Connie Lau to be honored as the 2022 Kama‘āina of the Year

Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 5:30 PM

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikīkī
The Ocean Lawn & Monarch Room

Elegant Aloha and Cocktail Attire

Historic Hawai‘i Foundation (HHF) is very pleased to announce that Connie Lau will be honored as the 2022 Kama‘āina of the Year™ on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikīkī on the island of O‘ahu.

Please join us in recognizing Connie Lau for her visionary leadership and her sense of responsibility to care for our island home. Table sponsorships and tickets may be secured by submitting the registration PDF or by registering online.

Lau is known for her forward-thinking leadership as the former president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI), a position she held for 15 years. Her 37-year career with HEI and its subsidiaries spanned numerous management roles and she is credited with spearheading key initiatives that transformed the companies.

Lau was central to developing HEI’s mission to be a catalyst for a better Hawai‘i, a mission rooted in HEI’s belief that its success and Hawai‘i’s are inextricably linked. She guided HEI’s commitment to advancing the health of the state’s environment, economy, and communities; while prioritizing decarbonization and affordability. In 2008, she furthered this commitment when HEI signed a groundbreaking agreement with the state and other stakeholders to collaborate on the reduction of Hawai‘i’s dependence on imported fossil fuels through the development of local, renewable energy sources.

Nationally, Lau is recognized as a leader in the fields of critical infrastructure, resilience and physical and cyber security, banking and energy. Since 2012, she has chaired the National Infrastructure Advisory Council which advises the President of the United States on the security of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors and their information systems.

This celebration of Connie Lau’s incredible legacy at a beautiful historic venue promises to be a very special evening. We hope you will join us there.

Very truly yours,

Ricky Ching
Chair, Kama‘āina of the Year Committee

The celebration will include:

• A cocktail reception on the Ocean Lawn at dusk;
• Live entertainment by ‘Āpuakea, a musical trio that includes Nā Hōkū Hanohano awardees Kekoa Kaluhiwa, Kama Hopkins and Dennis Keohokalole;
• A sumptuous three-course dinner created by Executive Sous Chef Danny Chew;
• A lively performance by Grammy-nominated and Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner Streetlight Cadence;
• And a very special tribute to the honoree.

Please join us!

In order to ensure the safety and health of our guests, HHF will follow State and City and County of Honolulu guidelines for public gathering. We ask all guests to support this effort.

• All event attendees will be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have a negative test result. Vaccination cards/test results and IDs will be checked upon arrival.
• The wearing of face masks is optional.
• The cocktail reception, silent auction and other activities will be held outdoors/in lanai areas.
• Table seating in the Monarch Room will be limited to a maximum of eight seats per table.
• Table sponsors may request to be seated outdoors on the lanai. Please indicate this preference when registering as a sponsor.

We look forward to gathering safely with aloha!

“The annual Kama‘āina of the Year™ award offers Historic Hawai‘i Foundation the privilege of identifying and celebrating individuals who exemplify community service and cherish our collective heritage,” said Kiersten Faulkner, executive director of Historic Hawai‘i Foundation.  “We are honored this year to recognize Connie Lau whose long and distinguished career demonstrates the value of communities working together and a deep appreciation for the cultural and built environments of Hawai‘i.”

Now in its 33^rd year, the Kama‘āina of the Year event furthers Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s mission to preserve the historic buildings, cultural sites and communities significant to the heritage of the Hawaiian Islands.  Mahalo to all of our table sponsors, guests, donors, and trustees for their generosity and support.