Junior Achievement of Hawaiʻi seeks new president and chief executive officer

Junior Achievement of Hawaiʻi has launched a search for its next president and chief executive officer following the announcement that David Earles, who has led the organization for four years, plans to leave to relocate out of state.

Under Earles’s tenure, the nonprofit grew the number of students served by an average of 10% year-over-year, reaching more than 8,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students annually across Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui. The organization expanded to 59 schools and strengthened its partnership with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education.

Earles cited the evolving direction of Junior Achievement at the national level as part of his decision to step aside.

“Junior Achievement at the national level is changing rapidly to better serve schools and students through experiential learning models,” he said. “I believe that the best thing I can do for Junior Achievement of Hawaiʻi — for the kids, the community and the mission — is to step aside and make room for a leader who is living and working in Hawaiʻi.”

Board Chair Nathan Kam praised Earles’s contributions while looking ahead to the transition.

“He is leaving us on very solid ground in a truly exciting time of evolution for our organization,” Kam said. “Our next leader will build upon David’s good work to continue elevating our program offerings and deepen our impact to ensure Hawaiʻi students are able to thrive in a global economy.”

Established in 1957, Junior Achievement of Hawaiʻi focuses on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. In the 2024-2025 school year, the organization reached more than 8,300 students in 372 classes and after-school locations with the help of more than 200 volunteers. Information on the president and chief executive officer position is available at jahawaii.org.