History
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Board of Directions
Jim Mayfield, President
Jim Guerber, Vice President
Milani Pimental, Secretary
Justin Ganaden, Treasurer
Neil Clendeninn
Jennifer Jones-Patulli
Uri Martos
Margaret Sanchez
Kaliko Santos
Peter Simon
Our History
The Lihue Business Association was formed in 2006 by several people who had served together on the Citizens Advisory Committee for the county’s Lihue Town Core Urban Design Plan. The group, with others interested in wise planning efforts for Kauai, began holding free monthly programs to educate themselves—and anyone else interested—about all of the components that make up a vibrant community. The LBA established formal bylaws and achieved its corporate nonprofit 501(c)(6) status in 2007.
To further its vision and mission, the LBA has continued for a decade to offer free monthly programs about issues that affect planning for the future. They include speakers on topics such as retailing, agriculture and ranching, land ownership, transportation, energy, waste, contemporary media, education, the environment—and more. Kauai’s delegation to the Hawaii State Legislature also presents the LBA with an annual legislative update.
After its formation, the LBA worked closely with Kauai county government to encourage completion of the Lihue Town Core Urban Design Plan, which was adopted in 2010. When funds for a full, district-wide Lihue Community Plan were budgeted, LBA was once again a committed participant: several LBA board members were chosen to serve on its working group. Others took part in the State’s long range land transportation plan for Kauai. Still others sit on boards and committees such as the county’s Built Environment Task Force.
The current LBA was not the first to use the Lihue Business Association name. There was an active Lihue Businessmen’s Association a few decades ago. A more recent group coalesced in the early 2000s, primarily as a response to Rice Street construction woes and the rise of vandalism in the area. Some of the participants in those bygone iterations are active members of the current LBA.
The Lihue District is known as the Heart of Kauai by virtue of its being the county seat as well as home to the county’s port, airport, major hospital, center for higher education and commerce. The LBA is open to everyone interested in assuring a prosperous future for Lihue, and by extension, for all of Kauai. The LBA broadly defines “prosperity” to include economic, environmental, social and cultural well being.