Our NHO Board of Directors
Verified Native Hawaiians
Learn MoreBy federal law, a Native Hawaiian is any individual descended from the aboriginal people who inhabited the Hawaiian Islands prior to 1778, the year of first Western contact. The majority of our NHO board of directors carries that lineage, verified through the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Mel
Yokoyama
CAPT, US Navy (Retired)
Author "The Promise I Made"
Kaʻu District, Big Island
Richard Chong
Lt Col, USAF (Retired)
Hilo District, Big Island
Jeff "JP" Schultz
LCDR, USN (Retired)
County of Honolulu, Oahu
Native Hawaiian Ancestry
Ensuring Native Hawaiian ownership and control consistent with SBA regulations and our charter as an SBA-certified NHO.
Our Kuleana
As Board of Directors, we pledge to:
Honor & Preserve — Protect our Native Hawaiian traditions, knowledge, and cultural legacy for future generations.
Serve with Integrity — Act with accountability, transparency, and aloha in all decisions.
Uplift Community — Support programs that strengthen our ʻohana, land, and people.
Get in touch with us to learn more.
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Why Our NHO Is Different
We are led by Native Hawaiians born and raised on these islands, with lineages stretching back generations. Many of us built successful careers in the military and on the mainland, and now it’s our turn to give back to the next generation.
The Mālama Kaʻū Foundation is not just another NHO formed to inherit “super 8(a)” status. Our board serves with purpose: to honor our culture, uplift our people, and ensure that the profits generated by our NHO-owned 8(a) subsidiaries deliver lasting benefits to Native Hawaiians living in the state of Hawaii.
To protect that mission, the Malama Ka’u Foundation will always be controlled and led by Native Hawaiians certified through the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ (OHA) Hawaiian Registry Program (HRP). The HRP is responsible for verifying Native Hawaiian ancestry through biological lineage, and issues official Hawaiian Registry Cards once ancestry is confirmed. This ensures our governance remains authentically Native Hawaiian — by lineage, by tradition, and by purpose.
Every contract secured strengthens our local economy, supports Native Hawaiian families, and keeps our community rooted in these islands.
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