Liliuokalani trustee to retire
David Peters is praised for expanding the reach of the queen's trust in his 29 years
Queen Liliuokalani Trustee David Peters has seen the trust open new sites on outer islands, aid children on Kauai after Hurricane Iniki, and continue to help thousands of destitute children each year.
Peters will retire on his 84th birthday, Aug. 6, ending 29 years of service with the board, the trust announced this week.
"I've decided that I'm going to spend more time with my wife in Kailua," said Peters, who has been married for 17 years. "I've done my duty there."
Queen Liliuokalani established the trust in 1909 to benefit orphaned Hawaiian children and later amended the trust to include destitute children. It has about 6,500 acres that it uses to finance aid for Hawaii's children. In 2005, the trust served more than 5,000 children through nine Queen Liliuokalani Children's Centers across the state.
"You can't replace somebody like David," said board Chairman Thomas Kaulukukui Jr. "Dave's style is understated, but very powerful and very strong. He always asked the right questions."
Since 1978, Peters served on the board of three trustees and served as chairman during the 1990s. He also worked as executive assistant for 14 years under U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye.
A graduate of Maui High School and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Peters became a colonel in the Army and retired after 30 years in 1976.
Kaulukukui called Peters his mentor and credited him with expanding the number of beneficiaries served, building new facilities around Hawaii, and solidifying the trust's financial base. He said Peters also kept the board focused.
"He has not allowed us to be distracted from our primary mission. That's what he always does: stays focused," he said.
Peters, who is of Norwegian, Chinese and Hawaiian descent, said the trust was important to him because he wanted to see more done for native Hawaiians.
"I spent 30 years in the Army and I've seen a lot of reasons why Hawaiians need support," he said.
As for the trust, Peters is optimistic.
"All the funds in the trust are all in upward projections. I can say that we're doing very well right now," he said. "The trust is advancing. It's going to be successful."
Earlier this year, the trust sold Liliuokalani Gardens in Waikiki to raise money for more development on land in Kailua-Kona.
"We're increasing the legacy of Queen Liliuokalani's will," Peters said. "We all did it together."
Kaulukukui said Peters notified the board earlier of his retirement, allowing the board to find a successor before his retirement, but Kaulukukui declined to name the person. A probate court will review the nominee.
"We have been careful and we expect the Probate Court will validate" the nominee, Kaulukukui said.