Nonprofit People in the News

Donna Wong of Hawaii’s Thousand Friends named 'Woman of the Year'

In recognition of Women's History Month, Governor Linda Lingle and the State Commission on the Status of Women celebrated the contributions of women in Hawaii and honored environmental advocate Donna Wong, executive director of the nonprofit Hawaii's Thousand Friends as the "2009 Woman of The Year." Wong joins past honorees, Indru Watumull (2008) and the late Dr. Donnis Thompson (2007).

Wong is a longtime champion of environmental issues in Hawaii, serving as a member of the Kailua Neighborhood Board since 1980.  She also co-founded the Aloha Aina Congress as a statewide network to bring people together to discuss how to collectively fight bad legislation and promote good environmental and land-use legislation.

Annual businesswoman awards include nonprofit leaders

The finalists for the Pacific Business News 2009 Businesswoman of the Year include nonprofit leaders Sheila Beckham, executive director, Waikiki Health Center and Haaheo Mansfield, vice president of programs, Parents & Children Together.

Other finalists are: Cheryl Cudiamat, CEO and owner, Keiki Care Center of Hawaii; Judith Fox-Goldstein, administrative director, University of Hawaii at Hilo Conference Center; Linda Johnsrud, vice president for Academic Planning & Policy, University of Hawaii System; Lori McCarney, senior vice president, Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties; Masako Nashimoto-Luttrell, president, Nashimoto & Associates; Judith Plotz Brannigan, CEO, Specialty Consulting International; Cheryl Williams, regional VP Sales & Marketing Hawaii & French Polynesia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Shelley Wilson, founder, president & CEO, Wilson Homecare.

Finalists for the 2009 Pacific Business News Woman Volunteer of the Year include nonprofit standouts: Lyn Flanigan, director, Hawaii State Bar Association; Judith Rosen, Adult Friends for Youth; and Lynne Waihee, President, Read To Me International. Other finalists are Laurie Foster, consultant, Business Consulting Resources and Tammy Kubo, Owner, Hawaii Pet Nanny.

Winners will be announced and all the finalists will be recognized on Thursday, April 9, at the Tenth Annual Women Who Mean Business event in the Liliu Theatre at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. Seats are $65 through Thursday, March 26 and $75 thereafter on a space-available basis. Click here for more information and to register.

Chaminade picks Bernard Ploeger to be new president

On Thursday, March 19, Honolulu’s Chaminade University named Brother Bernard Ploeger president to replace the late Sue Wesselkamper. Ploeger has served as executive vice president and provost since 2001. His appointment is effective immediately.

Ploeger was one of three finalists named earlier this month. The other finalists were David B. House, former president of Saint Joseph's College of Maine, and Gerard Voland, dean of the College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Ploeger was named acting president when Wesselkamper took a medical leave of absence in September 2008. Wesselkamper died in January at the age of 66 after suffering a tumor recurrence and complications from a 2005 surgery for bile duct cancer. She was president since 1995.

Chaminade has 1,100 day students and 1,700 graduate, evening and online students – a total enrollment to 2,800. It offers 29 majors and programs, including a Nonprofit MBA program.