Listening to Lead
It is both an honor and a privilege to serve as President of ACEC Hawaii. I would like to thank our members for the opportunity to lead this outstanding organization and extend my sincere appreciation to Charles Jury for his leadership over the past year. Under Charles’s leadership, ACEC Hawaii reached an important milestone with the completion of our Strategic Plan—a roadmap shaped by our members that will help guide the future of our organization.
As I reflected on what I wanted to share in my first President’s Message, I realized my perspective had been shaped by the many conversations and relationships with our passionate members. Since joining the Board several years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from committee leaders, Strategic Goal Chairs, past presidents, fellow Board members, and, more recently, Ginny Wright and Tiffany Tabbal during the Executive Director transition.
Everyone I met shares the same desire—to strengthen our profession so it can continue strengthening the communities we serve. That commitment takes many forms. Some volunteer their time mentoring young engineers. Others advocate on legislative issues, organize educational programs, engage with our public partners, or quietly serve on committees behind the scenes. The work may be different, but the purpose is the same.
Listening to past presidents reminded me that some of ACEC Hawaii’s foundational achievements came when our members came together around common goals. While the challenges facing our profession continue to evolve, that same spirit of collaboration remains one of our greatest strengths as we look to the future.
This collaborative spirit is reflected in the new Business of Design Consulting Series, one of the first initiatives supporting our Strategic Goal of cultivating a strong business environment. The response has exceeded our expectations, with the inaugural program reaching full registration and reflecting the strong commitment of our member firms to our profession and the continued development of our industry. We’ll also welcome students and young professionals at our annual Student Mixer on July 29. A special thank you to our Emerging Leaders Program Committee and volunteers whose hard work and dedication made this event possible.
In the months ahead, we’ll continue implementing our Strategic Plan by better aligning our committees with our Strategic Goals to strengthen collaboration across our organization. While many of these changes are already underway, their full benefits will develop over time as our committees continue working together. The start of a new fiscal year also brings fresh faces to our committees and opportunities to get involved. If you’re interested in becoming more involved with ACEC Hawaii, I encourage you to reach out to a Board member or committee leader to learn more about the many ways to participate.
As ACEC Hawaii begins this new chapter, I’d like to welcome Tiffany Tabbal as our new Executive Director, along with Ross Kaneko as Director and Kyle Kaneshiro as National Director. I look forward to working with each of them and our valued members as we build upon the strong foundation that has made ACEC Hawaii the organization it is today.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your President. I look forward to working alongside all of you as we continue strengthening our profession and serving the people of Hawaii.
Warm regards,
Kealohi Sandefur
President, ACEC Hawaii