We interviewed UH Foundation Board of Trustees Chair T. Michael May, former president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Company, to find out why he supports UH.
Why did you decide to join the UH Foundation Board of Trustees?
In my almost 14 years as president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Company, I saw a major contribution of technically trained talent provided by the university to our company. The majority of the engineers, technicians and business/accounting professionals at HECO were trained at UH. That contribution has been a key factor in HECO providing a vital and reliable resource to our community. Therefore, my desire to be involved be involved with the UH Foundation stemmed from a symbiotic relationship between the institutions.
What future do you envision for the UH Foundation as we embark on the next 60 years?
The UH Foundation has made extraordinary strides in its first 60 years in building and growing the endowment to meet the educational goals and role of the university system. The next 60 years offer donors an opportunity to expand that role to offer better facilities and housing through prudent and opportunistic investing and fundraising. With less funding to the university from state government, aggressive and effective campaigns will be vital to the university’s continued success.
Why do you think UH is worth supporting?
The university serves as an incubator for emerging technologies, innovations and business opportunities. We all share a desire to find opportunities for our families to thrive and grow and remain a part of our community. By investing in and supporting the university, we increase our chances of fostering and growing a stable job base with positions in new and innovative businesses that offer compensation consistent with our high cost of living.
