Standing from left to right: Mr. Douglas Marar, Chief of Staff, Chuuk State Legislature; Mr. Frank M. Atalig, Guam representative on the PIDB Board of Directors; Honorable Wilbur Heine, Senator, RMI Nitijela and RMI representative on the PIDB Board of Directors; Mr. Diego Benavente, CNMI representative on the PIDB Board of Directors; Mr. Elbuchel Sadang, representing Palau on the PIDB Board of Directors; and Mr. Robson Henry, representing Kosrae State on the PIDB Board of Directors.
Seated from left to right: Honorable Andrew A. May, Vice Speaker, Chuuk State Legislature; Ms. Lindsay M. Timarong, President and CEO of PIDB; Honorable Lester D. Mersai, Speaker, Chuuk State Legislature and Chairman of the PIDB Board of Governors; His Excellency Surangel Whipps Jr., President of the Republic of Palau; Ms. Sihna N. Lawrence, Pohnpei State representative on the PIDB Board of Directors; Mr. Julius L. Tun, Yap State representative on the PIDB Board of Directors; and Ms. Rosa D.L.S. Weilbacher, PIDB Manager of Administration.
Photo caption: The PIDB Board of Directors and Bank Management with His Excellency, President Surangel Whipps Jr., during their courtesy meeting on Friday, January 24, 2025, in Meyuns, Koror, Palau.
January 23-24, 2025, Meyuns, Koror, Palau —The Board of Directors of the Pacific Islands Development Bank (PIDB) convened in Koror, Palau, for two important meetings. The first meeting, held on Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, was a special session dedicated to reviewing, discussing, and updating the PIDB 3-Year Strategic Plan. The second meeting, held on Friday, January 24th, 2025, was the board’s regular quarterly meeting.
The meeting agenda included performance reports, the proposed budget for 2025, the bank’s 2024 Independent Audit, and discussions on capitalization. All members and representatives from each entity were present, facilitating valuable collaboration and dialogue among the board member. These meetings focused on advancing the bank’s strategic initiatives and enhancing developmental efforts across the North Pacific region.
The Board members were honored by the participation of the Chairman of the PIDB Board of Governors, the Honorable Lester D. Mersai, Speaker of the Chuuk State Legislature. Mr. Douglas Marar, Chief of Staff for Chuuk State Legislature, accompanied Speaker Mersai and observed the meetings. Their participation underscored the significance of collaborative governance and support for PIDB’s objectives.
The Board of Directors expressed gratitude for all members’ active participation and reaffirmed their commitment to working collectively toward the bank’s goals as PIDB continues to evolve and adapt to the needs of the Micronesian region. Future meetings will explore sources of funding for lending, meaningful partnerships, and innovative solutions to make positive long-term impacts across the region.
