MNHCoC Elects Board Members and All-Wahine Executive Team

(Left to right, back row) Randy Piltz, Mercer “Chubby” Vicens, Boyd Mossman, Kai Pelayo, Paul Mancini,
(front row) Secretary Sharron Joseph, President Doreen “Pua” Canto, Vice President Teri Freitas Gorman, Treasurer Shirley Blackburn, Mahina Martin and Lui Hokoana. Not pictured: Ron Vaught and James “Jimmy” Haynes. Photo courtesy of MNHCoC.

By Maui Now Staff

Members of the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce elected officers for the coming year at its recent annual meeting and also welcomed three new board of director members.

Members elected an all-wahine executive team—President Doreen Pua Canto, Vice President Teri Freitas Gorman, Treasurer Shirley Blackburn and secretary Sharron Joseph.

The MNHCoC also welcomed new board members Lui Hokoana, Mahina Martin and Boyd Mossman, who join the current slate of board members at-large, including past president Kai Pelayo, Randy Piltz, Paul Mancini, Mercer “Chubby” Vicens, Ron Vaught, James JC “Jimmy” Haynes and Paul Mancini.

New Officer Profiles

President Doreen Pua Canto has a long history of devoted community service. In addition to leading the MNHCoC, she is president of the Kula Community Association, while serving the State of Hawai‘i as a Hawaiian Homes commissioner, and the County of Maui as a commissioner for the Department of Fire and Public Safety. The Kula resident is a graduate of Phoenix University and is employed by Pelekana Permits.

Vice President Teri Freitas Gorman has been self-employed since 2009, providing communications and community relations counsel to clients statewide. She is also a managing member of E Ola Pono LLC a Maui-based consulting company specializing in Hawaiian cultural training and education for the visitor industry. A graduate of UCLA, Freitas resides in lower Kula.

Treasurer Shirley Blackburn is co-owner of Maui Land Broker & Property Management Inc., which provides financial services, rental property management and real estate sales for six-planned community homeowners associations. She is a strong advocate for the Maui Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. The O‘ahu native now lives in Wailuku.

Secretary Sharron Joseph has lived on Maui since 1969. Employed for 24 years, she currently serves as the purchasing assistant for Hale Makua Health Services in Wailuku. The gifted hula dancer also serves as vice president for the board of directors of Hālau Kealaokamaile. She is a Kula resident.

New Board Member Profiles

Dr. Lui Hokoana has served as the chancellor and chief executive officer of UH Maui College since December 2014. A Maui native, he worked his way up through the UH system, directing various programs at UH Maui College before taking on greater responsibility on Oʻahu as vice chancellor for student affairs at the UH West Oʻahu campus. Lui earned a doctorate of education degree from the University of Southern California, a master’s degree in communications from UH Mānoa and a bachelor’s degree in political science from UH Hilo. He is a resident of Kula.

Mahina Martin is the director of government and community relations for the Maui Electric Company in Kahului. She previously held a similar position with the County of Maui. Martin is also the race director for Maui Interscholastic League Canoe Paddling. She lives in Wailuku.

Retired Judge Boyd Mossman recently returned to Maui from Hawai‘i Island after serving three years as president of the Kona Hawai‘i Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is a founding member of the MNHCoC board and served as president of the organization’s first board in 2005. Boyd received his bachelor of science degree from the US Air Force Academy and his juris doctorate from George Washington University School of Law. He lives in Makawao.

“We are honored that a retired judge, a college chancellor, and a corporate executive, each of Native Hawaiian ancestry, have joined our hard-working board,” said Doreen Pua Canto, MNHCoC board president. “This year our annual Business Fest will surprise and delight our members as well as the community at large and we are so fortunate to have this caliber of talent to draw upon.”

The newly installed board will gather next month for a strategic planning retreat hosted by Lumeria in Makawao and led by Leslie Mullens of Playbook Consulting Group.

The all-volunteer Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce relies on community support to advance its mission, “to promote and sustain Hawaiian values and culture, and enhance the socio-economic status of Native Hawaiians in business and as individuals.”

Membership is open to anyone with an interest in perpetuating the spirit of aloha through commerce, culture and community. The Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce welcomes Hawaiians and Hawaiians-at-heart to share in their mission.

For more information, go online.