Nonprofit Boards: Confused, or M.I.A.

BY DENNIS HOLLIER      Photo: iStock “When I look back on it,” says John D., the former executive director of a small but prominent nonprofit in Honolulu, “the board of directors just really didn’t understand what their role was.” He pauses for a moment, his face assuming a pained expression. “In some cases, they made…

Hawaiian Electric Transformers

BY DENNIS HOLLIER      From left: Lynne Unemori, Darcy Endo-Omoto,       Tayne Sekimura and Dave Waller       Photos: Rae Huo “You can’t run an operational company like this without leadership that’s experienced in operational issues,” says Robbie Alm, executive vice president for Hawaiian Electric Co. “That’s not me. That was never going to be me.”…

Charging Ahead: Hawaii looks beyond oil

On the sidewalk in front of the state Capitol, Gov. Linda Lingle climbs into the driver’s seat of a white and blue Nissan Rogue. But this is no ordinary Nissan. It’s an electric car, the demonstration vehicle for Better Place, a technology company with ambitious plans to persuade thousands of people that electric cars represent…