Pete was born and raised in Jersey City, NJ. He graduated from St. Peter’s College and New York University graduate school before entering the US Army as an intelligence officer in 1965. Pete’s 28 year military career brought him to Vietnam, Thailand, Germany, and the Pentagon, and culminated with a post as defense attaché at the US embassy in Austria before he retired in 1993. Pete then worked for an international peacekeeping organization headquartered in Vienna, before coming to the big island in 1997.  He then took up a career in community service, and was elected to serve four terms on the Hawaiʻi County Council, including one term as Council Chair. Recognizing the need for affordable housing, Pete founded the affordable housing land trust, Hale O Hawaiʻi, where he served as Board Chair. He was a board member for Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center for fourteen years, and was the West Hawaiʻi Vicariate stewardship representative for five years. Pete also served for a short stint on the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents, and has participated in a variety of other community and church related activities.  He assumed his duties as Board President of Hope Services Hawaiʻi in March 2023.  

Michael Stimson graduated from Hueneme High School in Southern California with honors and attended college at San Diego State University, where he majored in Psychology.  He started in banking while in college in 1994, and in 2010 joined Central Pacific Bank, where he worked his way up to his current position as Branch Manager II.  Michael is a recent recipient of CPB’s John Dean Core Values Award for his unquestioned commitment towards service excellence, both internally and externally.  Along with his team, Michael qualified for Kulia I Ka Nuʻu performance recognition in Q4 of 2020/ Q1 2021, helping Hilo to grow total deposit footings by over $13.6 million.  Michael was also one of the key leaders in Paycheck Protection Program closings during the first rounds of funding, as he and his team helped dozens of small businesses in East Hawaiʻi during a critical time.  Active in the community, Michael volunteers for Junior Achievement, is a Director for the Hawaii Island AJA Veteran’s Legacy Association, and was formerly a State Representative for Big Brothers, Big Sisters Hawaiʻi.

Patrick Hurney, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island, was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has lived in Hawaii since 1992. In 1997, he moved to Kamuela, Hawaii with his wife and three wonderful children. Patrick began his career in education, teaching at St. Anthony Junior/Senior High School, on Maui and then at St Joseph Schools in Hilo. For the past twenty years, he turned his attention and passion to working in the non-profit sector. He has experience in Substance Abuse Counseling; Child Abuse and Prevention; and Homeless and Affordable Housing Services. In 2006, he was the Program Director for Catholic Charities Hawaii at the Kawaihae Transitional Housing Program. In 2009, he joined Habitat for Humanity.

Gwen DeCoito was raised in the plantation community of Pepeekeo Mill Camp on the Hamakua coast of Hawaii Island. She graduated from Hilo College with a degree in Sociology. In 2009 she retired from a career in residential and commercial property management of Waiakea Villas and Village in which she served in various administrative capacities over twenty-six years. At the time of her retirement, she held the position of Property Manager for the Managing Agent, Hawaii First Inc., a Honolulu based company. Gwen is a licensed real estate sales agent with Coldwell Banker Day-Lum Properties located in Hilo, Hawaii. Gwen serves as a co-chair of the Stewardship Committee of St Joseph Church-Hilo since 2015 and was appointed East Hawaii Vicariate Representative to the Diocese Stewardship & Development Commission in 2017.

David Kurohara was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaiʻi and graduated from UH Mānoa with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. After graduating from college, Kurohara worked at his family’s clothing retail business as a buyer/manager, then HPM Building Supply in Purchasing / Marketing, and currently works at Hawaiian Electric in Government and Community Affairs.  Kurohara recently retired as Chief Volunteer Officer (board chair) from the Island of Hawaiʻi YMCA (2016 – 2021); current Director on Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council (VP); Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi (Chair / Hawaiʻi Island); Hawaii Care Choices (Treasurer). He also serves on both Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce and Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committees.  David enjoys fishing, golf and traveling in his spare time.

Father Robert Stark has worked for social justice in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean for more than 30 years, and is currently the Director of the Office for Social Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. Prior to his appointment in Hawaii, Father Stark headed the New Mexico Community foundation for nine years, serving primarily immigrant and Native American families. He also led the Policy Alternatives on Central American and the Caribbean, a non-governmental multinational organization. Ordained in 1977, Fr. Stark has a masters and doctorate degree in social ethics from the University of Chicago. He has also served as a parish priest and is currently parochial vicar of Malia Puka O Kalani Parish in Keaukaha, Hawaii.

Dean Au was born and raised in Manoa Valley, island of Oʻahu. He graduated from Maryknoll High School in 1993. He has 24 plus years of experience in the Construction Industry as a Carpenter and General Contractor. He has volunteered his time and construction expertise to help many non profit organizations on the Big Island, most recently Hawai’i island Food Basket and Saint Joseph Schools/Church. He is currently the Hilo Field Representative for the Hawai’i Regional Council of Carpenters.