July 27, 2004

Horner Named Chairman of Hawaii Business Roundtable, Pledges Continued Emphasis on School Reform

The Hawaii Business Roundtable has elected Don Horner, president and chief operating officer of First Hawaiian Bank, as chairman of the organization for 2004-2005. Horner's 18-month term began on July 20, 2004.

"Improving public education and the climate for economic development will continue to be important priorities of the Roundtable," Horner said.

Horner succeeds H. Mitchell D'Olier, president and chief executive officer of Kaneohe Ranch Company, as head of the non-profit business leader organization. Horner was previously the vice chairman of the Roundtable under D'Olier's leadership.

David Carey, president and chief executive officer of Outrigger Enterprises, will be vice chair. The Roundtable also elected W. Allen Doane, president and chief executive officer of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., and Mike Fisch, president and publisher of The Honolulu Advertiser, to its Executive Committee. Other members of the Executive Committee are D'Olier; Robert F. Clarke, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Hawaiian Electric Industries; Harry Saunders, president of Castle & Cooke Hawaii; and Nonie Toledo, vice president and general manager of Sprint Hawaii.

The Roundtable also named three new members: David McClain, acting president of the University of Hawaii; Thomas M. Driskill, Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; and Charles A. Sted, president and chief executive officer of Hawaii Pacific Health.

The Hawaii Business Roundtable is a nonprofit organization comprised of the chief executives of 50 leading companies in the state, which collectively employ 67,000 people in the Islands. Fields represented include the visitor industry, financial institutions, utilities, health care, housing, education and retail. The purpose of the Roundtable is to promote Hawaii's overall economic vitality and social health. Its objectives are to generate and promote solutions to major community problems, work with community decision makers on issues that impact economic development, and to ensure the business viewpoint is organized and expressed on major community issues.