Kamani Kuala'au has been named the third trustee of the King William Charles Lunalilo Trust Estate.

Probate Judge Colleen Hirai approved the appointment recently. Kuala'au, 29, is vice president of institutional client services for Bank of Hawaii. He first came to prominence in 1997 when, as student body president of Kamehameha Schools, he wrote a letter supporting schools president Michael Chun in the thick of the controversy involving the schools' trustees and its management policies.

Kuala'au fills the void left by the death of trustee R.M. Keahi Allen.

Hirai also reappointed Stanley Hong as trustee board chairman, and made permanent the appointment of financial services manager Harvey H. McInerny Jr.

McInerny has been serving as an interim trustee succeeding former trustee Eugene Tiwanak.

"I am very pleased that we have Kamani on board as he represents the leadership of our younger generation," Hong said in a release. "Both he and Harvey have business and financial experience, and exhibit great compassion and commitment to the Hawaiian community. That bodes well for the trust and its programs of senior care for our kupuna."

The trustee selection committee, chaired by Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Oswald Stender, reviewed 42 applications for the trustee position.

As provided in the Lunalilo will, three trustees oversee the trust estate and the elderly care residence in Hawai'i Kai. Lunalilo Home also has an adult day care center and a meals-on-wheels program serving East Honolulu.

Lunalilo Home was established in 1883 under King William Charles Lunalilo's will to care for elderly Hawaiians.

While giving preference to Native Hawaiians, the current 45-bed facility is open to all applicants. The adult day care center opened in 2004.