Hawaii nonprofit people in the news

Easter Seals Hawaii’s CEO John Howell to retire

> John Howell, president and CEO of Easter Seals Hawaii since 1993 and a long-time leader in Hawaii’s nonprofit community, has announced his retirement. Hawaii Business Magazine reported in 2005: “When Howell arrived at Easter Seals in 1993, he found an organization that had an operating budget of less than $2 million, a staff of 40 and a sizeable debt. He cut down the organization's service programs from eight to four, focusing on its strengths, early intervention programs. Twelve years later, Easter Seals has a budget of $11 million and a staff of 300, who operate 10 different service centers on four islands.” Also in that year, the magazine honored Easter Seals Hawaii as one of its Top 25 Best Places to Work. Under Howell’s guidance, ESH built a new, 19,000 square foot service center in Kapolei to house its Early Childhood Intervention Programs. A graduate of the University of Richmond, Howell previously worked in sales management positions at Xerox Corp., Wang Computers and GTE and served four years in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of captain. As part of its succession plan, the board of directors is seeking a candidate who will be responsible for the overall leadership of the organization’s programs, finances, and personnel. He was instrumental in the creation of the Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations and serves on its board of directors.

> Bill Kaneko will head Abercrombie-Schatz transition team – Governor-elect  Neil Abercrombie has named Honolulu attorney and nonprofit CEO Bill Kaneko as director of his transition team Thursday. Kaneko served as manager of Abercrombie’s successful gubernatorial campaign. Abercrombie and Lt. Gov.-elect Brian Schatz will be sworn in on Dec. 6. Before joining the Abercrombie campaign, Kaneko was president and CEO of the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs where, last September, he helped unveil the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan, a draft state plan that provides policy recommendations for creating a sustainable Hawaii for the next 50 years. Abercrombie has launched a website, NewDayHawaii.org, for the public to learn more about his plans and to submit questions and advice. The public also may use the website to apply for a position in the Abercrombie administration. Jeanne Schultz Afuvai will serve as interim president and CEO. Afuvai has served as executive director of the Office of Economic Development at the City and County of Honolulu, deputy director and interim director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and deputy director of the state Department of Transportation, where she was involved in airport expansion.

> Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. has named chief programs officer Lyn McNeff its interim CEO while it searches for a replacement for departing director Sandy Baz. McNeff has been with the economic development organization for over 17 years and oversees its more than 90 programs. Baz, CEO for the past four years, will become Maui County’s budget director when Mayor-elect Alan Arakawa takes office on Jan. 2.

> Eric Marler has been named vice president and chief financial officer of Kamehameha Schools, effective Nov. 15. Since 1997, Marler has been executive vice president and chief financial officer of Hawaii Reserves Inc., the property development and management company of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hawaii. Marler fills the vacancy created when Mike Loo left Kamehameha Schools in July to join Sopogy Inc., a Honolulu-based solar technology company.

> Children's Alliance of Hawaii has named Joan Naguwa as president. She has 30 years experience in the nonprofit sector, including executive director of Waikiki Community Center and vice president of programs for Helping Hands Hawaii.

> Bishop Museum has appointed Donna Howard as its vice president of development. She has been campaign director at University of California-Berkeley School of Public Health, director of development at National Tropical Botanical Gardens on Kauai, president and chief executive officer at Kapiolani Health Foundation and president of University of Hawaii Foundation.

> The Association of Fundraising Professionals-Aloha Chapter has announced the following recipients of the 2010 National Philanthropy Day Awards: Olivia De Jane, outstanding philanthropist; Grand Wailea, outstanding corporation; the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, outstanding foundation; John Brogan and David W. Pratt, outstanding volunteers; Ouida Yvonne Morris, outstanding professional fundraiser; and Hawaii State Association of Letter Carriers, president's award.

> Maryknoll School's director of institutional advancement, Yvonne Morris, was named outstanding professional fundraiser. She received the award for managing Maryknoll's $21 million Capital Campaign to build the Maryknoll Community Center and Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium.

> The International Association of Business Communicators Hawaii has named its officers: Lee Tokuhara, president and vice president of finance; Patrick Williams and Darcie Scharfenstein, vice presidents of programs; Kris Tanahara and Elizabeth Ahana, vice presidents of awards programming; Natalie Lewis and Jasmin Rodriguez, vice presidents of communications; Kapono Ryan, vice president of membership; Darren Pai, vice president of administration and special projects; and senior advisers Arnold Kishi, Lance Tanaka and Alan Tang.

> North Hawaii Community Hospital has hired Kerry Howell as vice president, development and marketing, effective Dec. 6. She has more than 25 years of fundraising, communications, marketing and business development experience, including vice president for advancement at Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Sciences, and various development and leadership positions at University of Washington and Washington State University.

> The Queen's Health Systems has promoted Janis Kushimi to QHS director, corporate HR, recruitment, training and development. She has been manager of corporate human resources and held positions at Aloha United Way, the Queen's Medical Center and Diagnostic Laboratory Services.

> Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor has named Carol Arnott its new development director. She was previously an administrative director of the Honolulu Zoological Society as well as fundraiser and writer for the American Cancer Society and special-events coordinator for Market City Shopping Center.