Commission Membership and Organization
Kippen de Alba Chu, Chair
Keith Vieira, Vice Chair
Stafford Kiguchi, Vice Chair – Finance
Lenny Klompus, Vice Chair – Events
Deidre Tegarden, Secretary
Standing Committees
Finance (led by Vice Chair – Finance)
Events (led by Vice Chair – Events)
Investigative Committees
Communications/Events Investigative Committee
Lenny Klompus (Chair)
Lori Thomas
Curt Kekuna
Historic / Education Investigative Committee
James Burns (Historic Co-Chair)
Tammy Kubo (Education Co-Chair)
Walter Dods
Danny Young
Humanitarian Investigative Committee
Michael Pang (Chair)
Edward Pei
Allicyn Tasaka
Duk Hee Murabayashi
Legislative Investigative Committee
Denise Hayashi (Chair)
Kippen de Alba Chu
Keith Vieira
Curt Kekuna
Walter Dods
Stafford Kiguchi
Military Investigative Committee
Vern Miyagi (Chair)
Tourism Investigative Committee
Keith Vieira (Chair)
Craig Kawaguchi
Denise Hayashi
Momi Akimseu
Neighbor Islands
Kaua‘i
Lani Nakazawa (Chair)
Big Island
Craig Kawaguchi (Chair)
Maui
Deidre Tegarden (Chair)
50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission
Mourns Loss of Ah Quon McElrath
December 12, 2008 Statement by Kippen de Alba Chu, Chair
Kippen de Alba Chu, Chair of the 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission, issued the following statement regarding the loss of Mrs. Ah Quon McElrath.
"The passing of Ah Quon McElrath has saddened her fellow members on the 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission. She was a fiercely passionate woman whose positive energy and enthusiasm always propelled us forward, especially during times when difficult and controversial issues were discussed.
Ah Quon was the embodiment of the grit and determination of people who helped to build Hawai`i over the past century and who were imbued with the ideals of democracy and equality for all. She was an icon for the working class and a tireless advocate for improving social services and education.
The 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission is a better organization thanks to her involvement and input. She will be deeply missed for her wisdom and wit. She will live on in the hearts and minds of all of us on the Commission, and we are extremely grateful to have recently captured some of her wisdom on video through Wai`anae High School’s Searider Productions. She was part of a quickly shrinking group of individuals, who experienced Hawai`i as both a territory and a state for nearly equal parts of their lives, and whose thoughts on what statehood meant to them and to the place they called home will be memorialized in 50 Voices of Statehood for future generations.
My fellow Statehood Commission members join me in expressing our deepest sympathy to the family of Ah Quon McElrath on her passing. We can all take comfort in knowing that she lived a truly incredible life, and Hawai`i is a better place because of her."
