News Releases
Hawaii Tourism Authority Board Selects George Kam To Serve As Chair
For Immediate Release: April 30, 2021
HTA Release (21-13)
2021-04-30 HTA Announces New Board Chair.pdf
HONOLULU – The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) Board of Directors selected George Kam as its new chair during yesterday’s monthly board meeting. He previously served as its vice-chair. Kam is an active community leader and is a former executive in the surf industry.
“We are in a time of ‘huliau’ or transformative change. This is our time to find solutions towards a pono traveler that balances the opportunities of tourism and the challenges it presents our community. Tourism can be the catalyst to improve the quality of life for all the people of Hawaii. Finding balance is the razor’s edge, the width of a blade of pili grass,” Kam said. “I look forward to working with the community, our elected leaders, the HTA team and HTA board to find that balance.”
The board also selected David Arakawa as its vice-chair, Kimi Yuen as its second vice-chair, and Daniel Chun as its marketing standing committee chair. Kam replaces outgoing board chair Rick Fried, who ended his term on the board on Tuesday as the Hawaii Senate confirmed new board members Dylan Ching, Keith “Keone” Downing, and Sigmund “Sig” Zane.
“These community leaders were appointed to the board and elected into leadership to guide the Hawaii Tourism Authority through the challenges that face our visitor industry and the sustained relaunch of Hawaii’s economy. I am energized by the opportunity to collaborate with the entire board under this new leadership,” said John De Fries, HTA president and CEO.
HTA’s Board of Directors is a policy-making entity comprised of 12 members, who serve as volunteers and meet monthly to guide the agency’s work on behalf of the State of Hawaii. Board approval is required for key HTA functions and initiatives, including its annual budget and annual marketing plan, which includes funding support of community programs.