Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 1, 1 January 2013 — The promise of a new year [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The promise of a new year

Happy New Year! As we step away from 2012 and walk into 2013, we reminisce of those moments - big and small, good and bad, happy and sad - of the last year, plan and prepare for the new. With a new year, we often reflect on those things that mattered to us and

contemplate the future of at least one more year. For many, the New Year often brings a surge of new energy and a bright new outlook for the upcoming year; a hope of improving on or discarding what didn't go so well and planning for possible change and working to make things better. With the OHA elections behind us, I weleome our new first-time trustee from Kaua'i, Dan Ahuna, and our first-time elected Maui

trustee, Hulu Lindsey. I also weleome back Trustees Haunani Apoliona, Colette Machado and Robert Lindsey, Jr. With the OHA oath of office, investiture, board reorganization and holidays behind us, it is time for the Board of Trustees to set the course and holomua to achieve our mission to mālama Hawai'i's people and

environmental resources, as well as its assets, to ensure the perpetuation of the culture, improve the quality of life for our people and protect the entitlements of Native Hawaiians while enabling the building of a strong nation that is recognized nationally and intemationally. As I stated in my December eolumn, I felt it was time for me to step down as the Chair of OHA's Committee on Asset and Resource

Management (ARM). I also stated that I would truly miss being the ARM chair; and I know it was bittersweet for Lei-Ann to step back from the rigors of working for this committee. Well, as is sometimes said, "It's not over until it's over." Trustee Colette Machado, after the elections, asked me to reconsider serving as the ARM chair if she were able to resume her role as the board chair in order for us to continue what was started under my direction in the last eouple of years to build and stabilize OHA's Ananeial foundation. Based on our numerous discussions and mueh thought, I agreed; and on Dec. 1 1, when the board of trustees reorganized, she was selected to serve as the board chair. I look forward to continuing this important work with my fellow trustees as we provide direction to our administrative staff in order to do all that we must to build the foundation needed for OHA's Ananeial health. Onee set, I hope to build upon that foundation so that we ean help our people

realize great things not only for those who are here today but for future generations as well. With those goals in mind, and as we move forward with the ARM Committee, I hope to effect change as to how we manage our assets, particularly our real estate portfolio. Real estate is a fluid, management-intensive resource with very opportunistic hurdles - and OHA needs to capture those opportunities because it is the best eeonomie engine we have. Land, as we all know, is the most valuable resource that we have. I look forward to OHA's continued growth and our potential to eontinue to provide needed resources for our beneficiaries. May the New Year bring the promise of a brighter tomorrow for you and your family, and may all of you find peaee and serenity today and every day. In this New Year, let us all remember to slow down a little, take a step back and appreciate those moments that take our breath away. ■

/ LEO 'ELELE ^ > TRUSTEE MESSSAGES /

ūz Stender TrustEE, At-largE