About Us

The Hawaiʻi Executive Collaborative was born from the 50+ year old Hawaiʻi Executive Conference when CEOs and top decision makers made a commitment to get personally involved in collaborative efforts that would build resilience for Hawaiʻi's people. HEC serves as a backbone organization to accelerate the impact of their collective leadership.

The Hawaiʻi Executive Conference, now a key program of HEC, started in 1963 as forum for top leadership to exchange ideas. Many of the original participants were executives of the Big Five companies in Hawaiʻi. By the time the conference was transferred to aio Foundation with Duane Kurisu as chairman in 2018, it reimagined its participants as change agents and expanded its membership beyond business executives to include leaders in government, labor, education, and the nonprofit sector.

HEC serves two primary roles to help leaders build a resilient Hawai‘i:

  • As a convener, HEC encourages cross-sector collaboration and helps to bring leaders from different industries together.
  • As a backbone organization, HEC invites leaders to co-create, define root problems, align goals, and accelerate change.

MISSION

We mobilize, support, and leverage the collective leadership of senior executives to accelerate the building of a more resilient Hawaiʻi.

GUIDED BY HAWAIIAN VALUES

In all that we do, we emphasize the guiding principles of:

Aloha au i Aloha
— I love Hawaiʻi

Auamo au i ke kuleana no ko
Hawaiʻi ke ala mua
— I am responsible for Hawaiʻi's future

ʻAʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia
— No task is too big when done together by all

HAWAI'I'S SOUL

“There’s something special about this place,” an oft-heard refrain from friends, family, and visitors to Hawai‘i. Those who live here feel it, too, in the land, in the water, in the people. It is aloha. It is love and kindness, give and take, community, and abundance. It is the understanding that the health of culture, community, and individuals are inseparable from the health of ‘āina (land). It is the kuleana (responsibility) to care for Hawai‘i and each other so that people and place thrive together. It is Hawai‘i’s soul.

VISION

To honor and perpetuate Hawaiʻi’s Soul and serve as a model globally.



OUR TEAM

HEC comprises local CEOs, senior decision-makers, and global leaders who work together on systemic issues and drive lasting change. The reach of HEC’s leadership represents 36,000 employees across the state and over $220 million in philanthropic dollars invested in the community.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Duane Kurisu
Chairman, Hawaiʻi Executive Collaborative; Founder, aio Group

Micah Kāne
CEO and President, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation

Ann Teranishi
President and CEO, American Savings Bank

Ray Vara
CEO, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health

LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE

Matthew Cox
Chairman and CEO, Matson, Inc.

Kamana‘opono Crabbe
Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul Executive Lead

Terrance George
President and CEO, Harold K.L. Castle Foundation

Robert Harrison
Chairman, President, and CEO, First Hawaiian Bank

Peter Ho
Chairman, President, and CEO, Bank of Hawai‘i

Corbett Kalama
President & CEO, RESCO, Inc.

Michelle Ka‘uhane
Senior Vice President, Hawai‘i Community Foundation

Shelee Kimura
President and CEO, Hawaiian Electric

Colbert Matsumoto
Chairman, Tradewind Capital

Elliot Mills
Vice President, Disneyland Resort Hotels and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa

Catherine Ngo
Chair, Central Pacific Financial Corp.

Robert Nobriga
President & CEO, Tradewind Group

Jack Wong
President and CEO, Kamehameha Schools




STAFF

Lynelle Marble
Executive Director

Hannah Ishida
Network Engagement Lead

Liana Mausolf
Events and Office Operations Manager


ADVISORS AND DIRECTORS

Judge Michael Broderick
Dispute Resolution Hawaiʻi; HEC Advisor

Glenn Miyataki
HEC Advisor