Each year our members have an important role to play in shaping the future of our association—by electing Hawaii Employer Council’s Board of Governors at the Annual Meeting in November. This Board sets the direction for our services and initiatives ensuring that HEC remains strong, relevant, and responsive to the needs of our members.

Your vote at the Annual Meeting helps decide who will guide HEC forward, and it ensures your company’s voice is represented in the decisions that impact all members’ benefits and services.

Understanding the Proxy Process

For HEC to conduct business at the Annual Meeting, one-third (1/3) of all members must be represented at the meeting, either in person or by proxy.  We know it’s not always possible to attend the Annual Meeting in person—and bringing together representatives from all our member companies in one place at the same time isn’t realistic.  That’s why we use the proxy process.  A proxy allows you to authorize one of HEC’s executive team members to vote on your behalf at the Annual Meeting.  When you send it in ahead of the meeting, you help us reach quorum so we can hold the meeting as planned, elect our Board of Governors, and keep our work for members moving forward without delay.

Why Your Proxy Matters

Without enough proxies submitted in advance, we may not meet our quorum. If that happens, our bylaws require us to call a special meeting or go through a process of securing members’ approval through written consent or another vote by ballot.  These alternatives are time-consuming and costly for HEC, and more importantly, can delay our ability to carry out the day-to-day business of serving our members. 

Your Proxy = More Time for What Matters

In the weeks before our Annual Member Meeting, every HEC teammate personally reaches out to our members’ voting representatives to make sure their proxy is in. We love connecting with our members—but we’d much rather spend that time talking about the issues, opportunities, and ideas that help your workforce and business thrive.

Submitting your proxy early means fewer reminder calls from us, a smoother Annual Meeting, and more conversations focused on what matters most: serving you and our association members.

How You Can Help

Each member’s designated voting representative will receive a proxy request and form via email in October.  Submit your proxy to HEC as soon as you receive the request—the entire process takes less than two minutes. The easiest and fastest method is via DocuSign but you may also complete and print the form and deliver it by hand, mail, fax, or email.

Every vote matters—and every proxy returned early brings us one step closer to meeting our quorum and ensuring the smooth governance of our association.

Thank you for making your voice heard and for keeping our association strong.