University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman has formed an eight-person search advisory committee to select a new UH athletics director. Warren H. Haruki, president and CEO of Grove Farm Co. and chairman and CEO of Maui Land and Pineapple Co., will chair the committee.
“We are looking for a leader capable of excelling in multiple areas including community outreach and partnership building with the dual goals of continuing academic achievement of our student-athletes while putting UH’s 21 teams in the best possible position to win,” said Bley-Vroman. “We also need someone with the ability and agility to lead UH during this complex and important time in the evolving national collegiate athletics landscape.”
Following the committee’s initial meeting on Friday, January 9, the next step in the process will be the posting of the position on January 14. Interested candidates will have about a month to submit their applications and then the committee will begin the process of reviewing the applicants and performing the required due diligence and reference checks in mid February. Initial interviews will be held no later than early March.
Bley-Vroman reiterated the general timeline to select the new athletic director by no later than mid-year and that the process outlined above is designed to achieve that deadline. He also expressed his thanks to the committee members for their commitment and willingness to serve.
- UH News story and video: “Ben Jay announces resignation as UH athletics director”
In order to provide transparency to the many stakeholders who care so deeply about UH athletics, a website (www.manoa.hawaii.edu/executivesearch/athldir) will be live by the end of the day January 14 and periodic updates will be available as the committee moves through the selection process for this key position.
In addition to Haruki, the other committee members are:
- John Dean—Chairman and CEO, Central Pacific Bank
- David Ericson—Faculty Athletics Representative and Professor, College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
- Elizabeth M. Ignacio, MD—IMUA Orthopedics, Sports and Health, LLC; Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery UH John A. Burns School of Medicine; Surgical Director, Queen’s Center for Sports Medicine
- Marilyn Moniz-Kahoohanohano—Assistant Athletics Director, Intercollegiate Athletics, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
- Amanda Paterson—Director of Compliance, Intercollegiate Athletics, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
- Allen Uyeda—President and CEO, First Insurance Company of Hawaiʻi, Ltd. (Retired)
- Kelley Withy, MD—Professor, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Assisting the committee in an ex-officio capacity will be Michele Tom, the UH Mānoa executive search coordinator.
