CAMPAIGN AMBASSADORS

Walter A. Dods, Jr. (BBA ’67 Mānoa) – Campaign Chair

Chair, The Dods Foundation
Past Chair, Matson Inc., Hawaiian Telcom and Alexander & Baldwin
Past President, American Bankers Association

I’ve been a lifetime supporter of my alma mater UH, and I’ve been a volunteer with UH fundraising campaigns before. This campaign is so critical for the future of our university and our state. As the world economy becomes more complex and the challenges we face loom larger, it is becoming harder and harder to help young people succeed. I believe this campaign will help our next generation in a powerful way.

Joyce Chung

Founder and President, Makahakama Foundation

The University of Hawai‘i has always been a special place for our family. Our father served as a professor in the School of Public Health for several decades, teaching and furthering research to improve public health outcomes in Hawai‘i and beyond. Now more than ever, the university plays a critical role in developing experts and leaders that can provide research and programs to help the people of Hawai‘i thrive. 

Terrence R. George (MBA ’09 Mānoa)

President & CEO
Harold K. L. Castle Foundation

The University of Hawai’i’s 10-campus system serves our state and the world in so many ways.  UH is where you can go to:

• End poverty in your family line forever;
• Gain the skills and credentials you need to get a well-paying job that allows you to stay and thrive in Hawai’i;
• Solve climate change for our islands and our planet through applied research and action;
• End healthcare disparities based on ethnicity or zipcode;
• Turn scientific and social innovations into Hawaii’s new generation of companies that add jobs and diversify our economy.

For all these reasons and more, I am proud to be a strong supporter of the University of Hawai’i.

Jason Haruki (BBA ‘99 Mānoa)

Senior Vice President, First Hawaiian Bank

When the university does well, our entire state will benefit. We have a responsibility to give back to an organization that has given us so much and continue to pay it forward for the next generation.

Amy Hennessey (BA ’96 Mānoa)

First Vice President, UH Alumni Association

I’m proud to support the University of Hawai‘i as both a graduate and a child of retired faculty and staff. I invest my time and resources to support the students and programs there because I recognize the need for this world-class institution to provide advancement opportunities for our community. We all benefit from the ideas, innovation, cultural reverence and involvement generated there to keep our islands competitive with a thriving economy.

Virginia Hinshaw, PhD

Chancellor Emeritus, UH Mānoa
Professor, Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine

The University of Hawai‘i has played a key role in Hawai‘i’s past and is critically important to the current and future well-being of our citizens. Education unlocks doors leading to successful, fulfilling careers; research leads to improved health and well-being; and public service creates solutions to community challenges – that is the mission of UH. Supporting that mission is a great joy!

Paul Kosasa

President and CEO, ABC Stores

The Kosasa Foundation is honored to join the many donors and supporters of the University of Hawai‘i. We support the University of Hawai‘i because the future of our society depends on educating our youth with a deep understanding of a variety of subjects and providing opportunities for them to thrive in their fields of interests.

Brandon Kurisu

COO, aio Family of Companies

Supporting the University of Hawai‘i directly contributes to the state’s economic growth. By investing in UH, individuals are nurturing local talent, driving innovation, and ensuring Hawai‘i remains at the forefront of education and research, paving the way for future generations.

Caroline Landry

Member, Board of Directors, Vibrant Hawaiʻi
Co-Chair, Kukio Community Fund
Community Volunteer

UH is the institution with the most capacity to harbor higher education on Hawai‘i Island, with two community colleges and a university campus. Simply put, supporting the UH System equates to helping residents attain careers in which they can thrive and contribute both here and in our global world.

Mark Mugiishi, MD

President and CEO, Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA)

HMSA is a strong supporter of the University of Hawai‘i, a leader in research, innovation, and affordable education. Having worked within the UH System for many years, I understand how crucial UH is to the overall economic health of our local community. It’s why we invested $5 million for the HMSA Learning Innovations Endowment to support innovative medical education, as well as many other meaningful initiatives throughout the years, which include improving social determinants of health and workforce development. At HMSA, we believe the health of Hawai‘i is directly tied to innovation in education, especially in the medical community, and is vital to growing talent from within Hawai‘i.

Catherine Ngo

Chair,  Central Pacific Financial Corp.

I am a proud supporter of the University of Hawai‘i. The future of our state depends on our world-class university building the skills and leadership for the next generation. I am committed to ensuring the university has the support it deserves and needs to play that critical role. I hope others join me in this. I believe we owe this to our future.

Tom Nichols (BBA ’78 Mānoa)

President and Founder, Pretika Corporation

The University of Hawai‘i serves as a vital bridge between business, science and technology to the State of Hawai‘i and its private sector, creating jobs and developing a business and research environment within the state to attract businesses. Its innovation in the entrepreneurship, science, technology and tourism fields, and its cutting-edge research in areas such as astronomy, oceanography, renewable energy and advanced materials, contribute to the state’s economy and technological advancement. UH collaborates with private sector companies and organizations on research projects, technology development and workforce training, and fully understands the engagement in technology transfer activities, which involves the commercialization of research findings and inventions, and the financial returns licensing brings to the university. This process helps bridge the gap between academia and the private sector by allowing companies to access and utilize university-developed technologies, forming a two-way bridge.

Larry Rodriguez

EAH Housing Advisory Council Member

The commitment UH faculty and staff have to improving their students’ learning outcomes is impressive, and so is the impact that has on the community. UH’s high level of sensitivity to our local culture enhances students’ education and prepares them for rewarding careers here in Hawaiʻi. This campaign not only endorses that good work, it supports even more academic innovation for the future.