Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 7, 1 July 2007 — Position of trust [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Position of trust

Straight talk with new KS Trustee Corbett Kalama

By Sterling Kini Wnng | Publicatinns Editnr On April 1, First Hawaiian Bank Executive Vice President Corbett Kalama officially joined the five-mem-ber board of trustees of Kamehameha Schools, where he will be responsible for managing the school's $7.7 hillion trust and making critical decisions relating to potential legal challenges of the school's 120-year-old Hawaiian preferenee admissions policy. In May, the school announced that it had settled a four-year-old lawsuit filed on behalf of an anonymous student who was denied admission to the school because he was not Hawaiian. The settlement, the terms of whieh remain confidential, prevented the U.S. Supreme Court from deciding whether it would hear the case. However, shortly after the settlement was announced, a loeal attorney publicly stated that he is preparing another legal ehallenge to Kamehameha's admission policy. Kalama was appointed by a state Probate Court judge to finish the term of Constance Lau, who left the Kamehameha board after becoming the chief executive officer at Hawaiian Electric. While Kalama's term expires on June 30, 2008, he is eligible to be reappointed for up to two more five-year terms. Kalama brings a wealth of banking experience to the Kamehameha board. He possesses a bachelor's degree in economics and a graduate degree in banking. He has worked for First Hawaiian Bank for 25 years and served on numerous community boards, includ-

ing the John A. Burns School of Medicine Imi Ho'ola Advisory Board, the Polynesian Voyaging Society and Pacific Islanders in Communication. But Kalama is also well grounded culturally. He was raised in a humble house in Kailua by his father, Charles Kalama, a plumber and boatbuilder, and mother, Kekau'ilani Kalama, a well-known kumu hula. While growing up, he was surrounded by renowned Hawaiian cultural figures, including master hula dancer 'Iolani Luahine and kumu hula Lokalia Montgomery. Shortly after he took office as a Kamehameha trustee, KWO sat down with Kalama for an interview in his corner office at Kawaiaha'o Plaza in downtown Honolulu. Whal is the best way to protect Kamehameha Schools' Hawaiian-preference admission policy? We have to continue to do what we are doing because we are adhering to Pauahi's will right now. If you read the will, it calls for preference to Hawaiians. The only time that it doesn't apply would be if there was no Hawaiian to go ahead and fill the spot, and that's not an issue. Whal goals do you want to accomplish as a trustee? Several years ago, Kamehameha Schools conducted outreach sessions with the eomSee KALAMA on pags 07

"My kuleana is to make sure we maintain the financial viability of fhe trusf," Kalama said. "It's ū heavy responsibility, but l'm very fortunate to have been prepored for such things." - Photo: Francine Murray.

KALAMA

Cūntinued fram page ŪG munity, from whieh they created their very detailed Education Strategic Plan and Strategic Plan. I wanted to have input, so I participated in a lot of those sessions, not knowing that I would be sitting in this position one day. So my goal is to help guide us through those plans. Wlial attributes do you bring to Kamehameha Schools' boardroom ? Because of my experiences at First Hawaiian Bank and other foundations and boards, I'm not overwhelmed when I look at a development project, a housing need or a large investment. My kuleana is to make sure we maintain the ūnaneial viability of the trust itself. It's a heavy responsibility, but I'm very fortunate to have been prepared for such things. I also think the Hawaiian values that were instilled in me from a young age by my parents are equally important. It's critical to deal with people with aloha, ha'aha'a (humility) and ahonui (patience). Wlial is the major difference between your work as executive vice president of First Hawaiian Bank and as trustee of Kamehameha Schools ? I don't see a difference. With both, you're dealing with education. At First Hawaiian Bank, you're teaching people how to manage their finances and their families. At Kamehameha, you're educating Pauahi's beneficiaries so they ean pursue their dreams. Tlie boardroom of Kamehameha Schools is one the most high-profile offices in the state, and at times has been beset with controversy. How do you plan to deal with the media attention given to the board and its potential for controversy? The same way I deal with you: be truthful, honest and upfront. People want to know that you eome from the right plaee. Controversy comes when people don't communicate well or when they aren't values-based. I'm not worried about the high profile position. I worked in Washington, D.C., for a long time, and up there it's a different world. So I'm comfortable in that situation. My mom would tell us all the time, "Whatever you do, just remember you have to be able to sleep at night." I ean sleep. I have no difficulty with that. You mentioned that your siblings went to Kamehameha Scliools, but you graduated from Kailua High School. What happened? I was kolohe. I went to Saint Anthony's Grade School, whieh in those days was very rigid. I didn't want any more discipline, and I was rebellious. On the day of my Kamehameha interview, I went to play heaeh volleyball instead. Oh, I got spankings. In 1858, Charles Reed Bishop established Bishop & Co., whieh in 1 969 was renamed First Hawaiian Bank. Kamehameha Schools was established by the 1883 will of Princess Pauahi, Charles Reed Bishop's wife. Today, more tlian a century later, you are working for both of these entities. What does that say about these two people and their legacies ? They were both unselfish individuals. Pauahi basically dedicated everything she had to the Hawaiian people. But Charles Reed Bishop also embodied many of the values of our ali'i. People don't give him enough credit for that. E3