Our Board of Directors

Henk Rogers, Founder and Chairman

As Blue Planet Foundation's principal and visionary philanthropist, Henk Rogers is committed to the mission of stewarding the environment through developing non-carbon, clean energy sources. He is personally devoted to helping our planet reduce and eventually eliminate its dependence on fossil fuels. (Read more about Henk's story here.)
 
Mr. Rogers is also renowned as a global leader in the gaming industry. One of his software companies holds the exclusive intellectual property rights to Tetris, the world’s most popular video game (over 125 million units sold). Rogers revolutionized the industry when he brought the now legendary game to U.S. and world markets almost two decades ago.
 
In the 1980s, Rogers’ groundbreaking work in Japan’s then-fledgling computer game industry led to the development of Japan's first-ever Role Playing Game (RPG), Black Onyx (published by Bullet-Proof Software); he is known in Japan as “the father of RPG.” Henk’s reach has also greatly influenced the hand-held game systems market via his facilitation of one of the industry’s most fruitful partnerships, between Tetris and Nintendo’s Game Boy—more than 35 million units of the game have been sold through this marriage alone.

Raised in Holland until age 11, Rogers attended New York City's specialized school for mathematics, science and technology, Stuyvesant High School. He went on to study computer science at the University of Hawaii. He currently resides in Hawaii.

Stanley W. Hong, Esq.

Stanley Hong is an attorney, leader in business, civic and community affairs, conservation and philanthropy in Hawaii for almost four decades. Currently, he is Trustee of The King William Charles Lunalilo Trust Estate, which oversees the Lunalilo Home, serving elders of Hawaiian ancestry.

Hong's extensive professional background includes serving as President of Waste Management of Hawaii, Inc., the leading provider of comprehensive waste and environmental services in North America. He is Trustee for Pacific Capital Funds and Hawaiian Tax-Free Trust, and has also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of both the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and the Hawaii Visitors Bureau. Previously, he was Vice President / Administration, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Theo H. Davies & Co., Ltd. and served as an executive in Hong Kong and Asia with Davies parent company, Jardine Matheson & Co.

Serving the community, Hong is a Trustee for: The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Child and Family Service, the East West Center Foundation and the St. Louis School. Among other directorships, he is also a Regent for Chaminade University of Honolulu and a Director for the PBS Hawaii Foundation.

Mr. Hong began his career in the early 60's as a law clerk in Hawaii's Supreme Court and later served as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Hiram Fong. Hong received his law degree from Drake University Law School and degree in Business Administration from Oregon State University. He and wife, Karen reside in Honolulu. They have two sons, David, an attorney, is Managing Director of Marsh, Inc. based in San Francisco and Jonathan, a Director of Citigroup Global Markets, Ltd. in London.

Akemi Rogers

Akemi is the owner of a local furniture store Fishcake and the co-founder of Blue Lava Technologies. She has been an integral part of her family’s various software businesses as well as a mother of 4 children. She has worked as Henk’s partner for more than 20 years at Bullet Proof Software and at Blue Lava Technologies. Her deep concern for our planet has led her to join the Blue Planet board and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Born and raised in Kanagawa Prefecture, she is fluent in the Japanese language. As a young woman, Akemi took the initiative to attend the University of Hawaii, Manoa to learn English.

Governor George Ariyoshi

As a three-term governor of the State of Hawai‘i and a farsighted architect of Pacific-Asian affairs, Governor Ariyoshi set in motion a series of wide-ranging policies that became the hallmark of his administrative legacy. During his 13 years as Hawaii’s chief executive, he adopted responsible fiscal strategies, maintained progressive trade relations and steady tourism growth, optimized the development of ocean resources, and strengthened Hawaii’s presence in the Pacific. In addi tion to being the nation’s first Asian-American governor, he also served as Hawaii’s lieutenant governor, a territorial and state Senator, and a member of the territorial House, holding elected office from 1954 through 1986.

Professor Maxine Burkett

Maxine Burkett is an Associate Professor of Law at William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and the Director of the Center for Island Climate Adaptation and Policy. Professor Burkett attended Williams College and Exter College, Oxford University and received her law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked in private practice in Honolulu with Davis, Levin, Livingston and Paul, Johnson, Park & Niles and served as a law clerk with the Honorable Susan Illston of the United States District Court, Northern District of California. Prior to her appointment at the University of Hawaii, Professor Burkett taught at the University of Colorado Law School.

Currently, her work focuses on “Climate Justice,” writing on the disparate impact of climate change on poor and of-color communities and the United States’ moral and legal obligation to these communities nationally and internationally. Professor Burkett has presented her research on Climate Justice throughout the United States, West Africa, and the Caribbean. As Director of the Center for Island Climate Adaptation and Policy, she leads projects addressing the science, planning and policy of climate change adaptation for small island states and communities in Hawai'i, the Pacific region, and beyond.

Dr. Peter E. Crouch

Dr. Peter E. Crouch has been Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa since 2006. In addition to its mission of providing an outstanding undergraduate program in engineering — something about which Crouch is passionate — the College's vision includes being recognized with the Pacific Rim for its unique and distinctive characteristics emanating from its roots in the Hawaiian and Pacific Island communities, its oceanic environment and its East-meets-West location. Dr. Crouch is also currently a member of: the Hawaii Science and Technology Council; the CAMS External Advisory Board, Idaho National Laboratory; and the K-12 Advisory Board for the American Society for Engineering Education Dean's Council.

Previously, Dr. Crouch's distinguished background as an administrator, educator and scholar includes serving as Vice Provost for Global Engagement at Arizona State University. He was also Dean of ASU's esteemed Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering for over a decade. Under his leadership, the school rose to be included among the country's top 50 engineering programs, as ranked by US News and World Report. Also during his tenure, graduate and undergraduate enrollment increased, 160 new faculty members were added, partnerships with top high tech companies were formed and over 20 research projects — accounting for almost $100 million in research expenditures — were funded. Prior to becoming Dean, Crouch was Chair of ASU's Electrical Engineering Department and taught for eight years in the mathematics and engineering departments.

Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, Dr. Crouch has authored two books and more than 100 archival, journal and refereed publications. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Sciences and an M.A. in Control Theory from Warwick University in England as well as a B.A. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University.

Dr. Virginia Hinshaw

Dr. Hinshaw is Chancellor Emeritus and Professor of Tropical Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Pharmacology at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Prior to assuming her role as Chancellor of the University of Hawai‘i in 2007, Dr. Hinshaw served as Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of the University of California at Davis and Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate School Dean at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. A noted microbiologist, Dr. Hinshaw’s work over the past 25 years has aided in the understanding of the influenza virus, including its hosts, transmission mechanisms and genetic changes, as well as new approaches to vaccines. She holds a B.A. in laboratory technology and master’s and doctoral degrees in microbiology from Auburn University.

Darren Kimura

Darren Kimura heads four companies: Energy Industries, an international energy services company; Energy Laboratories, a clean technology incubator; Sopogy, a solar technology development company; and Keahole Solar Power, which generates two megawatts of solar energy on Hawai‘i Island and aims to deliver 30 megawatts of renewable power to the grid by 2015. Kimura’s companies have supported 300 green-collar jobs and kept half a billion dollars in Hawai‘i through energy savings, while offsetting more than 2 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.

Robert Lloyd

Bob Lloyd is Chairman of the V Foundation for Cancer Research, a non-profit dedicated to funding cutting edge cancer research. In his business career he served as the Chairman and CEO of Mindscape, a publicly traded software company until his retirement in 1997. Prior to this he was President, CEO, of Data East, Inc. a developer of entertainment software, and also held various senior management positions with several other companies.

Bob currently sits on the Boards of Blue Planet Software, Avatar Reality, and Blue Lava Technology. Mr. Lloyd holds a BA in Economics from Rutgers University, and an MBA from Pepperdine University. After college, he played professional basketball with the New York Nets.

David Williams

David Williams spent his entire 26 year working career with Whirlpool Corporation, a $20 billion global manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances. His career at Whirlpool spanned several functions ranging from engineering to Vice President of Sales and ultimately as Senior Vice President of Global Marketing. He was also Vice President of Marketing in both North America as well as Europe.

Since retiring at the end of 1998, he has spent his time assisting small to mid sized businesses as both a volunteer advisor as well as in some cases a member of the board of directors. David is also on the board of directors of the V Foundation for Cancer Research. He received both his BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois.

Bert Kobayashi

Bert A. Kobayashi is the founder of Kobayashi Group LLC, and is the Chairman of Kobayashi Development Group LLC.  He holds a Hawaii Contractors License and has over 44 years of construction experience, including 37 years as a real estate developer.

Mr. Kobayashi devotes much of his time serving on the boards and committees of the following organizations: American Savings Bank (Board of Directors), Alexander C. Waterhouse Foundation (Director), Blue Planet Foundation (Board of Directors), After-School All-Stars Hawaii (Advisory Board), Hawaii Meth Project (Advisory Board), Kapiolani Health Foundation (campaign chair), Polynesian Voyaging Society World Voyage (Fundraising Committee).

He has previously served as a board member for Georgetown University (Board of Regents), University of Hawaii at Manoa (Board of Regents), University of Hawaii Foundation (Board of Trustees), Bishop Museum (Board of Directors), Ronald McDonald House (Board of Directors), Mid-Pacific Institute (Board of Trustees), and Kapiolani Health Foundation (Board of Trustees).   

Among Mr. Kobayashi's honors are the 2004 Charles Reed Bishop Medal Award, the 2002 Business Leader of the Year, and the 1994 Georgetown University’s Patrick Healy Award. He was recently recognized by the State of Hawaii’s Senate and House of Representatives for his leadership and contributions to the people and State of Hawaii (2008). He and his wife Susan were also honored by the Historic Hawaii Foundation for their personal commitments to education, ohana, healthcare and culture to enhance the communities of Hawaii.