Has it been five years already? Wow, how time flies. It is with great honor, joy, and humbleness that I write my “aloha” letter as Board Chair. I can truly say that I end my term with a great sense of pride in the success the Chamber has enjoyed. During my term, I advocated for a succession leadership structure, as I believe it strengthens the Board’s leadership and provides a vehicle to keep momentum going. I’m happy to say that the succession structure has been evolving, and the time seems so right to pass the baton.

So, I wish you all “my aloha” by giving you a “high five” and I leave you with three memorable moments and two future roles:

Memorable Moment No. 1 – I remember the year the Board agreed to reposition Haleiwa Main Street to become the North Shore Chamber of Commerce. This change enabled the Chamber to benefit from its affiliation with the main Hawaii Chamber, the completion of an informative website, and the hiring of our first staff member, Antya Miller.

Memorable Moment No. 2 – I remember the first year we held
our Christmas Party - it was such a big hit that the venue was
overflowing with music, fun, and people. You should see it today
(if you haven’t already), it thrives each year.

Memorable Moment No. 3 – I will always remember the people I worked with - they were such a blast. I’ve had 1) the pleasure of working with the old-timers who returned to leadership positions after taking a break from their role on the Haleiwa Main Street Board, 2) the excitement of working with business leaders of this community who have lived here for many years, but were never involved until recently, and 3) the enthusiasm of seeing business leaders step up from various sectors to serve on the board (we are 100% represented by local businesses).

Future Role No. 1 – In my new role as “Past President”, my strategic involvement will be assuming a role on the Board for the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii as the Chair of the “Affiliate Chambers and Business Organizations” Council (NOTE: I’m currently serving as Vice Chair and of course the new role will be subject to final board approval in July).

Future Role No. 2 – As “Past President” my other strategic involvement will be to continue my role on the Board for the North Shore Destination Group as Director/Secretary. These affiliations will bring additional resources and benefits to the organization and, more importantly, you. So once again, I thank you for your support … and I leave you with a humble request to get involved with the Chamber … because “EACH YEAR IT GETS BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER…”.