OPERATIONS MANAGER
Tai Erum began working for LBD Coffee, LLC in 2009, and moved into a management role to help tackle the day to day operations for Les Drent as the company expanded. Tai’s family’s Kauai and agricultural history started with his Grandparents moving to Kauai under Hawaiian sugar plantation work contracts between 1914 and 1921. Tai is grateful to be able to live on Kauai with his wife, Alexis, and two sons, Pax and Niko.
Tai’s family history includes his grandfather, Teodorico, who arrived in Hawaii on October, 9, 1921. Pictured is his Hawaii Sugar Planters Association Filipino Labor card. These cards were managed jointly by the Hawaii Sugar Planter’s Association and the U.S. Department of Labor to document and manage the labor contracts of Filipinos arriving as contract workers at Hawaiian sugar plantations between 1906 and 1949. Tai’s grandfather was assigned to MAKEE SUGAR CO.
COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE FARM MANAGER
Trevyn Pless, a California born native, moved to Maui in 2010 and then Kauai in 2011 to be closer to his mother, Melanie. Trevyn joined the LBD Coffee Team shortly after and has been the Farm Manager since 2013. During his time with LBD Coffee, Trevyn has enjoyed learning from the many challenges of working on such a diverse farm with so many different products. From working in the field growing tobacco, coffee, and cacao, to refining and tempering chocolate, there is always something new to learn. Trevyn enjoys spending his free time hiking and exploring the island with friends and family and lives with his wife, Nicole, in Kapaa.
TOBACCO FARM MANAGER
Bryce moved to Kauai at the beginning of 2022 with his wife and daughter. He studied biology in undergrad and has experience doing ecological research in greenhouses and the field. The last 8 years he has worked in agriculture with a wide variety of experiences: greenhouse floral production, managing an agricultural project in Haiti for multiple years, owning and operating a pasture raised poultry farm, managing community gardens and working for a fast growing company developing new post harvest technologies to increase the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.
SALES MAUI
Lei Hayashi, “Granny Lei”, of Makawao, Maui is formerly from Hilo on the Big Island and has been working for LBD Coffee since 2009. Lei manages sales accounts on Maui, and occasionally assists with Oahu and the Big Island. Lei is a mother of 2 gals, and granny to one girl. When not working she can be found, traveling, fishing for Ulua with her husband Dean, diving for bait (tako), or bowling. Lei is always at your service and with aloha!
SALES OAHU
Donald Fernelius hails from Albert Lea, Minnesota. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1991 to 2006. He and his wife Tamiko, who is an ocean enthusiast, married in 2006 and moved to Hawaii in 2009. They have a daughter named Niko. Don has worked with LBD Coffee since 2011 and services all Oahu accounts. Les and Don share a common passion for ice hockey, a game they both grew up with and continue to play.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Harumi Kobayashi moved to Kauai from Japan in 2003 with her husband, Jerry, and established a graphic design business, Mejiro Graphics. One of her first projects was designing the coffee labels for Coffee Times. Since then she has created a number of designs for LBD Coffee such as logos, brochures, cigar bands, and whiskey labels. When she is not busy with LBD Coffee, she designs greeting cards and prints them on an antique printing press. Inspired by her much beloved cat, Olele, she enjoys coming up with unique ideas for the cards. To check out her cat cards, please visit www.mejirographics.com.
