Bishop Museum seeks new chief executive

The nonprofit Bishop Museum is seeking a new chief executive officer – a search estimated to take three months to a year. Current President and CEO William Brown will step down in January. The museum's chief financial officer, Michael Chinaka, who has been with the museum for more than 20 years, will take his place in the interim.

An executive search committee made up of prominent local civic and business leaders will work with a California-based search firm, Morris & Berger, which has met with employees, trustees, senior executives and others to get input on qualities the next museum CEO should have.

Brown was the museum's chief for five years, during which he butted heads with several native Hawaiian groups over a set of native Hawaiian artifacts. He will become the president of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences in April. He said his decision to resign was both professional and personal, to be closer to his wife and children, he said.

During Brown's tenure the museum eliminated its annual operating deficit, and has a majority of native Hawaiians as trustees for the first time in its history.