"I have grandkids here and I hope they will choose to stay when they grow up because there is no better place in the world to work and live."
Mike Mohr is driven to improve life in Hawai‘i. He started coming here regularly in 2006 from his native California to support the Omidyar family. Mohr decided soon after to relocate to the Islands permanently. “Hawai‘i is a place I love,” he says in the measured cadence befitting someone of his conservative, number-crunching background (he’s a Certified Public Accountant by trade.) “I’ve never seen people work so hard to improve their community.”
“Hawai‘i will only improve with government systems reform,” pronounces Mohr. “This is the common obstacle we face. The impact of mediocre systems is profound, but invisible to most. We can do better. We know that the people serving in government have largely gotten into it for the right reasons and want to do the right things, but we want to be partners in helping to improve the systems of government that are standing in the way of the positive change we all want to see. That way everyone who is already working so hard can see more positive outcomes as a result of their efforts.” We can- and we absolutely will, if Mohr has his way.
That’s why he joined the Holomua board. “The founders run significant local organizations and understand how to create value for those they serve. Government should be run the same,” he asserts. Mohr should know. He successfully served the Omidyars since the late 90s, currently as Hawai‘i portfolio manager of the Omidyar Group. He also founded California-based Comprehensive Financial Management, a nationally-known financial advisory firm.
And, like any good leader, he’s already thinking about the line of succession: “I have grandkids here and I hope they will choose to stay when they grow up because there is no better place in the world to work and live.”
