A vice president of a local bank and a nonprofit administrator have been appointed to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents for the next five years.

American Savings Bank Vice President Gabriel Lee and EPIC Ohana Executive Director Laurie Tochiki are Gov. David Ige’s picks to replace regents Benjamin Kudo and Simeon Acoba, according to a news release Wednesday.

Gabriel Lee, vice president of the American Savings Bank.
Gabriel Lee, vice president of the American Savings Bank Courtesy: Governor's Office

 

Lee’s and Tochiki’s terms will run until June 30, 2027, pending approval by the state Senate. Lee will replace Kudo, and Tochiki will replace Acoba.

The Board of Regents has 11 members whose role is to provide oversight of the university’s 10-campus system. The board is responsible for creating policy and has exclusive jurisdiction over the internal structure, management and operation of the university.

Lee earned a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Hawaii and is a graduate of St. Louis School. He also attended graduate school at Dartmouth College.

Lee was previously the vice president and commercial banking officer at First Hawaiian Bank, and vice president and pacific marketing director at Bank of Hawaii.

Laurie Tochiki, executive director of EPIC ‘Ohana, would replace Board of Regent member Simeon Acoba.
Laurie Tochiki, executive director of EPIC Ohana Courtesy: Governor's Office

Laurie Tochiki, executive director of EPIC ‘Ohana, would replace Board of Regent member Simeon Acoba. Tochiki received her Ph.D. in education policy from the University of Hawaii College of Education.

She also has a master’s of science in administration from Central Michigan University of Hawaii Campus and a law degree from the UH William S. Richardson School of Law. She co-founded EPIC Ohana, which stands for Effective Planning and Innovative Communication, in 1998. The nonprofit organization serves families in the child welfare system.

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