Kelvin H Taketa

Kelvin is president and chief executive officer of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, a statewide charitable services and grant making institution endowed with contributions from many donors. Since his appointment in 1998, the Foundation has become the leader in facilitating charitable investments in Hawai’i and has earned distinction as a trusted community resource on charitable trends and best practices in Hawai’i. Under his leadership, the Foundation has launched several major initiatives with a coalition of local and national funders and government agencies and developed grant programs that have proven results and led to national recognition for the Foundation. In 2012, the Foundation administered more than $45 million in grants and contracts for programs and initiatives in Hawai’i. A national leader and commentator about philanthropy and non-profit organizations, Kelvin has been recognized by The Non-Profit Times as one of the “50 most powerful and influential people” in the sector and featured in the GiveSmart.org website on philanthropy. Kelvin has dedicated 30 years of his professional career to the nonprofit sector. Prior to joining the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, he served as the vice president and executive director for the Asia/Pacific Region of The Nature Conservancy, the largest conservation nonprofit organization in the United States. Kelvin has served on numerous corporate and nonprofit boards including his current service on Hawaiian Electric Industries and as its Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee, Hawaiian Electric Company, the Hawaii Leadership Forum, the Stupski Foundation in San Francisco and in various leadership positions on the Board of the Independent Sector, a leadership coalition of charities, foundations and corporate giving programs committed to advancing the common good in the country and around the world. Born and raised in Hawai‘i, Kelvin graduated from Colorado College and received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California’s Hastings College of Law. Since graduating from law school, he has spent his entire career in the non-profit sector. President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Community Foundation since 1998. Director of Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Independent Sector, and Sunrise Capital, Inc., a private equity aquaculture development company.