Posted on: Friday, May 27, 2005

UH booster group gets new president

Advertiser Staff

Restaurateur Don Murphy will be the new president of 'Ahahui Koa Anuenue, the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's umbrella athletic booster organization.

Murphy, who has been involved with UH sports for 11 years, most recently as vice president of the booster group, will succeed attorney Bert T. Kobayashi Jr. on July 1, athletic director Herman Frazier said.

Koa Anuenue includes 9,000 season-ticket holders who pay seat premiums. It raises approximately $3 million per year to assist the athletic program, primarily through scholarships and recruiting.

Kobayashi steps down having overseen the implementation of the department's premium seating initiative, which charges a fee for the most desirable seats. "Bert did a great job getting premium seating set up," Murphy said. "We are just going to try and fine-tune it."

Basketball coach Riley Wallace said, "I think Murph is the perfect person because he cares about every sport in the program. There is no one that has put in more time and effort to benefit all the sports."