HTA Board Appoints Richard Fried as Chairperson

By Maui Now Staff

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority board of directors announced has appointed L. Richard “Rick” Fried Jr. as its new chairperson.

Craig Nakamura and Lorrie Stone will continue as co-vice chairs.

“This is an exciting time for the HTA as we begin a new chapter for the agency, and I am pleased that Rick will be our chairperson for the board of directors and Craig and Lorrie will continue as our vice chairs,” said George D. Szigeti, HTA president and CEO. “As a well-established member of the community, Rick will provide a different perspective for our organization and help us to better gauge the community at-large as we continue to balance the needs of the state and the visitor industry.”

Fried has served on the HTA board since 2012; this will be his first term as board chair.

A founding member of the Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks law firm, Fried has practiced law for more than 40 years. Fried was also the past president of the Hawai‘i Association for Justice (formerly the Consumer Lawyers of Hawai‘i) and has been named one of the “Best Lawyers in America” for more than 25 years. He has also served with local organizations, including the Honolulu Symphony, Hawai‘i Theatre, Shriners Hospitals for Children and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Fried succeeds Aaron Sala, who served as the board chair from 2014 and as a board member since 2011.

“On behalf of the HTA board of directors, I would like to also extend a sincere aloha and mahalo to Aaron Sala for his service to the HTA, our visitor industry, community and the state,” added Szigeti.

For more information about the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, go online.