• Doug Simons joins Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

    July 29, 2019
    The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce (KKCC) is proud to announce that Doug Simons, Executive Director of Canada-France-Hawai‘i Telescope, has joined the Board of Directors.

    “We are very happy to have Doug join us here at the Kona-Kohala Chamber as he will bring a level of expertise to one of our organization’s key priorities,” states Wendy Laros, Executive Director of KKCC. She continues, “We support the astronomy industry, science, culture and environmental stewardship of Maunakea.”

    Doug serves on the Mauna Kea Management Board, as well as the Boards of the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce and Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training. He is an avid supporter of education and community outreach and has helped develop a number of programs including EnVision Maunakea, Maunakea Fund, Maunakea Scholars, and A Hua He Inoa. 
    “I’m delighted to be a member of the KKCC Board of Directors.  In my role as Executive Director of the Canada-France-Hawai‘i Telescope, I have the pleasure of working with many members of our local business community in West Hawai‘i and across Hawai‘i Island.  I look forward to working with everyone on the KKCC Board and being a part of the great work being done in West Hawai‘i,”
    Doug Simons received his Bachelor of Science degree in astronomy at the California Institute of Technology in 1985, and his Ph.D. in astronomy at the University of Hawai‘i in 1990, before working as a staff astronomer at the Canada-France-Hawai‘i Telescope (CFHT) for 4 years. Doug joined the Gemini 8 m Telescope Project in 1994 as the Systems Scientist, then as the Associate Director for Development managed Gemini's instrumentation program for many years before becoming Gemini Observatory’s Director from 2006-2011.

    Doug returned to CFHT in 2012 to serve as Executive Director.     The CFH observatory hosts a world-class, 3.6 meter optical/infrared telescope. The observatory is located atop the summit of Maunakea located on the island of Hawai‘i and the CFHT headquarters are in Waimea.