New members (from left) Jim Fahnestock, Tapani Vuori and Ravi Bugga pose with their membership certificates with Assistant Governor Mariko Higashi.

LAHAINA — At a recent in-person meeting of the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset, three of the newest members were presented with their “Rotary Swag” by Assistant Governor Mariko Higashi.

Ravi Bugga, Jim Fahnestock and Tapani Vuori were formally inducted by Rotary District Governor Sandy Matsui at a virtual meeting held in early February.

Here is some information about the three new members:

Over the past several years, through his wife Higashi, Bugga has come to know many of the members of the Lahaina Sunset Rotary Club.

Ravi and Mariko retired and moved to Maui in 2014. Ravi was born and raised in India and came to the U.S.for graduate school in 1975. After receiving his MBA and MA (Applied Economics) from Stanford University in 1977, Ravi worked with Cummins Engine Co. in Columbus, Indiana, from 1977-88, working in finance and on Cummins’ overseas business.

From 1989 until his retirement in 2014, Ravi worked with the private sector arm of the World Bank in Washington, D.C., providing loans and equity to the private sector in developing countries.

Since moving to Maui, Ravi has served on the boards of The Vintage at Kaanapali, and the Whale Trust. He was selected by the County Council to serve on the West Maui Community Plan Advisory Commission (CPAC).

Fahnestock is pleased to return to the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset after an extended “sabbatical.” Over a period of 22 years, Jim was a member of three Rotary Clubs, including service as membership director of all three clubs and president of two of the three clubs.

Jim is especially proud to have worked with Liz May to establish the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset in 2014.

After more than 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry, Jim retired as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments in 2011.

Prior to joining Edward Jones, he served as vice president of marketing and planning for one of the nation’s largest credit unions.

Jim was born and raised in Chicago. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Illinois and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration at Golden Gate University.

Vuori is the general manager of the Maui Ocean Center and visionary for the future of our oceans.

Tapani grew up in Finland, where he formed a powerful connection with nature and the ocean. As a young adult, he moved to the U.S. to attend college and graduated from UCLA in 1987.

With a BA in Political Science, he started working, gaining experience in an eclectic mix of industries — everything from luxury furniture sales to Japanese animation. His work eventually led him to Oahu, where he was living with his wife, Ellen, when he stumbled upon a job opening for a retail director at Maui Ocean Center’s gift shop, Maui Ocean Treasures.

After commuting from Oahu for two years, he and his wife moved to Maui. In the years that followed, Tapani became enamored with the wildlife under the water’s surface and realized how strong his desire to protect it was.

When he accepted the position as Maui Ocean Center’s general manager, he had one request — to build an on-property 501(c)(3) to support conservation efforts further.

Through his efforts and vision, Tapani became the founder and president of the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute (MOCMI), which serves to restore Hawaii’s coral reefs and rehabilitate injured Hawaiian green sea turtles.