About Us
We deliver premium, responsibly sourced seafood with a commitment to sustainability, traceability, and excellence.
We Believe in Quality
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to consistently provide the best quality products and services to our customers while operating our business with:
• Pride and Humility
• Quality and Integrity
• Excellence and Innovation
• Trust and Honesty
• Care and Unity
TEAM DIRECTORY
Corporate Office
Purchasing
RUSTY-ANN SMITH
Director of Corporate Purchasing
AMBER VAUGHN
Corporate Buyer
SIMONE DOLAN
Corporate Buyer
JOLENE AURELIO
Corporate Buyer
GERALD HASHIMOTO
Corporate Buyer
Email: ghashimoto@
Marketing
CALLIE OYAMA
MARKETING MANAGER
Food Safety & Quality Assurance Compliance
SABRINA VAUGHN
Food Safety and QA Compliance Officer
Hilo Fish Company
Continental US
BILL STRIDE
East Coast Sales
DAN NAKAUCHI
West Coast Sales
DARRIN KOMAE
West Coast Sales
MILTON JOHNSON
West Coast Sales
Hawaii Island
JAMIESEN BATANGAN
General Manager
NEAL TSUNEZUMI
Sales Manager
Kona Fish Company
DANIEL KA’EO STOKES
General Manager
ROBERT DANIELS
Sales Manager
Tab 4: Tropic Fish Hawaii
SHAWN TANOUE
President
MICHAEL L. GARINGAN
SALES MANAGER
mgaringan@tropicfishhawaii.com
RYAN JEFFERY
General Manager (Maui)
JULIA CAMARA
Sales Representative (Kauai)
KEONAONALANI RENAUD
Sales Representative (Kauai)
Pacific Trade International
Crescent City Seafoods
Punahele Jerky Company
Our Companies
Sustainability & Traceability
Our Commitment
At CMU Associates, Inc., and its associated companies, sustainability is at the core of our seafood business. We are committed to sourcing and marketing wild-caught and farm-raised seafood responsibly, ensuring that our practices support sustainable fisheries and environmentally friendly aquaculture.
Our Partners
We collaborate with organizations like the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and Fishery Improvement Projects (FIP) to promote sustainable seafood sourcing and enforce traceability. Through these partnerships, we ensure that our snapper and grouper products originate from legal, well-managed fisheries. Additionally, we have received the Ocean Wise recommendation for Yellowfin Tuna, Swordfish, and farmed seaweed, affirming our commitment to ocean-friendly seafood choices.
Our Policies
CMU supports wild-caught domestic seafood from fully traceable U.S. fisheries managed under strict sustainability guidelines. We also import seafood only from fisheries and farms that are actively working toward responsible fishing and aquaculture standards. Our commitment extends to American aquaculture, where we procure farm-raised seafood from farms that undergo rigorous environmental planning, permitting, and monitoring.
Our Impact
Through certifications such as Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), and Fair Trade USA®, we uphold the highest standards in sustainability, social responsibility, and traceability. Our Indonesian suppliers have received SFIF Certification, enhancing vessel tracking and traceability for artisanal and commercial fleets. By ensuring responsible sourcing, we help preserve marine ecosystems and support fishing communities worldwide.
Food Safety
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)
HACCP is a proactive food safety system designed to identify and prevent potential hazards in seafood processing. Implemented by the FDA in 1997, this system ensures strict monitoring at critical control points, requiring corrective actions if any issues arise. Hilo Fish Company, Kona Fish Company, and Pacific Trade International are HACCP certified, ensuring compliance with the highest food safety standards.
BRC Food
The BRC Global Standard for Food Safety was developed to ensure rigorous food safety, integrity, and quality control in the food industry. First introduced in 1998, this standard emphasizes management commitment, HACCP-based programs, and auditing of manufacturing processes. It also includes systems to reduce food fraud and improve transparency in the supply chain, ensuring consistency in food safety protocols.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
ISO standards ensure full traceability of seafood products from their source to the consumer. By following ISO guidelines, companies provide transparency regarding where seafood comes from, its environmental impact, and resource use. These standards also cover food safety, nutritional labeling, hygiene, and quality control, giving consumers confidence in the safety and sustainability of their seafood.
Smeta Sedex
SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) is a globally recognized audit framework that promotes ethical and responsible business practices. It focuses on health and safety, labor standards, environmental impact, and business ethics. While not a certification, it provides a structured approach to ensuring compliance with ethical trade practices across the seafood supply chain.