Executive Profile
Wednesday, May 19, 1999
Name: Ron Tsukamaki
Age: 49
Position: President, Oahu Economic Development Board
First job: Father's grocery store, Oregon
Favorite pastimes: Golf, jogging, reading
Ron Tsukamaki moves into the operational side of the Oahu Economic Development Board after serving as board chairman last year. Focusing on alliances
for Oahu's economy"OEDB will be focusing on creating strategic alliances with other groups --including the University of Hawaii, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and the State Department of Business and Economic Development and Tourism-- who are also hard at work trying to find innovative ways to stimulate Oahu's economy," Tsukamaki said.
The board has helped small manufacturers grow and export products. "In the last couple of years, this has created 300 jobs," Tsukamaki said. The board also is assisting 900 Hawaii technology companies to protect intellectual property rights. Tsukamaki worked 24 years for Johnson & Higgins Inc., which merged in 1997 with Marsh & McLennan Inc. to form J&H McLennan Inc. He recently retired. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Oregon State University.
By Jerry Tune, Star-Bulletin
