Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Welcomes New Board Members Roy Pfund and Chris West

For Immediate Release: July 8, 2024
HTA Release (24-21)

24-21 HTA New Board Members Announcement.pdf

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) is pleased to announce the appointments of two new members – Roberts Hawaiʻi Inc. President and CEO Roy Pfund and ILWU Local 142 President Chris West – to serve on its Board of Directors, who attended their first meeting today.
 
Roy Pfund is the president and CEO of Roberts Hawaiʻi, Inc., where he also serves on the board of directors. With more than 40 years of experience in the tour and transportation industry, Pfund has demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise in financial and operational management. His extensive career encompasses various management roles in accounting, finance, tour and transportation services, entertainment operations, acquisitions, and product development. Pfund is a member of the Hawai‘i Business Roundtable. Additionally, he contributes to the future generation of travel industry leaders through his role on the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Shidler College Travel Industry Management Advisory Board.
 
Chris West is the president of ILWU Local 142 and dedicated member for 23 years, demonstrating steadfast commitment and leadership within the labor union community. For the past 20 years, he has served as an elected official of ILWU, making significant contributions to the union’s operations and strategic direction. West’s leadership roles have included eight years on the Executive Board of Unit 4201 and six years as vice chairman of Hawai‘i Stevedores. His expertise and dedication have been pivotal during critical negotiations, as he was one of seven members on the 2014 statewide Longshore negotiating committee and served on the 2018 contract extension committee.
 
“Roy and Chris are esteemed industry leaders whose presence on our Board of Directors is a tremendous asset as we forge ahead committed to a regenerative tourism model,” said HTA board chair Mufi Hannemann. “Their wealth of expertise and deep commitment to the community will be invaluable as we navigate the future of tourism in Hawai‘i. We look forward to their manaʻo and active participation on the board.”
 
The new HTA board members’ terms will end on June 30, 2028. They replace outgoing board members Sherry Menor-McNamara, who served on the board since May 2017, and Dylan Ching, who served on the board since April 2021. Sig Zane, who served since April 2021, has also completed his time on the board.
 
“We extend our heartfelt mahalo to board members Menor-McNamara, Ching and Zane for their dedicated service and invaluable contributions,” said Daniel Nāho‘opi‘i, HTA’s interim president and CEO. “Their guidance has been instrumental especially through HTA’s critical pivot toward destination management and Maui’s ongoing recovery efforts, and we are deeply grateful for their commitment to Hawai‘i’s tourism industry and community."
 
HTA’s Board of Directors is a policy-making entity comprised of 12 members appointed by the Governor of Hawai‘i. Board members serve as volunteers, guiding HTA’s work in holistically managing tourism for the benefit of Hawaiʻi’s communities.
 
For more information, visit hawaiitourismauthority.org/who-we-are/board-of-directors.
If you’re interested in serving on a board or state commission, visit boards.hawaii.gov.