Sept. 22, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT:
Stryker Weiner & Yokota Public Relations, Inc.
Kryslyn Hashimoto
Kirk Hubbard III Joins Bishop Museum’s Executive
Team as Chief Operating Officer
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi — Bishop Museum, the State of Hawai‘i Museum of Natural and Cultural History, announces the appointment of Kirk Hubbard III as Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Hubbard will work closely with Kris Helgen, Bishop Museum president and CEO, and the Museum’s Executive Team to provide leadership and strategic oversight of the institution’s core operational functions including facilities and grounds, safety and security, information technology, and contracting and legal.
As COO, Hubbard will also lead long-term operational and capital planning to help ensure that the Museum has the infrastructure and organizational support necessary to advance its mission.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kirk to Bishop Museum. He has a wealth of executive experience here in Hawaiʻi and a deep aloha for the Museum,” said Helgen. “I’m excited for the ways that he will support the many different kinds of work that we do, including stewarding collections, supporting world-class scientific and cultural research, and serving as an important place of learning in our community.”
Hubbard spent much of his career with Reyn Spooner, where he served in a variety of executive roles including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Executive Officer, and President. During this time, he worked across nearly every aspect of the organization, from finance, facilities, and information technology to manufacturing, retail, strategic planning, and organizational development. More recently, Hubbard’s work with Kiholo Kai and Honoliʻi Aloha enabled him to continue applying those skills in smaller entrepreneurial and consulting environments.
“I am honored to bring more than 30 years of operational and executive leadership experience in Hawaiʻi to Bishop Museum,” said Hubbard. “Much of my career has involved bringing together people, financial resources, facilities, technology, and long-term planning to help organizations operate effectively and successfully through periods of growth and change.”
“What particularly excites me about Bishop Museum is the opportunity to apply that broad experience to a mission-driven institution where strong operations ultimately support something much larger: the exploration, celebration, and perpetuation of the history, culture, and natural environment of Hawai‘i and the Pacific,” Hubbard added.
Hubbard’s appreciation for museums began early. He was born in Yokohama, Japan, and spent much of his childhood in Hilo, where his family had a connection to the Lyman Museum. Growing up around Hawaiʻi’s history and culture and developing his own collecting interests at a young age gave him an appreciation not only for preserving objects, but also for the stories and knowledge connected to them.
“That is part of what makes Bishop Museum so special to me. The Museum is not just a repository of the past; it is also a living institution with a vital role in Hawaiʻi today and for future generations. Being able to bring my professional experience to a place with a mission that connects so naturally with my own interests makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me.”
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About Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, the State of Hawai‘i Museum of Natural and Cultural History:
Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum’s mission is to inspire our community and visitors through the exploration, celebration, and perpetuation of the extraordinary history, culture, and environment of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in memory of his wife Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a royal descendant of King Kamehameha I. Today, the Museum thrives as an educational center for the community and is widely regarded as the world’s premier institution for Hawaiian and Pacific content.
Bishop Museum’s vast collections of more than 25 million objects and specimens represent nine disciplines and include more than 22 million biological specimens, over 2 million cultural objects, 115,000 historical publications, and 1 million photographs, films, works of art, audio recordings, and manuscripts. These collections tell the stories of the cultures and biodiversity of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific as well as the proud legacy of scholarly research spanning 130 years.
Bishop Museum proudly serves more than 200,000 visitors each year, including 20,000 children on school visits. Guests are encouraged to pre-plan their trip to #HawaiisMuseum with its free digital guide, available through Bloomberg Connects.
To learn more about the Museum’s research, collections, exhibits, and programs, visit BishopMuseum.org, follow @BishopMuseum on Facebook and Instagram, visit Bishop Museum’s YouTube channel, or call (808) 847-3511. Bishop Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Bishop Museum is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, and welcomes applicants from the military, veterans, and those with disabilities. Learn about careers at Bishop Museum at BishopMuseum.org/Careers and on its LinkedIn page.
Bishop Museum Press is Hawai‘i’s oldest book publisher and one of the first scholarly publishers in the Western Hemisphere, and has published over 1,200 titles and distributed over 1 million books in 72 countries worldwide. Bishop Museum hosts a restaurant and gift shop on campus, Tūtū’s Place by Highway Inn and Shop Pacifica by Nā Mea Hawai‘i.
Past news releases can be viewed and downloaded at BishopMuseum.org/NewsRoom.