Page 9 - MidWeek - Feb 15, 2023

Ben Kashiwabara
Meredith Artley
Budd Lauer
Ben Kashiwabara, has been promoted to senior vice president, Commercial Income Property Department, Commercial Banking Group at First Hawaiian Bank. He oversees the origination of commercial income property loans and loan portfolio maintenance. He has 35 years of commercial real estate lending experience specializing in loans for tenant-occupied commercial income properties.
Meredith Artley joins Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design as its first-ever executive- in-residence and interim executive director. The former chief and senior vice president of CNN Digital Worldwide will report directly to the CEO of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, which oversees Shangri La. She will manage a team of 27 staff and prepare the museum for a new era of global digital engagement.
Budd Lauer is director of institutional advancement and executive director of the Foundation for Maryknoll School. He brings 14 years of experience to this role and will develop comprehensive fundraising plans for annual giving, major gifts and planned giving. He will also oversee alumni relations and support the alumni association. He was previously director of advancement at Honolulu Museum of Arts.
Mia Okinaga
Banning Ramirez
Ching Jen Lum
Mia Okinaga is vice president of Kamehameha Schools’ Internal Audit Department. She will help lead the department that reports to and assists Kamehameha Schools’ Board of Trustees in executing its fiduciary responsibilities through independent, objective assurance and consulting activities. She brings executive-level experience in evolving internal audit practices across large, complex organizations.
Banning Ramirez joins Bennet Group Strategic Communications as an assistant account executive. He was previously an account executive for BuzzBright PR, a full-service public relations and influencer marketing agency. He is a member of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the Public Relations Society of America – Hawai‘i Chapter and the International Association of Culinary professionals.
Ching Jen Lum is foundation director of Kāhala Nui Senior Living Foundation. In this newly created role, she will develop, plan and implement a comprehensive advancement strategy to support Kāhala Nui’s organizational priorities. She will also oversee donor engagement initiatives with residents, associates and community partners; endowment and legacy stewardship; and gratitude and appreciation events.
Compiled by Karen Iwamoto, kiwamoto@midweek.com
FEBRUARY 15, 2023 MIDWEEK 9 SPEED BUMP by David Coverly
Seal Away Decay with Sealants!
Ask your child’s dentist about sealants. Sealants are pain-free and easy to apply. They add an extra layer of protection against cavities in addition to brushing, flossing and regular dentist visits.
The Elixir of Love
Love is in the air. A heartwarming romantic comedy hits the stage just in time for Valentine’s weekend when a farm worker falls in love with a beautiful landowner. HOT’s production is perfectly set
in present-day Hawai’i in a quaint town outside of a sugar cane farm.
Friday, February 17th at 7:30pm Sunday, February 19th at 4:00 pm Blaisdell Concert Hall
Call the box office at 808-596-7858 or buy your tickets online at www.hawaiiopera.org
@HawaiiOpera @hawaiioperatheatre
For more information about sealants for your keiki, visit
For more oral health information, visit
HawaiiDentalService.com/sealants. HawaiiDentalService.com.