Frank Boas
Having visited Hawai‘i as an attorney for Dole Pineapple, Boas retired from practicing law for many years in Brussels, London and Washington, and permanently moved to the islands, focusing his efforts on the arts and education thereafter.
Over the years Boas served as a board member at the East-West Center Foundation, the Pacific Forum Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the University of Hawai‘i Foundation, as well as serving on the Honolulu Academy of Arts board of trustees as chairman of its education committee. Boas also sat on Punahou’s Wo International Center Advisory Board, supporting global education programs through his work as senior advisor of the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council (PAAC). As president of the Council some years ago, Boas helped create PAAC’s Punahou Study Abroad Program Scholarship, which enables public high-school students to participate in Wo International Center’s summer trips to other countries.
For Boas, funding public-school students to travel abroad meant helping them to better understand global issues. “I think the program is really significant because it illustrates Punahou’s efforts to develop a public purpose,” he said. As a Wo Advisory Board member for more than 15 years, Boas actively supported students in the classroom. Years ago, he brought several distinguished guests to speak to Academy students, including friend and political scientist Samuel Huntington, who wrote “Clash of Civilizations,” and Kim Campbell, Canada’s 19th prime minister.
“What is important is that we not only educate our youngsters, but also that we give them some kind of international education so they can act as agents f or positive change in the world,” he said.
Frank passed away in March 2013 and left a bequest to establish the Frank Boas Scholarship Fund to provide financial support for students participating in Punahou’s international travel programs. His legacy gift will provide lasting support for the programs closest to his heart.