Three educators have been selected as finalists for the chancellor position at the University of Hawaii at West Oahu following a national search, the university announced today.

A 14-member search advisory committee assembled by UH President David Lassner identified the following candidates for the position:

>> Maenette Benham, dean of the Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at UH-Manoa;

>> Larry Buckley, interim vice president for educational services at West Hills College in California; and

>> Franklin Kudo, professor of accounting at UH-West Oahu.

The candidates will participate in public forums later this month at the Kapolei campus.

Benham, who holds a doctorate in educational administration (K-12) from UH-Manoa, was named inaugural dean of Hawaiinuiakea in 2008. She previously taught at Kaiser High School, Kamehameha Schools and Chaminade University before joining the College of Education faculty at Michigan State University, where she spent 16 years.

She earned an undergraduate and master’s degree in theater arts from San Francisco State University.

Buckley, who earned a doctorate in philosophy from UH Manoa, has worked as a college administrator at several California schools. He previously served as president of Cañada College in Redwood City; interim president and vice president of instruction at San Bernadino Valley College; and vice president of instruction at Fullerton College.

He began his career teaching as a lecturer at Leeward, Windward and Kapiolani community colleges, as well as at UH West Oahu and Manoa. Buckley also holds an undergraduate and master’s degree in history from UH Manoa.

Kudo, who earned a doctorate in management from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, has taught accounting at UH West Oahu for the past decade. He also serves as CEO and majority shareholder of New City Nissan, the largest Nissan franchised dealership in the state.

Kudo — whose twin brother, Benjamin, serves on the Board of Regents — holds a master of business administration from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Colorado.

UH said the public is invited to meet the finalists at a series of open forums at the West Oahu campus on Sept. 8 (Kudo); Sept. 12 (Benham), and Sept. 15 (Buckley). The forums will be held at 2 p.m. in the school’s library in the ‘Ulu‘ulu Archive Exhibition Space on the first floor.

To view biographies and resumes for the finalists, go to: 808ne.ws/2bZ6XOG.