August 20, 2013
Contributed by ksinfo
Wong's decision to retire was not a surprise to Mailer, as she had planned for this day after dedicating much of her life to her alma mater. Now that her children are grown and graduating, Wong will pursue interests long kept on hold.
"Colleen was called upon to serve Kamehameha Schools at a time, and in a way that few others ever have been," stated Mailer. "During perhaps one of the most trying and uncertain times in Kamehameha's history, she stepped up to lead her team in providing unwavering and pono legal guidance, rooted in the mandates of Pauahi's will and protective of Pauahi's beneficiaries' hopes and dreams. Colleen has consistently led her team of experts to negotiate and implement countless just solutions that allow Kamehameha to pursue its mission. She has been an inextricable part of returning our Schools to fiscal, legal and operational strength."
"Colleen has been a great friend and confidante," expressed Mailer, "and I will miss her wise counsel, always offered from a calm and thoughtful perspective, and her analytical mind, always balanced with an intimate understanding of our Founder's vision and foresight."
Wong said of her approaching transition, "I am grateful for the chance to serve the Schools and mission that has impacted so many lives. I am also fully confident in the next generation of leaders to continue to move our mission forward into the future." Wong, a 1975 Kamehameha Schools graduate, joined KS' legal staff in 1986 and was named the Estate's first Chief Legal Officer in 2000, overseeing all legal affairs of the Estate, including, at the time, working with the IRS to preserve the Estate's tax-exempt status, replacement of all five trustees and the subsequent legal challenges to Kamehameha Schools' admissions policy of preference for Native Hawaiian applicants. In May 2003, Wong served as the Acting CEO of Kamehameha Schools for a period of nine months.
As part of her succession plan, Wong has recommended an internal candidate for her position. "We are delighted to announce the appointment of Livingston "Jack" Wong (no relation) as our next General Counsel and VP of Legal Services," Mailer said. "Jack is currently the Director of the Endowment Legal Division within the Legal Services Group, and will begin his new role immediately upon Colleen's retirement in October 2013."
Media contact: Kekoa Paulsen, Director
Community Relations & Communications, Kamehameha Schools
808.523.6369
Kamehameha Schools’ policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law.
