The “corporate veil” mentioned in the motion to dismiss filed by Jeffrey Dunster’s attorneys shrouds a host of companies in addition to those named in the lawsuit:
- The board of the nonprofit Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative includes Dunster as its president and three employees of Dunster-related companies as directors. In a filing with the state Attorney General’s charity registration division, the organization acknowledges it has a relationship with another Dunster-related company, Ecotech Nursery Systems, LLC. The same document identifies Dunster as the owner of Ecotech, which is a vendor to the nonprofit.
- Ecotech Nursery Systems, LLC, provides all the seedlings planted on the 1,000-plus acres of Kukaiau Ranch land, whether by the nonprofit, visitors on tours organized by Hawaiian Legacy Tours, or as part of the HLH sales of koa plantings to investors. According to the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Ecotech has just one member: Legacy Hardwoods, Inc.
- Legacy Hardwoods, Inc. was first registered with the DCCA in 2008 as Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods, with its corporate purpose given as “forestry consulting.” The name change was filed in 2014. The sole officer on record is Dunster, who is listed as its president and director in the company’s most recent filing.
- Legacy Carbon, LLC, was registered with the state in 2011 with three managers: Dunster, Darrell Fox, and Lew Rothstein. Its purpose was given as “carbon credit production/sales.” Last November, Dunster, signing as the president of Legacy Hardwoods, informed the DCCA that Legacy Carbon’s new manager was Legacy Hardwoods, Inc., and Synergistic Connections, Inc.
- Synergistic Connections, Inc. is a Delaware corporation, which registered as a foreign corporation with the state DCCA in 1995. Its stated purpose is “electronic publishing and any other lawful activity. The registrant was Darrell Fox.
- Legacy Holdings, LLC, was registered in 2008 as Hawaiian Legacy Holdings, LLC. Members are Dunster and Fox. Its name was changed in 2014.
- Legacy Tours, LLC, was registered in 2012. It also registered the trade name Hawaiian Legacy Tours. It conducts tours of the koa plantation, with the online advertised rate for an adult “grand tour” of three and a half hours being $180. (The fee also includes a “Legacy” seedling to plant.) Last November, Dunster changed the manager from himself to Legacy Hardwoods, Inc.
- HLH, LLC, registered in November 2008 as Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods, originally had several individuals listed as members, including Dunster, Darrell Fox, and Richard Lindberg. Last November, Dunster informed the DCCA that the new managers were Legacy Hardwoods and Synergistic Connections. The company’s purpose is listed as “forestry and forest products.” This is the entity that holds the land lease with Kukaiau Ranch.
— Patricia Tummons
Leave a Reply