None The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii Press Releases Search All Press Releases Grady Timmons Phone: (808) 587-6237

David Cole Rejoins Nature Conservancy's Board of Trustees

Honolulu, HI—May 28, 2004—David C. Cole, Chairman, CEO and President of Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc., has rejoined the Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i, the organization announced today.

Cole, who recently returned to the Islands to head up ML&P, is a former executive for America Online.  He was raised in the Islands and has a long association with the Conservancy, having served on the organization's national Board of Governors and its Asia-Pacific Council.  He previously served on the Hawai`i Board from 1988 to 2000.

"David Cole is uniquely qualified to help guide the Conservancy's Hawai`i programs," said Jeff Watanabe, chair of the Hawai‘i Board.  "He's knowledgeable and passionate about conservation and committed to Hawai‘i. He will be a tremendous asset both for our organization and for conservation statewide."   

“My wife Maggie and I care deeply about Hawai`i and its natural environment,” said Cole.  “Our native forests and reefs are spectacular treasures, and The Nature Conservancy does great work protecting them.  I’m delighted to be back with the Hawai`i organization and look forward to doing even more for conservation in Hawai`i.”

Cole was raised in Kailua and attended Kailua High School and the University of Hawai`i. For more than 20 years, he was active worldwide in the multimedia systems, data communications, computer software and online service industries.  He served as chief executive at the database software company Ashton-Tate, the online publishing software firm NaviSoft Inc., and as president of AOL's Internet Services Co. and New Enterprises Group.

Prior to joining ML&P, he served as board chairman of Sunnyside Farms LLC, a 500-acre organic farm in Virginia, and the Twin Farms resort in Vermont.  Cole is also a director of PBS, Island Press, Sesame Workshop and the American Farmland Trust.  He is a past director of the World Wildlife Fund.    

Like Cole, Maui Land & Pineapple Company has a long history with The Nature Conservancy. ML&P owns 28,600 acres on the Valley Isle, including the 8,661-acre Pu‘u Kui Preserve, the largest private nature preserve in the state. 

Located in the summit region of the West Maui Mountains, Pu‘u Kukui was established with the help of the Conservancy in 1993. It is one of the richest biological areas in the state.  The preserve is dedicated to the memory of former ML&P CEO and President, Colin C. Cameron.  Cameron was a founding trustee of the Conservancy's Hawai`i chapter and chaired its Corporate Council for the Environment. 

Along with The Nature Conservancy, Maui Land & Pineapple Company is also one of the founding members of the West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership, which is working to protect the biodiversity and watershed resources of the 50,000-acre West Maui Mountains. 

Cole's term on the Conservancy's Hawai‘i Board is for three years, ending in May of 2007.