Nov. 4 (UPI) — The Defense Department announced Monday that a retired major general with decades of service will take over next year as the new director for the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.
Maj. Gen. Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum will become director of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, starting in early 2025.
DKI APCSS is a Defense Department institute dedicated to scholars and practitioners focused on the Indo-Pacific region. It opened in September 1995 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The institute “builds resilient capacity, shared understanding and networked relationships among civilian and military practitioners and institutions to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific,” according to the DKI APCSS’ website .
Retired Rear Adm. Pete Gumataotao “departed the Center this last summer after more than six years of distinguished service as director,” said the Defense Department.
Vares-Lum has served as president of the East-West Center — a national educational institution for the United States, Asia and the Pacific islands — since January 2022. During her service in the U.S. Army, she received the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Bronze Star Medal.