Peter Ho, Chairman
Chair
Chairman & CEO
Bank of Hawai‘i
Honolulu native Peter Ho has been chair of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s board of governors since 2019. He joined Bank of Hawai‘i in 1993, becoming its president in 2008 and, in 2010, adding the titles of chairman and CEO. He served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco for two consecutive terms from 2013 to 2018. Peter holds both a Bachelor of Science degree and an MBA from the University of Southern California and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. Working toward economic and educational parity in Hawai‘i, Peter serves on the advisory board for the American Red Cross – Hawai‘i Chapter, Catholic Charities, and Mental Health America of Hawai‘i. He is on the board of directors for the East-West Center Foundation; a member of the Hawaiʻi Business Roundtable’s executive committee, and on the board of trustees for Punahou School. He is the recipient of the Naval Heritage Award from the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation and was recognized as Hawai‘i’s distinguished citizen by the Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife have two children.
Kaleialoha K. Cadinha‐Pua‘a
Vice Chair
President & CEO
Cadinha & Co., LLC
Investment management professional Kaleialoha K. Cadinha‐Pua‘a began her financial career early, when her father, the founder of Cadinha & Co., got her interested in the stock market as a child. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of San Diego, where she was a WCAC All-Scholar Athlete on the volleyball team. She is also a graduate of Punahou School. She joined Cadinha & Co. in 2000 as a portfolio manager and analyst, becoming president in 2007, CEO in 2012, and vice chair in 2018. As a registered investment adviser representative and a leading woman in finance, Cadinha‐Pua‘a is frequently tapped to share expertise on CNBC’s TV program “Worldwide Exchange.” She is proud to have led her Hawai‘i-based firm to be recognized globally as one of the CNBC top 100 financial advisors (out of more than 42,000). She and her husband, Ricky Pua‘a, have three daughters and one son. She is passionate about economic and financial literacy, particularly for women and Native Hawaiians.
Tamar Chotzen Goodfellow
Vice Chair
Philanthropist & Community Volunteer
Tamar Chotzen Goodfellow has long been a leader in environmental education, conservation, health care advocacy, and community engagement. She understands both the fundraising and fund-giving aspects of organizations, giving her a unique perspective. Beginning as an Outward Bound instructor on Hawai‘i Island, Tamar went on to serve as executive director of the Hawai‘i Nature Center, which provided hands-on experiences for thousands of Hawai‘i’s children and families, and developed her expertise in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and strategic planning. She was the senior vice president of Education and Centers at the National Audubon Society from 1999 to 2004, establishing over 20 Audubon Centers nationwide in collaboration with local communities. Tamar has garnered numerous accolades, including the United Nations Environmental Leadership Award, and the American Museum Association’s Nancy Hanks Memorial Award for Professional Excellence. Tamar’s community impact is evident through her extensive board memberships and volunteer leadership roles. She serves on the Board of Maui Health Systems and is board president for the Maui Health Foundation. Tamar has established and endowed several foundations, including the Red Cabin Foundation and the Translational Research Scholars through the Jimmy V Foundation. She is a Stanford University alumna with a Master of Arts in Education.
Mary G. F. Bitterman
Secretary
President
The Bernard Osher Foundation
Mary G. F. Bitterman is president of The Bernard Osher Foundation, which supports higher education and the arts across the country. Expanding educational opportunity and contributing to mutual understanding among people from different cultures have long been her priorities. Providing funding for more than 500 institutions pursuing these goals has been her proudest work. She has been president of KQED Public Broadcasting and The James Irvine Foundation. She also served as executive director of the Hawaiʻi Public Broadcasting Authority (now PBS Hawaiʻi) and as director of the Voice of America, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and the East-West Center’s Institute of Culture and Communication. Bitterman has been a trustee of East-West Center, Commonwealth Club of California, the Osher Foundation, PBS, the PBS Foundation, and Bank of Hawai‘i. She is also an Advisory Council member of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, the Public Policy Institute of California, Pacific Forum, and Project Dana. Receiving her B.A. from Santa Clara University and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College, Bitterman is an honorary member of the National Presswomen’s Federation and a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.
Alan H. Arizumi
Treasurer
Vice Chairman
First Hawaiian Bank
Alan Arizumi was appointed vice chairman of First Hawaiian Bank’s Wealth Management Group in 2013 and has served on the bank’s senior management committee since 2009. He is a director of Bishop Street Capital Management Corp., a registered investment advisor and subsidiary of the bank, as well as the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation, the bank’s charitable arm. He is proud to be part of efforts involving organizational culture shaping, and developing future leaders. Alan has a degree in business administration from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and is also a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School. He is married to Joanne Arizumi. His passion lies in ensuring quality early childhood education in Hawai‘i, emphasizing its foundational importance for the state’s bright future. In addition to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, he serves as a member of the board of directors of McKinley High School Foundation and for KCAA Preschools of Hawai‘i. He is also a special advisor to the O‘ahu Economic Development Board.
Jeff Arce
Senior Advisor
MacNaughton Group
Although originally from Southern California, Jeff’s extensive ties to the Islands began with his grandfather, who was born and raised in Hawai‘i. Jeff joined MacNaughton Group—a Hawai‘i-based, entrepreneurial diversified investment and development company—in 1989. He was chief financial officer and worked in all areas of the company, including financing, purchasing, and sales transactions, and, in 2019, began serving on a limited basis as a senior advisor. Jeff earned a degree in economics and accounting from Claremont McKenna College. He has belonged to several professional organizations including the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, Urban Land Institute, International Council of Shopping Centers, and is a past president of Financial Executives International – Hawai‘i Chapter. In addition to serving on the board for the Hawai’i Community Foundation, Jeff is a chair of the Hawai‘i board for Teach for America and is on the board for HawaiiKidsCAN. His commitment to philanthropy has also included work with Child and Family Service Real Property, the GIFT Foundation of Hawai‘i, and Kapi‘olani Health Foundation. When he’s not spending time with his wife and grown family, he plays golf and enjoys fly-fishing.
Matt Beall
CEO & Owner
Hawai‘i Life
Matt Beall is the CEO of Hawai‘i Life, the residential real estate brokerage and property management firm he co-founded in 2008. Hawai‘i Life remains locally owned and operated, and has grown to include more than 330 brokers and agents in 20 offices across the state. In 2020, Hawai‘i Life became a co-founder of Forbes Global Properties in partnership with Forbes Media. Matt attended the University of Richmond and the University of Montana. He began his real estate career in Hawai‘i in 1998, and has worked in real estate sales and management, acquisitions, development, construction, and property management. He is currently a member of five Realtor associations across Hawai‘i, and has served as a president of the Kaua‘i Board of Realtors and on the Executive Committee of the Hawai‘i Association of Realtors. Passionate about land conservation, he is also a board member of the Hawai‘i Land Trust, which stewards more than 22,000 acres of perpetually conserved land across the island chain. Additionally, Matt serves on the Kaua‘i Leadership Council for the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, where Hawai‘i Life has a donor-advised fund that supports local charities and causes throughout the state. He and his wife, Elif, reside in Kīlauea on Kaua‘i’s north shore.
Jason Benn
Senior Vice President & Chief Transformation and Administrative Officer
Hawaiian Electric Company Inc.
Jason Benn is the senior vice president and chief transformation and administrative officer for Hawaiian Electric Co. In that capacity, he is responsible for driving organizational transformation and effectiveness in pursuit of a strong, resilient and sustainable Hawai‘i. He oversees Human Resources, Government and Community Relations, Corporate Communications, Information Technology, and Corporate Strategy. Jason is a graduate of ‘Iolani School, holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Oregon State University, and has several IT and professional certifications. Jason’s maternal grandparents immigrated to Hawai‘i from China. His grandfather served at Guadalcanal, and later owned a farm in Nānākuli before founding a business in Chinatown. With four children of his own, Jason envisions a future Hawaiʻi where succeeding generations can thrive. Jason believes in the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s vision for an equitable and vibrant Hawai‘i and emphasizes the importance of sustainability across various facets, including jobs, energy, housing, and food.
Robert S. Harrison
Chairman & CEO
First Hawaiian Bank
Bob Harrison is the chairman, president, and CEO of First Hawaiian Bank, the state’s largest and oldest bank. He has been the CEO since January 2012, was reappointed as president in August 2019, and is the chairman of the bank’s board of directors. Bob joined FHB in 1996 and has more than three decades of finance, operating, management, and leadership experience. He is recognized for transforming FHB into a publicly traded company and received the prestigious Hawai‘i Business CEO of the Year award in 2017. Also under his leadership, the First Hawaiian Bank Distinguished Professorship of Banking Endowment was established at Shidler College of Business at UH Mānoa. In addition to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Bob contributes to the community as a member of the board of directors for Pacific Guardian Life, Hawai‘i Bankers Association, Hawai‘i Business Roundtable, and Maryknoll Foundation. He is chair of the Hawai‘i Medical Service Association, and past chair and director of the Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America. Before First Hawaiian Bank, he served in the U.S. Navy and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from UCLA and an MBA from Cornell University. He and his wife, Lori, have three children and two grandchildren.
Paul Kosasa
CEO and President
ABC Stores
Paul Kosasa has been CEO and president of ABC Stores since 1999. He began his career when he was just nine—his parents, Sidney and Minnie, were retail pioneers who founded ABC Stores in Waikīkī in 1964. Paul continues to build the company’s legacy, with ABC Stores now found on every major island in Hawai‘i as well as in Las Vegas, Guam, and Saipan. He is president of the Kosasa Foundation, which provides grants to nonprofit organizations focusing on environmental stewardship and programs that support Hawai‘i’s youth. His commitment to philanthropy includes serving as chair of the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra and the Waikīkī Business Improvement District Association. He lends his expertise as a director at the Hawai‘i Food Industry Association and Kuakini Health Systems; as a member of the board at the Japanese American National Museum; and as an independent director at Central Pacific Bank. Paul attended ‘Iolani School and holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan. He and his wife, Lisa, have two adult children.
Jon Kutler
Chairman & CEO
Founder of Admiralty Partners
Jon Kutler is a nationally recognized expert in the field of aerospace and defense. He began his investment banking and private equity career after serving for a decade in various positions in the U.S. Navy. He worked for several Wall Street firms before founding Quarterdeck Investment Partners Inc. in 1992. Kutler grew QIP into the leading global merger-and-acquisition firm in the aerospace and defense sectors before selling it in 2002. In 1996, he founded the personally funded private equity firm Admiralty Partners Inc. and has acquired numerous companies in these sectors. He is a trustee of the California Institute of Technology where he has served as chair or vice chairman of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for nearly two decades. Jon is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Architecture and received his MBA from Harvard University.
Ulalia Woodside Lee
Executive Director
The Nature Conservancy in Hawai‘i
In both her professional career and as a kumu hula, Ulalia Woodside Lee has dedicated her life to the natural environment and people of Hawai‘i. As the executive director of The Nature Conservancy’s Hawaiʻi and Palmyra program, she and her team protect and restore native forests, collaborate with communities and researchers for healthy coral reefs and fisheries, and develop research and interventions to strengthen resilience. Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy in 2016, Ulalia spent nearly 15 years at Kamehameha Schools, where she was responsible for a significant portfolio of agricultural and conservation lands. Hula has always been a part of Ulalia’s life, and, under the direction of her maternal relatives, she completed the ʻuniki rites of her family’s genealogical hula tradition to become a kumu hula. A graduate of Punahou School, Ulalia earned degrees in political science and Hawaiian studies from the University of Hawai‘i. Ulalia is a dedicated community leader, serving in advisory roles for ʻĀina Aloha Economy Fund, Daughters of Hawaiʻi, Hawai‘i Green Growth, Kauahea Inc., Lālākea Foundation, and Mālama Honua Public Charter School.
Arnold Martines
Chairman, President & CEO
Central Pacific Bank
Arnold Martines is chairman, president, and CEO of Central Pacific Bank (CPB). He joined CPB in 2004 and has held various executive leadership positions within the company, including COO and chief banking officer. In his current role, he continues the bank’s founding commitment to serve all of Hawai‘i’s people with aloha. He focuses on four key pillars: CPB’s advocacy for small business and home ownership, relationship-building in Japan to promote and support investments, collaboration between Hawai‘i and Japanese business owners, and enhancing the bank’s digital capability through innovation. Arnold grew up in Pa‘auilo on Hawai‘i Island during the final years of the sugar plantation era, which he credits for instilling in him the values of Positively Ohana and Voyaging Spirit, the core values of CPB. Arnold is active in the community; in addition to his work with Hawai‘i Community Foundation, he serves on the boards of YMCA of Honolulu and Saint Louis School. His past board service includes chairman of the board for Child and Family Service, Hope Services Hawai‘i and Scouting America, Aloha Council.
Elliot K. Mills
CEO
Hawai‘i Hospitality Group LLC
Elliot Mills is CEO of the Hawai‘i Hospitality Group LLC, and was previously the vice president of Hotel Operations for Disneyland Resort and Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, overseeing Disney’s hotel operations in both California and Hawai‘i. He began his Disney career in 2010 as an integral leader in the opening of Aulani Resort. Mills is a pillar in the Hawai‘i travel industry, having worked in resort management for more than 25 years. Prior to joining Disney, he was the general manager of the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort, and has also held various executive and resort management positions on Kaua‘i, Maui, and O‘ahu. In addition to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Mills gives back to the community through his service as a board member for Hawai‘i Pacific Health, HMSA, Kapi‘olani Women and Children’s Hospital, and Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau. He is also the chair of Kamehameha Schools’ board of trustees. Born in Hilo, Hawai‘i, Mills is a graduate of Saint Joseph High School. He holds a degree in travel industry management from University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and completed the Cornell Hospitality Management General Managers Program. He is married with two children.
Catherine Ngo
Board Member
Former President & CEO
Central Pacific Bank
Catherine Ngo previously served as vice-chair, then chair, president, and CEO of Central Pacific Bank. She still serves on CPB’s board of directors. She also is president of the Central Pacific Bank Foundation, which provides leadership and funding in many critical areas for Hawai‘i. Catherine is especially passionate about education and about supporting women entrepreneurs. As a young person, Catherine spent time with her grandparents each summer in Manila, creating special memories, and she is involved in helping our local Filipino population.
A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Catherine started her career in private law practice in Dallas, then in Silicon Valley, before entering the world of banking. Among Catherine’s other philanthropic roles, she serves on the boards of directors of Hawai‘i Gas and of Maui Land & Pineapple. She also serves on the board of trustees of the Queen’s Health Systems, and on the executive committee of the Hawai‘i Chapter of Women Corporate Directors. Catherine is the appointed chair of the Federal Reserve Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council (CDIAC) (12th District, San Francisco), and of the National CDIAC for the Federal Reserve Board, in Washington, DC.
Juliette K. Sheehan
Board Member
Atherton Family Foundation
James and Abigail Family Foundation
Juliette K. Sheehan (Lia) is a dedicated philanthropist with deep experience in private and nonprofit business management in Hawaiʻi. She is a graduate of the William S. Richard School of Law and received a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics at Willamette University. Lia is also an alumna of Punahou School and the mother of two. Born on Kauaʻi, she is the co-founder and CEO of Koa Carbon. She serves on the board of directors for Awaiaulu, an educational nonprofit that perpetuates the Hawaiian language. She is treasurer of the James and Abigail Campbell Family Foundation. Established in 1980, the foundation invests in Hawai‘i’s people and the communities that nurture them. Priorities include supporting children, families, and those in the Native Hawaiian community experiencing the greatest need, particularly those in West O‘ahu. Grants have included education initiatives, assistance to families and investments in sustainability. Sheehan is also the vice president for the Atherton Family Foundation, one of the largest endowed grantmaking private resources in Hawai‘i.
Jennine Sullivan
Executive Director
The Pantry by Feeding Hawai‘i Together
Jennine is the executive director of The Pantry by Feeding Hawaiʻi Together, the largest nonprofit e-commerce food distributor in Hawai‘i. The organization provides custom-packed, fresh, diverse, nutritious, and culturally relevant food, as well as essential items including laundry detergent to more than 1,000 households every week, with a special focus on uplifting kūpuna, disabled individuals, and working families. Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, Jennine returned home to apply her skills across innovation, technology, and business transformation after spending over a decade working on the continent and internationally. Named one of General Electric’s most impactful employees in 2019, Jennine held multiple senior roles working across finance, operations, and business development. Most recently, she worked at GE Ventures, contributing to the development of two startups in the aviation space from ideation to Series B. She is passionate about sustainable food systems and social equity, and seeks to find ways to reduce Hawai‘i’s reliance on imports. She is presently pursuing a master’s degree in supply chain management. Jennine is a graduate of Punahou School and holds a bachelor’s degree from Babson College.