Company History

Puna Kamali’i Flowers, Inc. is a family owned and operated corporation founded in 1998. We are located in Kea’au, on the beautiful and tropical Big Island of Hawai’i.

Puna Kamali’i Flowers was born out of the employment need of our son Zeb Nelson with developmental disabilities and has grown every year to serve many individuals and businesses worldwide.

Through our tropical flower sales, specialized tours, vocational training center, provider services, and employment center, individuals with developmental disabilities experience love, care, and support.

Through much hard work, family support, and determination, together with our children, Zeb, Kimberly, Jessie, Shane, Skylar, Season, and Shanelle, Puna Kamali’i Flowers has risen to meet the supported employment needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. Joining together families, caregivers, teachers, and attendants from Hawaii, Japan, Taiwan, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersy and beyond, Puna Kamali’i Flowers seeks to provide gainful wage employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Puna Kamali’i Flowers works regularly with the Hawai’i Island Joint Education Committee which consists of both the Hawai’i Island Chamber of Commerce and Big Island Japanese Chamber of Commerce. This committee, is made up of dynamic business and education leaders, including Workforce Development, University of Hawaii at Hilo, UH Astronomy and many others in our community and state.

In 2006, Puna Kamali’i Flowers was recognized and honored as the 2006 Minority Champions of the Year’ for our efforts. Certificates and plaques were presented by the State of Hawaii’s Governor Linda Lingle, State Senator Russell Kokubun, the entire 2006 Senate and Representatives, Representative Clift Tsuji, 2006 Hawaii County members and Mayor Harry Kim, U.S. Small Business Administration, Bank of Hawai’i, University of Hawai’i at Manoa’s College of Agriculture, University of Hawai’i’s Job Mentoring Program, Hawai’i Community College’s Transition Program, Alu Like Summer Job Mentoring/Training Programs, Department of Labor’s Workforce Development, Social Security and the Ticket to Work Program.

Every day we work with many employers, tropical plant nurseries, and schools to join with these various employment and educational organizations to foster a good employment relationship between individuals with developmental disabilities and the general work world. We welcome you to work with us, also!

Please enjoy Our Website buy our products, and we hope you will stop in to visit us in Kea’au, Hawai’i, too.

Much ALOHA!

Tom and Vicki Nelson