Beginning his career as a coral reef fish expert, Michael has dedicated his professional life to studying marine ecology and fish behavior. After completing post-doctorate work studying tropical groupers and snappers through a grant from the Caribbean Marine Research Center, he accepted a position as the leader of the California Department of Fish and Game’s Marine Sport Research Project.
In 1996 Michael chose to leave government employment and began a successful career in the nonprofit marine research sector. Since that time he has helped found the Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research where he served as President for 11 years, the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations, and most recently the Marine Conservation Science Institute.
Meanwhile, Michael used his knowledge of science and love of nature to start The Rare Hawaiian Honey Company. This honey owes its existence to a single 1000 acre Kiawe forest on the dry side of the Island of Hawai’i. Kiawe is the Hawaiian name for a species of mesquite (Prosopis pallida) that is native to Ecuador and Peru. They produce the world’s rarest gourmet honey from these special trees. Their Kiawe Honey is unique in that it naturally crystallizes into a very creamy white honey with a very delicate tropical flavor. To produce comparable texture with other honey varieties, a machine must be used to grind the crystals, something we never do at the Rare Hawaiian Honey Company. Not only is our Kiawe honey raw, but it is Certified 100% Organic by the International Certification Services, Inc.
