TEAM
Oliver Niedermaier, Chairman
For more than 20 years, Oliver has worked to accelerate solutions to broken systems that hinder humanity’s potential for achieving a sustainable world. He strongly believes in Hawaii’s potential to re-invent its economy and become an epi-center for food systems innovation, with Common Ground as a petri-dish and leader for this movement.
As investor and entrepreneur, Oliver has led and co-lead more than 50 investments and acquisitions from early stage to billion dollar buyouts. Oliver currently is the Chairman and CEO of TAU, a New York and Hong Kong-based investment firm focused exclusively on the transformation of global supply chains. He holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Management, and has served on numerous public, private and non-profit boards such as the World Policy Institute, the National Museum of the American Indian and EARTH University.
Geoff Davis, Executive Board Memeber
Geoff Davis is a multi-time entrepreneur, CEO, and board member, and a pioneering leader in impact investing. His teams have invested in over 200 high-impact companies globally and lent over $3.5 billion to 14 million small businesses worldwide. Currently, Geoff serves as the CEO of the Sorenson Impact Institute at the University of Utah, a Board Member of Arctaris Impact Investors, and an Investment Committee member of the MIT Solve investment vehicle. Previously he was CEO of Cicero Impact Capital, Global Director of the Perpetual Education Fund, and CEO of Unitus. His contributions have earned him recognition as Entrepreneurial Thought Leader by Stanford University, Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, and a Social Capitalist by Fast Company.
Jennifer Luck, CEO
Committed to driving lasting community impact, Jennifer Luck brings more than 20 years of operations experience in budget oversight and operations management, including multi-million- dollar capital projects, multi-stakeholder negotiations, fundraising and land management to Common Ground. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer from 2021-2023. She sits on the boards of the Kauaʻi Land Trust, Namahana Charter School and Kipuka Kuleana and holds a master’s in business administration from the University of Southern California.
Gary Moore, President
Gary Moore is a real estate developer, executive and investor with extensive experience leading complex resort real estate developments, both domestically and internationally. Gary spent 21 years with Timbers Resorts, a fully integrated resort development company overseeing all development, sales, marketing and operations of luxury residence clubs, vacation homes, and boutique hotels and resorts.. After his tremendous 21-year career with Timbers Resorts, Gary has branched out to pursue real estate investment and development opportunities and will bring a wealth of experience to Common Ground.
Constanze Niedermaier, Chief Brand Officer
Constanze Niedermaier, Board member, CEO Ensemble LLC oversees the company’s brand building as well as the development of the Common Ground Ensemble community with its membership program, event series and media productions. She is a long-term senior marketing executive with extensive eCommerce and media experience in Europe and the United States. Early in her career, she was instrumental in launching HSN’s European online platform. She is also an award-winning author and start-up entrepreneur.
Adam Watten, Food Systems & Culinary Director
Committed to building robust local food systems, Adam Watten is an expert in vertical supply chain integration and product procurement. As an entrepreneur and chef, he brings decades of experience in the food industry to the Common Ground team. A graduate of the New England Culinary institute in Vermont, Adam has been involved in the opening of multiple restaurants nationwide. A resident of Kauaʻi since 2009, Adam was on the opening team of the Koa Kea Hotel and Resort where he assumed the role of Executive Chef and successfully managed operations of their flagship restaurant Red Salt Founder of Hanai Kauaʻi, he designed a mixed concept retail and food service business focused exclusively on Kauaʻi grown and raised ingredients including a full-service butcher shop. These experiences give him an in-depth knowledge and understanding of Kauaʻi’s agricultural supply chains and will make him instrumental in the development of F&B operations at Common Ground.
Amy Meharg, CFO
Amy Meharg has over 30 years of CFO and business management experience, with an expertise in Real Estate Accounting, Government Contract Accounting and Compliance, Financial Systems Creation and Audits (federal, state, military and internal). In addition, Amy has provided consulting accounting services for a wide range of businesses and has served as events coordinator and operations manager for several guest services companies and private family companies in New York City and Kauaʻi. Amy holds a master’s in business administration from Rutgers University.
John Parziale, Director of Agroecology
John has practiced organic, ecological agriculture on Kauai for 23 years. He founded Kauai Authentic Farms in 2001, home to the Center for Regenerative Agriculture. He has taught permaculture and sustainable agriculture in Hawaii, the US mainland and in Europe.
Jon Champlin, Director of Sales
Jon brings 15 years of small business operations experience to Common Ground. Previously, Jon owned and operated a small business doubling the sales and then focusing on increasing margin growth. After 18 years, Jon successfully exited the business with a focus on future sustainability of the Company. At Common Ground, Jon has helped launch an online marketplace, pop-up dinner series, and our flagship food experience. Jon’s experience incorporates website development, booking systems, digital marketing & analytics, customer support, and logistics. Currently, he is focusing on growth by developing private events, weddings and bespoke experiences. Jon holds a bachelor of science in electrical engineering.
Yifei Wang, Office Manager
Yifei has previously worked with Citi Foundation, Financial Times Live and the United Nations Fund for Women creating programs that promote entrepreneurship, financial inclusion and sustainable development with a focus on Asia Pacific countries. She is passionate about tailoring programs for and with the local community. Yifei holds a MPA in international Management from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.
Ivory Kealani Lloyd - Director of Events & Brand
Ivory, originally from Kaua’i, grew up in Kalaheo and Anahola before spending her junior year of high school in Ecuador. After high school, she pursued a degree in Political Science at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, focusing on clean energy policy, and was selected to lobby for clean energy in Washington DC. Following graduation, she worked at the Blue Planet Foundation on clean energy advocacy before earning an International Masters in Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility in Madrid. Ivory then applied her expertise in the financial cooperative sector to support local entrepreneurs. She now serves on the Hawaii Small Business Development Center Advisory Board, advocating for a regenerative economic model rooted in Hawaiian cultural principles. Additionally, she is a lei maker, long-boarder, devoted mother of two, and lives on Kaua’i’s North Shore.
Karen Adagio - Staff Accountant
Karen has more than 20 years’ experience in financial accounting and reporting. She has worked with BDO Philippines and Save the Children and has adept experience in accounting services and non-profit management. Karen also worked in Singapore for 9 years as an accountant and demand planner with focus on wholesale trading and distribution of sustainable nonfood packaging and eco disposable supplies.
ADVISORS
Kawika Burgess, Strategic Advisor
Kawika brings decades of experience in land management, sustainable agriculture and corporate development to Common Ground. He is the CEO of Alliance Commercial Finance, a commercial finance company providing business and real estate financing for entrepreneurs and real estate investors. Kawika was previously the CEO of Kalona Brand Company, a vertically integrated agriculture and food company. Prior to Kalona, he was the CEO of Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (HILT), a statewide land trust that manages over 18,000 acres in Hawaii. Before HILT, he founded Real Property Management Alliance, a real estate management company, served as the COO at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and was the Land Asset and Operations Manager at Kamehameha Schools. He graduated from the University of Hawaii at Hilo and completed graduate coursework at UH Manoa Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
Dan Tabori, Strategic Advisor, Board member.
Dan Tabori, Board Member, focuses on strategic financial initiatives aimed at developing the overall Common Ground vision. Dan is currently the Managing Partner of Tabori Gilbert, LLC a boutique M&A Advisory firm based in Honolulu. Previously, Dan spent 13 years as Executive Vice President at Locations, LLC, a leading residential real estate company in Hawai’i. Dan oversaw innovation and growth in the company’s Technology, Research, Business Operations and Property Management divisions, while also overseeing its ancillary business ventures and strategic partnerships in Mortgage, Title, Escrow & Property Management.
Meleana Estes, Art Direction
Meleana brings a style sensibility that fuses her native home with her myriad of experiences from living and working in New York City and abroad. A fresh voice on modern Hawaiian style, she is internationally recognized for both her flower artistry and fashion work with Hawaii-based design houses.
Sarah Wright, Board member CG Foundation
Sarah brings in-depth knowledge of the surrounding landscape and natural resources. She previously ran operations for Wai Koa Plantation and is a member Halau Hula o Ke’alalaua’eomakana and the Leadership Kaua`i class of 2020.
