Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc.
The highlight of Maui Economic Opportunity Inc.’s (MEO) annual meeting and board installation dinner included a special presentation from Al Landon, Chairman & CEO of Bank of Hawaii. Landon presented the first installment of a $100,000 pledge from the Bank of Hawaii Charitable Foundation Center to Sandy Baz, MEO CEO and Council Chair Riki Hokama the outgoing board presidentfor MEO’s new Transportation Center.
Landon noted the “great relationship between the bank and MEO and said, “We will be with you (MEO) for a long time. You do a great job for the community and we’re glad to support it.” He also expressed support for the new transportation center as an important and crucial part of the future of Maui.
“This is the largest grant ever given to a neighbor island organization by the bank,” said Baz. “It demonstrates the partnerships that we can foster between the public and private sectors to improve the lives of the people of Maui. We are very grateful to Bank of Hawaii for this unprecedented gift.”
Chairman Hokama did a presentation about his year as MEO president. The highlight of the year was receiving a gift of more than five acres of land for the new transportation center from Alexander & Baldwin.
Incoming MEO president Grant Chun said that he looked forward to the challenges ahead and set out an ambitious agenda for his year. He wanted to see “dirt moving on the transportation center and the completion of the BEST (Being Empowered & Safe Together) residence on Vineyard Street.” He also wants to see the Waiehu BEST agriculture project move forward. Chun wants to support and further MEO’s efforts to help improve financial literacy on Maui. “Maui is in a unique position. We have low unemployment and high relative wages, but financial literacy is lacking. I want to support financial literacy program to develop the skills needed to make wise financial decisions.”
Rep. and Speaker of House Emeritus Joe Souki, MEO’s first executive director, presented a commendation to Baz signed by the entire State House of Representatives.
Other officers installed were Kathy Louis of Hale Mahaolu as vice president and Scott Sakakihara of Central Pacific Bank as secretary/treasurer.
Besides, Chairman Hokama and Rep. Souki other’s in attendance included George Kaya representing Gov. Lingle, Sen. J. Kalani English, Rep. Kyle Yamashita, Councilmember Gladys Baisa, Councilmember Michael Molina and Councilmember Joe Pontanilla.
