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CEO Jeff Gilbreath to move on from Hawai‘i Community Lending, search opens for new CEO

CEO Jeff Gilbreath to move on from Hawai‘i Community Lending, search opens for new CEO

Jeff Gilbreath announced his decision to move on from his position as chief executive officer of Hawai‘i Community Lending in order to advance affordable housing and community development on a broader scale. The board of directors, led by Board Secretary Kawena Beaupré, will commence a selection process for HCL’s next leader, working with executive search firm Inkinen.

Since HCL’s founding in 2002, Gilbreath and the board have grown the organization into a robust native community development financial institution (CDFI), well-positioned for its next phase of growth. With a $23-million loan fund and 12 months of cash reserves, HCL is financially sound and positioned to scale, ready to serve a greater population of Hawai‘i’s families.

Gilbreath will work closely with HCL throughout the change in leadership, continuing with the organizational development that has been building toward this transition. Once his successor has been hired, Gilbreath will remain with HCL in an advisory capacity for 12 months, as he begins his next chapter as an independent consultant within the local community development sector.

With HCL’s current momentum and readiness, Gilbreath expects that within 10 years, HCL will be a $200-million loan fund serving 250 families with affordable mortgage financing each year. This will offset the outmigration of Hawai‘i-born local residents who are leaving the state because they can’t afford to stay here, according to the announcement.

Under Gilbreath’s leadership and that of his predecessors, the nonprofit mortgage lender has originated 6,559 grants and loans, with more than $203.7 million disbursed, resulting in over 6,500 local and Hawaiian families in homes. In 2025 alone, HCL originated 225 grants and loans, with more than $10 million disbursed, and 225 families in homes. HCL continues to develop new programs to meet the needs of local people, proving that affordable homeownership is achievable through partnerships that lower barriers.

“Over the last 24 years, we have been able to create an innovative affordable homeownership system that puts the needs of our local and Hawaiian families first, prioritizing community well-being over individual wealth and gain,” Gilbreath said. “Our board and our executive leadership team have worked tirelessly to build the organization in a way that leverages funds from local and national investors and develops lasting relationships within the community. The foundation is in place for change within the current affordable homeownership system, and I am honored to have helped lay the groundwork for that change.”

With firm footing, an experienced team and the continued support of its board, partners and investors, HCL remains fully committed to its mission of expanding affordable homeownership opportunities for Hawaiʻi’s local and native Hawaiian families.

“As HCL enters this exciting new chapter, we maintain our focus on serving the community and building on the momentum that has positioned HCL for long-term statewide impact,” said Beaupré, senior vice president and general counsel of Hawai‘i Community Foundation. “We are grateful to Jeff for his 18 years of service and for bringing HCL to this level, helping to ensure that Hawai‘i’s people can stay here, raise their children here, and pass on the legacy of homeownership to future generations.”

About Aikū’ē Kalima

Aikū’ē Kalima, former Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund Manager for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, joins Hawaiʻi Community Lending as its lending director.
Kalima comes to HCL with more than 25 years of experience in community development and mortgage lending. In his new position, Kalima will direct HCL’s consumer, construction, mortgage and small business lending.
“As a native Hawaiian and Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiary, I understand the financial needs for economic development and quality housing for kānaka is great,” said Kalima, who led OHA’s deployment of $9.8 million in loans to 286 native Hawaiians statewide over the last five years. “For over 25 years, I have worked tirelessly at the grassroots level, educating kānaka on the skills necessary to achieve the dream of homeownership and providing resources to achieve financial sustainability. I plan to continue serving the lāhui empowering ‘ohana and communities as the lending director for Hawai‘i Community Lending.”
Kalima takes the reins of HCL’s $16-million revolving loan fund and will oversee a team of seven staff members statewide. “HCL is honored to have Aikū’ē join us in our mission to help tackle our housing crisis by funding native Hawaiian and local families to build, buy and save homes from foreclosure,” said HCL Executive Director Jeff Gilbreath. “He has proven leadership in both the public and private sectors and has the passion to get families on the land through homeownership.”

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About Nikki

Nikki Hollern is a mother of five, born and raised in Upcountry Maui, but she spent the last 15 years in the beautiful town of Lahaina. Lahaina stole her heart, with the people and the town being unlike any other. After the fire, her family had to relocate to Kahului.

Her heart remains in Lahaina, and her goal is to help this amazing community get back to where they belong. She feels blessed to have the opportunity to be part of the HCL ‘ohana, helping navigate this incredibly hard time and hopefully serving as a guiding light to assist the community in returning home and coming back even stronger.

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