B.S. degree in accounting and finance from the University of Southern California. He is a member of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries and is a Certified Pension Consultant, Qualified Pension Administrator, Qualified 401(k) Administrator, and Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent. He is also an Accredited Investment Fiduciary AnalystTM through the Center for Fiduciary Studies.

Mr. Suemori is married with three children and is active in community service through his long-term association in the Lions club.

Management Team

Hester E. Inouye, QKA, QPA, CPC, ERPA

Hester E. Inouye is a co-founder and the Vice President/Secretary of SI GROUP. Ms. Inouye graduated with honors from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelors of Education degree. She was the first person in Hawaii to attain her Certified Pension Consultant designation which is awarded by the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA). She also has the ASPPA designations of Qualified Pension Administrator and Qualified 401(k) Administrator and the IRS designation of Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent.

Ms. Inouye has been in the pension field since April 1, 1980. She was employed at Hicks Pension Services. After a year, she was asked to be the supervisor of the administration staff. She currently supervises 18 staff members. She is the primary trainer of the firm's employees who are new to the pension field and does on-going staff training on technical matters. She and her business partner, Craig Suemori, provide consulting services to their clients and, along with their staff, provide professional administration services for more than 800 qualified retirement plans for employers.

Reid Yamamoto, CPC, QPA, QKA, ERPA

Reid Yamamoto has been employed at SI GROUP since 2002 and currently is a Senior Administrator and Supervisor. Mr. Yamamoto has experience in administration of 401(k), profit sharing and defined benefit pension plans.

Mr. Yamamoto has worked in the employee benefits industry since 1991 after graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics. He holds the professional designation of Qualified Pension Administrator Qualified 401(k) Administrator, and Certified Pension Consultant which are awarded by the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries, and he also has the IRS designation of Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent.

Mr. Yamamoto was previously employed for more than six years with KPMG, LLP in the Compensation and Benefits Group of the Tax Department, which later merged into the Aon Consulting Retirement department for more than five years.

Janey Y. Yim, CPC, QPA, QKA, ERPA

Janey Y. Yim is a pension administrator with SI GROUP and has been with the firm since 1997 and currently is a manager. She began her career as a part-time employee while attending the University of Hawaii. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Japanese in 1998 and has since refocused her career to the retirement field for the last 13 years.

Ms. Yim has earned the ASPPA designations of Qualified Pension Administrator, Qualified 401(k) Administrator, and Certified Pension Consultant, and also has the IRS designation of Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent.

Jodene K. Arakaki, JD

Jodene Arakaki, J.D., recently joined SI Group, Certified Pension Consultants, as a Manager and Consultant. Prior to joining SI Group, Jodene practiced law at a large Hawaii law firm, where she specialized in the areas of tax, employee benefits, and executive compensation. In addition, before entering law school, Jodene worked as an audit supervisor at a Hawaii public accounting firm and was the controller at various companies in the construction industry. In her new role at SI Group, Jodene will be responsible for ensuring SI Group’s account administrators and assistant administrators are kept abreast of changes in laws and regulations affecting our clients’ qualified retirement plans, addressing compliance issues as they arise, and providing plan consulting services to SI Group’s clients. Jodene received her Juris Doctorate from the William S. Richard School of Law, summa cum laude, and her Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) from the Shidler College of Business Administration (with honors), University of Hawaii at Manoa.