Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 1, 1 January 2011 — The WINDS Of CHANGE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The WINDS Of CHANGE

By Francine Murray Cool and crisp as the winds of Waimea the spirit of aloha breezed in, carrying with it a bit of excitement. Change was in the air. Dec 21 started cloudy with a ehanee of rain. At just after 8 a.m. people were gathering, mingling in the OHA boardroom in Honolulu, whieh seemed to glow with anticipation. The auspicious event began as the honorable Lisa M. Ginoza, Associate Judge of the Hawai'i Intermediate Court of Appeals conducted the oath of office. New and recently re-elected Trustees Peter Apo, Rowena Akana, Boyd Mossman, Oswald Stender and John Waihe'e IV respectfully, solemnly swore to faithfully exercise their duties as Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The honorable day at OHA seemed more

puhlie than usual in the large formal room. The Trustees smoothly filed into their chairs around the large meeting table. A moving pule (prayer) in Hawaiian and English was given by Kepa Maly, steward of cultural history for the Lāna'i Cultural & Heritage Center. "Members, nearly 10 years ago to this date, nine OHA Trustees sat at this table for the same purpose we gather today, to select the OHA Board Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. We've eome a long way baby," said Haunani Apoliona. "Thanks to those of goodwill who joined our Board ranks along the way. Mahalo a nui for allowing me to lead the group — Office of Hawaiian Affairs and our OHA Board for these nine years and nearly eight months into the light, through the storms and into calmer waters." "I support, will vote for and encourage my eolleagues to vote to select Trustee Colette Yvette Pi'ipi'i Machado as OHA BOT Chairperson," Apoliona said, graciously stepping down from the top position. "In 1996 when Colette and I were elected to OHA we had a mission, an objective that we have achieved. It is time for Colette to step up to the "ultimate" objective to lead the Board of Trustees and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs into this new decade of challenge and opportunity." Teary eyed, Machado was already seated at the head of the table saying she was both humbled and proud to convene this meeting as the senior Trustee present. Machado was voted the new OHA Chairperson and Boyd Mossman the Vice Chair. "The reason I amhere is because of BoydMossman," saidTrustee Robert Lindsey. "He always has my support."

"Through the years, Chairperson Apoliona has done a great job of managing the many different ehallenges we face as an organization," said Chairperson Machado. "The transition has been smooth and we are all very excited to begin this new chapter." As OHA Trustee, Machado rep- ! resents Moloka'i and Lāna'i. She | has also served on the State Land j Use Commission, Hawaiian Homes Commission, the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission and the Moloka'i Island Burial Council. The winds of changes continued '■ with the Board committee leader- - ship. The Committee on Beneficiary j Advocacy and Empowerment (BAE) develops policies and programs for OHA beneficiaries; it facilitates OHA's legislative matters and I advocacy efforts. Waihe'e is the new Chairperson and Apo, Vice Chair for the BAE Committee. As the former

OHA Policy and Planning Committee Chair, Waihe'e addressed the concerns of the State Auditor, Marion Higa, by initiating a record number of reform policies at OHA. He also developed and initiated several programs as the former chair of the OHA Programs Committee. Waihe'e's knowledge combined with Apo's experience at the city and state Legislature will strengthen OHA through these strategic appointments. On the same note, Oswald Stender is the Chairperson and Robert Lindsey Vice Chair for Asset and Resource Management (ARM). This committee handles all the fiscal and budgetary matters of OHA including oversight of all assets. Stender has been successfully chairing this eommittee since it was established in December of 2002. Lindsey will support this committee well with his vast experience in asset management in his 24 years at Kamehameha Schools, 13 of whieh he spent as the Director of the Land Assets Division. "I congratulate, with aloha, my sistah from Moloka'i, who reluctantly heeded my eall in 1996 to join me in the run for OHA Trustee," said Apoliona. "May you be guided by our ancestors throughout your tenure as Chair, hold close to our Hawaiian values in your decision making, and always make OHA and our mission the No. 1 priority in this 24/7 kuleana." "OHA has just celebrated its 30th anniversary and we are looking forward to all that the next 30 years will bring," Machado said. "There are many challenges ahead but also many opportunities, and as we move forward, OHA will work together to improve the quality of life for Native Hawaiians." ■

OHA TRUSTEES RE-ORGANIZE THE BOARD; MACHADO ELECTED CHAIRPERSON

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Trustees PeterApo and Boyd Mossman, Judge Lisa Ginoza, and Trustees Oswald Stender and John Waihe'e IV after taking the oath of office on Dec. 21, 2010. - Photo: Usa Asato