In January 2019, two longtime friends and colleagues formed a partnership to deliver lasting impact to communities across Maui County, the state of Hawaii, and beyond.

When Jeanne Skog and Teena Rasmussen created Skog Rasmussen, now known as SR Partners, they never imagined that within five short years the partnership would assist dozens of public and private institutions, engage hundreds of people through community engagement initiatives, and secure more than $2 billion in grant awards for organizations across Hawaii and the continental U.S.

In 2011, just as Jeanne entered her 26th year of service leading the Maui Economic Development Board, Teena was appointed as Maui County’s inaugural Director of the Office of Economic Development. Throughout the years, the two spearheaded new initiatives that attracted and assisted new and existing businesses, convened Hawaii’s thought leaders through conferences and workshops, and built a diverse coalition of organizations and individuals to nurture Maui’s entrepreneurial spirit and find practical solutions to economic challenges.

After 33 years with MEDB, Jeanne stepped down as President and CEO in 2017; the next year, at the end of the administration’s eight-year tenure, Teena ended her service with the County of Maui. It was then that the two decided to merge their decades of experience and extensive relationships across business, government, academia, and nonprofit arenas to form a new team dedicated to catalyzing positive change.

SR Partners has since become a solution-oriented connector, offering a comprehensive suite of services and expertise in community engagement, grants strategy and support, navigating processes, and government relations. We are owned and led by women who are dedicated to empowering changemakers and growing capacity within public, private, and nonprofit organizations throughout Hawaii, and far beyond its shores.  

As 2024 comes to an end, we bid a happy retirement to Teena, with our deepest appreciation for her efforts to lay our foundation and spur positive change that will ripple through our community for years to come. We also welcomed Kim Thayer as a Partner, who has nurtured our growing presence through both community engagement and grant assistance. In culmination of this year, we have now become SR Partners, as a reflection of our expanding team’s pivotal transitions and milestones. We look forward to charting the future together.