Remembering Gary Glenn January 4, 2019

On Monday, December 17, 2018, one of Partners in Development Foundation’s founding members sadly passed away. Gary A. Glenn, most recently a Board of Directors Emeritus member, was 81.

Gary was an original member of the Partners in Development Foundation’s Board of Directors and served as a Vice President during the early years of the Foundation. He dedicated his life to the ideals of helping those in need and being a better man for those around him.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Gary attended UCLA before going on to Tufts University to earn his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy. He co-founded ACCION International, a global nonprofit created to help advance financial inclusion by giving people the financial tools to improve their lives.

Gary also co-founded the Latin American Teaching Fellowship corporation, served as president of the Massachusetts Centers of Excellence Corporation, and developed, directed, or was involved with several projects in Hawaiʻi which concentrated on environmental protection and improvement, preschool and K-12 education.

His passion for education involved three large-scale, federally-funded projects that partnered with PIDF, the Malama ʻĀina Foundation, the University of Hawaiʻi, and other Hawaiʻi entities. All of these projects successfully enhanced educational opportunities for Native Hawaiian students.

“Gary was, for me, the Renaissance man,” says PIDF President Jan Dill. “I had the privilege to work with him on a number of projects to help the needy, and one example was his determination to ensure that the foundation we started 22 years ago survived its early years. Because of his determination and his input, PIDF has gone on to serve tens of thousands of needy Hawaiian children and families.”

He kanaka kū pono — Gary was a man who stood for what is right and just.

Gary A. Glenn will certainly be remembered for his professional life, his accolades, the numbers of communities and various organizations who benefited from his expertise and drive. But Gary will also be remembered for his humility, his brilliance, and his humor.

“I most of all will miss his kindness, his heartfelt kindness,” says Judy Dill, “and his love for his family and devotion to his family and how proud of his family he was.”

Gary leaves behind his wife, Dr. Evelyn Nakano Glenn, and three children.