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| A tradition of ranching is one of the lifestyles and economic engines considered in the Ka`u plan. Photo by Julia Neal |
Donna-Marie Ambrose has lived in Ka`u for three decades and resides in Greensands subdivision. She has served as President of Greensands Community Park and Garden, as director of Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, and Secretary of Na`alehu Main Street. She has a bachelor’s degree in geography from University of Hawai`i at Hilo and has been a substitute teacher for the Department of Education since 1994. Ambrose can be reached at (808) 640-2754 or dambrose@hawaiiantel.net.
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| Honu`apo celebration for preserved land. Photo by Julia Neal |
Patti Barry grew up in Hawai`i, has lived in Ka`u for two decades, and resides in Hawaiian Ranchos subdivision. She has served as president of Ocean View Community Development Corp. and as a director of Ka`u Chamber of Commerce and Ocean View Community Association. She is a Punahou graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and Development from University of Washington. She has been in the real estate business for nearly four decades years and is currently Principal Broker and part owner of The Land Office, LLC in Na`alehu. She can be reached at 937-3124 or pbarry@alohabroadband.com.
Bob DaMate grew up in Hawai`i, has lived in Ka`u for over 24 years, and resides in Kona Gardens subdivision. He is past President of Ho`opuloa Hawaiian Civic Club and a member of `Aha Moku Kahuku. He is retired from a career with County of Hawai‘i and Department of Hawaiian Homelands. He can be reached at (808) 497-0384.
Ron Ebert has lived in Ka`u for over 13 years and currently in Punalu‘u. He is Company Officer of Pahala Volunteer Fire Department and is a member of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Ka`u Hospital Charitable Foundation, `O Ka`u Kakou and Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u. He is retired from a career as an electrical engineer with the State of Colorado and serves as minister of Ocean View Church of Christ. He can be reached at 928-0027 or ebertr001@hawaii.rr.com.
Bob DaMate grew up in Hawai`i, has lived in Ka`u for over 24 years, and resides in Kona Gardens subdivision. He is past President of Ho`opuloa Hawaiian Civic Club and a member of `Aha Moku Kahuku. He is retired from a career with County of Hawai‘i and Department of Hawaiian Homelands. He can be reached at (808) 497-0384.
Ron Ebert has lived in Ka`u for over 13 years and currently in Punalu‘u. He is Company Officer of Pahala Volunteer Fire Department and is a member of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Ka`u Hospital Charitable Foundation, `O Ka`u Kakou and Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u. He is retired from a career as an electrical engineer with the State of Colorado and serves as minister of Ocean View Church of Christ. He can be reached at 928-0027 or ebertr001@hawaii.rr.com.
Leina`ala Enos (Chair) grew up in Hawai`i and has lived in Ka`u for over 40 years. She resides in Wai`ohinu, where she manages a small macadamia nut farm. She has served as President of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u and is Council Chair of Na`alehu United Methodist Church, and is a member of Ka`u Community Partnership and a local hula halau. A Kamehameha Schools graduate, she worked 12 years for C. Brewer and Co. and has worked for the Queen Lili`uokalani Children’s Center as a Community Building Facilitator since 1994. She can be reached at 929-9022, 929-8641, or lenos@qlcc.org.
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| Michelle Galimba represents ranching on the Steering Committee. Photo by Julia Neal |
Michelle Galimba was born and raised in Ka`u, has lived in Ka`u over 22 years, and resides in the Hilea ahupua`a. She is President of the Hawai`i Cattlemen’s Association and Secretary of the Ka`u Farm Bureau. She serves as a director of the Hawai`i Board of Agriculture and the Big Island Resource Conservation and Development Council. She has a doctoral degree in comparative literature from the University of California at Berkeley and works at Kuahiwi Ranch. She can be reached at 430-4927 or mgalimba@kuahiwiranch.com.
Loren Heck has lived in Ka`u for over 22 years and resides in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. He is President of Ocean View Community Development Corp. He has served as President of HOVE Road Maintenance Corporation, Ocean View Community Association, Big Island Protea Growers Association, and Ocean View Garden Club; as Vice President Ocean View Community Development Corp.; Protea Growers Association of Hawai`i, and Ka`u Chamber of Commerce; and as Chair of the County of Hawai`i's Department of Water Supply Commission. He has a bachelor’s degrees from San Francisco State University and the Los Angeles Art Center College of Design, has worked as a professional photographer, and is currently a protea farmer. He can be reached at 939-9454 or elheckhi@gmail.com.
Eldridge Naboa (Vice Chair) was born and raised in Ka`u, has lived in Ka`u for over 30 years, and currently resides in Na`alehu. He has coached cross-country at Ka`u High School and has served as President of the Ka`u Rural Health Community Association and as a director of the Ka`u Federal Credit Union. He has a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa and is Hawai`i Project Manager for Pono Pacific. He can be reached at 936-2189 or eldridge.naboa@gmail.com.
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| John Cross (center) during construction of the new Ka`u Coffee Mill. Photo by Julia Neal |
Marino Ramones immigrated to Ka`u from the Philippines in 2004. He resides in Pahala and is a director of the Ka`u Rural Health Community Association and a volunteer chaplain at Ka`u Hospital. He is a graduate of Baptist Theological College and serves as Pastor of Pāhala Baptist Bible Mission and Na`alehu Baptist Bible Mission. He can be reached at 928-8240 or marjoramones@yahoo.com.
Simon Torres, Jr. was born and raised in Ka`u, has lived in Ka`u over 48 years, and resides in Pahala. He served in the Air Force and since 1991 has served full-time as a supervisor mechanic with the Hawai`i Air National Guard. An avid outdoorsman, Torres has hunted the majority of Ka`u's terrain and fished and dove the length of Ka`u's coast. He can be reached at 928-6103 or torress003@hawaii.rr.com.
John Cross is a non-voting member of the steering committee. He owns land in Ka`u but resides in Hakalau, where he operates a small family farm. Ever since his days as a Boy Scout, he has camped, hiked, and fished all along the Ka`u coast, and during the sugarcane era and C. Brewer and Company’s liquidation, he spent much of his time in Ka`u. Cross has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from University of Hawai‘`i at Manoa, served as the Vice President of Real Estate for C. Brewer and Company, Ltd. and is land manager for the Edmund C. Olson Trust II and project manager of Ka`u Coffee Mill. He can be reached at 987-4229 or john@olsontrust.com.
John Cross is a non-voting member of the steering committee. He owns land in Ka`u but resides in Hakalau, where he operates a small family farm. Ever since his days as a Boy Scout, he has camped, hiked, and fished all along the Ka`u coast, and during the sugarcane era and C. Brewer and Company’s liquidation, he spent much of his time in Ka`u. Cross has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from University of Hawai‘`i at Manoa, served as the Vice President of Real Estate for C. Brewer and Company, Ltd. and is land manager for the Edmund C. Olson Trust II and project manager of Ka`u Coffee Mill. He can be reached at 987-4229 or john@olsontrust.com.
