Enjoying the past few years as president and chief executive officer of Grove Farm Company, “working with the Case family and seeing Grove Farm get back to its old self again,” David Pratt said yesterday he is happy to be
Enjoying the past few years as president and chief executive officer of Grove Farm Company, “working with the Case family and seeing Grove Farm get back to its old self again,” David Pratt said yesterday he is happy to be turning over his Puhi office to Warren H. Haruki, who starts work today, Tuesday, Feb. 1, as the new Grove Farm president and CEO.
Grove Farm Company Inc. leaders announced Monday the appointment of Haruki as president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective immediately. Haruki replaces Pratt, who will retire after a brief transition period, but remain a director of the Puhibased company.
“I’ll still be around for another month or so,” working with Haruki on a transition process expected to be smooth not only because Haruki has been a member of the Grove Farm board of directors for a few years, but also because capable vice presidents Mike Furukawa and Allan Smith will remain with the company, Pratt said.
“I’ll keep on doing what I’ve been doing,” Pratt said of his responsibilities outside of Grove Farm. He is president of Niu Pia Land Company, the Island School board, and sits on both the Kauai Economic Development Board and board of Hawaii Preparatory Academy, a private school on the Big Island.
“I’ve enjoyed working these past few years with the Case family,” Pratt said of Grove Farm owner Steve Case, founder of America Online, and his father, Honolulu attorney Daniel H. Case.
Daniel H. Case, chairman of Grove Farm, acknowledged Pratt’s 25 years of leadership of the company, saying, “We are deeply grateful to David Pratt for coming out of retirement to lead Grove Farm after my son Steve acquired the company four years ago.
“David got the company back on its feet, headed in the right direction. Now the time is right to pass the baton to Warren Haruki, one of Hawai‘i’s most respected business executives, who has deep roots to Kaua‘i,” Daniel H. Case said.
“We are all delighted to welcome Warren, and are confident his leadership will take Grove Farm to the next level, to the benefit of Kaua‘i.
As president and chief executive officer of Grove Farm and Lihue Land Company, Haruki will oversee the numerous initiatives already underway. These include the possible sale of Kukui Grove Center, and Grove Farm’s development of realestate and smallbusiness enterprises that will have longterm benefits for the community.
“I look forward to this great opportunity to make a difference for Kaua‘i’s future, from meeting its housing needs to improving the quality of life for everyone who loves this wonderful island.”
Haruki was born and raised on Kaua‘i, and graduated from Kapa‘a High School. After getting his bachelor’s degree in industrial management from Purdue University, he returned home to work as an assistant manager at the Kauai Resort Hotel.
He then obtained a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa and his certified public accountant (CPA) certificate.
Haruki then joined GTE Hawaiian Tel/Verizon Hawaii, where he was employed for 26 years, serving as its president from 1991 until his retirement in late 2003. While in that position, he oversaw the rebuilding and modernization of Kaua‘i’s telecommunications network following the devastation of Hurricane ‘Iniki.
Haruki also serves on the boards of First Hawaiian Bank, Pacific Guardian Life Insurance Company, Blood Bank of Hawaii, and the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust.
Pratt was president for more than 20 years, retired in 1996, and returned in early 2001 to serve in the same position. During that time, he led Grove Farm through its transition from a sugar company to a major developer with a focus on its responsibility to meeting community needs. Pratt was responsible for the creation and implementation of the Puakea master plan that led to development of Kaua‘i’s largest shopping center, core commercial areas and industrial areas, a golf course and affordable as well as marketpriced housing.
Among Pratt’s other initiatives at Grove Farm have been support of Kaua‘i’s diversified agriculture and ecotourism industries through expansion of the company’s lease programs. His involvement in the Kaua‘i community runs deep, particularly in the areas of education, healthcare and agriculture. As a result, he was presented with the Humanitarian of the Year award by the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce in 2001.
Once one of Kaua‘i’s largest sugarcane producers, Grove Farm Plantation’s roots go back to the 1870s, when young George Wilcox purchased it and built a ditch to bring water from the mountains. He then purchased an additional 10,500 acres from Princess Ruth Keelikolani. Upon Wilcox’s death, management of the sugar operations was inherited by his nieces and nephews. In 1948, nephew Gaylord H. Wilcox expanded the company’s land holdings to more than 22,000 acres with the purchase of Koloa Plantation.
In the mid1970s, Grove Farm began diversifying its business. Today, owners of Grove Farm and its sister company, Lihue Land Company, together own about 40,000 acres on Kaua‘i. The company’s primary focus is development of housing to meet Kaua‘i’s residential needs, and investing in the community to encourage growth.
