UH-Manoa he was also president of the Associated Students of the University of Hawaii and editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, Ka Leo. Takai was a state representative for 20 years and a lieutenant colonel in the Hawaii Army National Guard.

He died last year at age 49 after a bout with pancreatic cancer.

“He loved serving,” Caldwell said at the ceremony, adding that he recalled going to seminars Takai gave on getting elected to public office. “(He) was passionate about connecting with people. That’s what made him so, so successful.”

“Sometimes life is unfair, and Mark left us way too early,” Caldwell said. “But I know one thing: Naming this complex after Mark is the absolute right, pono thing to do.”

The Takai family, City Council members, representatives from the state LegislatureDenver's George Karl named NBA Coach of the Year

NEW YORK, May 8 (UPI) -- George Karl, who has been an NBA coach for 25 seasons, has been voted the NBA Coach of the Year after leading the Denver Nuggets to a team-record 57 wins.

Karl, who turns 62 Sunday, received 62 first-place votes and 404 points in a vote of writers and broadcasters who cover the NBA. Miami's Erik Spoelstra was second in the voting with 190 points and New York's Mike Woodson (127) was third.

It was Karl's first Coach of the Year Award, which is formally known as the Red Auerbach Trophy .

"I am honored and energized to represent coaching and be their ambassador as coach of the year and continue to symbolize the great coaching there is