About Us

What is TRUE?

TRUE is a non-profit organization driven by a committee of public and private sector leaders who share technology-based solutions to common business problems, helping to increase sustainability and collectively rising the tide of all organizations in Hawaii.

Technology in Hawaii graphic
As a result, local organizations succeed, Hawaiʻi’s economy becomes more diversified and sustainable, and Hawaiʻi becomes a place where all residents can thrive. In essence, TRUE helps cultivate a thriving Hawaiʻi through collaboration and the sharing of technology solutions.

Six principles
in action for a better,
innovative Hawaii

How We Do It.

Collaborate

TRUE allows competitors to become collaborators, creating an open environment giving Hawaii’s businesses a platform to share their work so local consumers and businesses can quickly benefit.

Cultivate

By coming together, we can increase Hawaiʻi’s technology literacy across industry sectors resulting in job creation and opportunities for higher wages.

Community

TRUE’s efforts extends broadly into the community, engaging with our committee organizations, state agencies, students and local businesses to collaborate and solve problems.

Learn

Learn key insights and pain points through real-life use cases, roundtable discussions, presentations, hands-on workshops, workforce development initiatives and other events.

Network

Meet with change-makers who are driving the adoption and use of tried technologies to benefit and grow Hawaiʻi’s organizations.

Empower

Developing real-life solutions that yield measurable results will enable Hawaiʻi to quickly adopt and benefit from digital transformation.

Entrepreneurs Sandbox hub location

Our Hub

The Entrepreneur’s Sandbox, a project by the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, is TRUE’s hub for collaboration and provides a space for innovators from all disciplines in the public and private sectors to work together to leverage each other’s strengths.

HTDC logo horizontal

Who We Are

TRUE is a nonprofit made up of a committee composed of a diverse group of change agents that serve as leaders in their industries and community.

Leadership

Leadership

Peter Dames

Peter Dames

Chairman, TRUE

PRESIDENT & CEO, SERVCO PACIFIC, INC.

Edward Ontai

Edward Ontai

Vice Chairman, TRUE

President, DataHouse Consulting 

Manny Edmondson

Manny Edmondson

Treasurer, TRUE

Executive Vice President/Chief Technology Officer, Central Pacific Bank

Wayne Inouye

Wayne Inouye

Secretary, TRUE

Interim Executive Director, Hawaii Technology Development Corp. (HTDC)

Leilani Farinas

Leilani Farinas

Executive Director

TRUE

Advisory Board

Christine Sakuda

Christine Sakuda

Executive Director

Transform Hawai‘i Government

Deena Tearney

Deena Tearney

Founder & CEO

Pacific Point, INC.

Kelly J. Ueoka

Kelly J. Ueoka

President

PACXA

Committee

Bart Beavers

Bart Beavers

Business Dev Manager

NEC Americas

Michelle Cheung

Michelle Cheung

Director, Technology Training

American Savings Bank

Jennifer Chun

Jennifer Chun

Director, Tourism Research

Hawaii Tourism Authority

Manny Edmondson

Manny Edmondson

EVP, CTO

Central Pacific Bank

Eric Heenan

Eric Heenan

Founder & President

Alaka‘i Executive Search

Rick Hopfer

Rick Hopfer

SVP, CIO

HMSA

Takaho Iwasaki

Takaho Iwasaki

Founder, CEO

Maji Connection

Jonah Kaneshiro

Jonah Kaneshiro

Director, Customer Strategy

American Savings Bank

Harold Moscho

Harold Moscho

VP, CIO

The Queen’s Medical Center

Robert Muellner

Robert Muellner

Sales Manager, State & Local Government

Salesforce

Douglas Murdock

Douglas Murdock

Chief Information Officer

State of Hawaii

Allen Nguyen

Allen Nguyen

Account Manager - SLED

Amazon Web Services

Robert Redding

Robert Redding

VP & Chief Technology Officer

HMSA

Steve Robertson

Steve Robertson

EVP, CIO

Hawaii Pacific Health

Vassilis Syrmos

Vassilis Syrmos

VP, Research & Innovation

University Of Hawaii

Rowena Buffett Timms

Rowena Buffett Timms

EVP & Chief Admin Officer

The Queen’s Health System

Jimmy Tokioka

Jimmy Tokioka

Director, DBEDT

State of Hawaii

Marie Yap

Marie Yap

Principal Solutions Architect

Amazon Web Services

Our Supporters

TRUE is generously supported by Hawaii’s forward-thinking companies from a variety of sectors and together, provide a foundation for TRUE’s long-term value in the community.

Our Committee Members

DataHouse Logo
HTDC logo
Transform Hawaii Government Logo
Transform Hawaii Government Logo
HMSA logo

Our Partners

Entrepreneurs sandbox logo
BoxJelly logo
Hawaii executive collaborative logo
aio media group logo
office pavilion hawaii logo
olelo community media logo
UH esports logo
HPU esports logo
GameDevHQ logo
hawaii state public library system logo

University Involvement

University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Hawaii Pacific University
Chaminade University