Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 6, 1 June 2014 — LOFTY ASPIRATIONS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LOFTY ASPIRATIONS

By Tiffany Hill Lanee Parker is used to being in difficult situations. The 40-year-oldNative Hawaiian is the senior vice president of acquisitions and dispositions at A&B Properties Ine., the real estate subsidiary of Alexander and Baldwin Ine. His job, spanning 10 years at one of Hawai'i's Big Five, requires masterful negotiation skills. But this August, he'll be making a negotiation of a different kind: one with Mother Nature as he climbs Mount Kilimanjaro in East Africa's Tanzania. Trekking 19,341 feet up a dormant volcano wasn't on Parker's bucket list. "I never even thought of it," he says with a laugh. But a lot of things changed for Parker when he was accepted in the Omidyar Fellows program in September. The fellowship launched in May 2012, the namesake of its multibillionaire founder and creator, Pierre Omidyar. He brought experienced consultant Bill Coy on board and together the two of them molded the curriculum for the 15-month program, pulling from the best practices of the prestigious White House Fellows, among others. Parker is one of 15 fellows in the second cohort, including executives in nonprofit, government, heahh care and more. They're halfway through the program and meet monthly to discuss readings, collaborative projects and listen to Hawai'i's top leaders. This month, most fellows embark on an individualized off-island learning experience. For Parker, that's where Kilimanjaro eame into focus. "It represents a few things for me," says Parker, his hands clasped on a reflective wood conference table inside the A&B office on Bishop Street. "It's the metaphor of climbing the mountain and setting a goal - just going for it." Eaeh fellow has a personal eoaeh, and Parker works with executive

eoaeh Brian Nishida, formerly of Maui Pineapple Co. and Del Monte, to "set bite-size goals" and then attain them. In the end, it's about harmony. "I'm trying to find halanee in all aspects of my life: family, community, work," says the father of two tweens. "But I'm also trying to find halanee as a Native Hawaiian and some of the issues that we face culturally, and in the context of A&B." Parker is one of two Hawaiian fellows in the current class; the other is Ben Ancheta of ProService Hawai'i. Both are Kamehameha Schools graduates. Parker says he's proud to offer a Hawaiian perspective but is galvanized by the group diversity. "We have dynamic conversations and I get these interesting and rich perspectives from everyone," he says. Parker says the most enlightening talk was by Constance Eau, the president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries Ine., during whieh she shared stories of her time as an interim trustee at Kamehameha Schools in the wake of "Broken Trust." "(I thought) about key Hawaiian values, lōkahi, being pono, and you see this leader who's at the top of the food ehain . . . and how (those values are) important to her and how it has a plaee in business today." It's those types of discussions in

the monthly leadership talks that leave the A&B exec with a selfdescribed high "that drives a lot of what I do for the next 29 days," he says. "It's the right spacing, it's the right group and it's the right time together that makes me want to do better." Parker says he admires his peer fellows who selflessly devote time in the community. "I want to find a way to make Hawai'i a better plaee in the most effective way that I ean." Again, for Parker, it's about balance. "What free time I do have is spent with my family," he says. "No complaints though, I enjoy every minute of it." In striving to juggle multiple eommitments, the fellowship has naturally helped his career the most. But he isn't the only one at A&B who's benefiting. "I approach our sessions (asking), What are things that are not just good for me but that could be good for the team and good for the organization?" Parker says he asks his department of three to participate in his reading assignments and sets aside time to talk story with co-workers about what he's leamed so far. "It makes us a better team, it makes us more efficient," he says. "I'm constantly in negotiations. The ( Omidyar fellowship) has allowed me to slow that process down and think through things more specifically and be more thoughtful in what I do." In May, Parker bought an elevation-training mask (think a less-menacing, neoprene mask a la supervillain Bane) that conditions the lungs by creating pulmonary resistance like high-altitude climbers experience. He's ramping up for his journey to climb the mountain. "It will hopefully grow me as a leader," he says. "This is a gift, not just personally, but a gift to Hawai'i. In a lot of ways I feel like a steward of that gift and I just want to make sure I do the best I ean to make the difference that gift was intended to make." ■

Tiffany Hi.ll is a freelance writer and a former associate editor of Honolulu Magazine.

Qmidyar Fellowship The 15-month tailored leadership program is seeking applications for its third round of diverse fellows in sectors such as government, nonprofit, education and business. The ideal candidate has at least 10 years of Hawai'i leadership experience. Applications are due on June 30. Visit omidyar fellows.org for more information and to apply.

N A T I V E H A W A I I A N S AT KŪLIA I K A NU'U

THE T O P O F T H E I R GAME S T R I V E T 0 REACH THE SUMMI T

Lanee Parker, an A&B Properties executive, sets aside time to talk story with co-workers about lessons he's learned from the fellowship. "It makes us a befter team, it makes us more efficient," he says. - Photo: īiffanyHill