HONOLULU –Retired US Army Maj. Gen. Suzanne (Suzy) Puanani Vares-Lum joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) this week as the Center’s new Director.

The transition occurred during an Assumption of Command ceremony held on Monday, which was attended by close family and friends and DKI APCSS staff.

During the ceremony, Vares-Lum, an alumna of the Center, remarked that it felt like coming home. Not only is she an alumna of two DKI APCSS courses, but she also started her Army career in this building when it used to be a reserve center.

Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, she served 34 years in all three components of the U.S. Army—the Army National Guard, Regular Army, and Army Reserve—retiring as a Major General in 2021.

Vares-Lum is an alumna of the Center’s Transnational Security Cooperation course (TSC16-2). She is the first native Hawaiian and alumni to serve as the Center’s director. See her full bio at this link.

In an earlier statement, Vares-Lum said, “Leading the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies is a profound honor, and I am grateful for the trust placed in me. Embracing the spirit of Aloha, I am eager to collaborate with the incredible team, supporters, and stakeholders. As we navigate this journey, I am committed to fostering a culture of innovation, unity, and shared purpose as we partner to address security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region through education, connection, and empowerment.”

Russell Bailey, who served as the acting director of DKI APCSS since July 2024,  returns to his position as deputy director. Acting Deputy Director Dr. Lori Forman returns to her role as the Center’s Development Advisor.
Vares-Lum joins the Center as it kicks off its 30th Anniversary celebrating 30 years of impact and connection.

The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) is a U.S. Department of Defense institute that officially opened on Sept. 4, 1995, in Honolulu, Hawaii. DKI APCSS addresses regional and global security issues, inviting military and civilian representatives of the United States and Asia-Pacific nations to its comprehensive program of executive education and workshops, both in Hawaii and throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

The Center supports the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s objective of developing professional and personal ties among national security establishments throughout the region. With a non-warfighting mission, the Center focuses on a multilateral and multi-dimensional approach to defining and addressing regional security issues and concerns.  The most beneficial result is building relationships of trust and confidence among future leaders and decision-makers within the region.

DKI APCSS provides a focal point where national officials, decision makers and policy makers can gather to exchange ideas, explore pressing issues and achieve a greater understanding of the challenges that shape the security environment of the Indo-Pacific region.  As well, the Center gives attention to the increasingly complex interrelationships of military, economic, political and diplomatic policies relevant to regional security issues through its three academic components: executive education, workshops and research and publications efforts.