Christian de Quevedo, a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business alumnus, founded Lēʻahi Landscaping after identifying a disconnect between the importance of Hawaiʻi's built environments and the standards of the industry serving them. Landscapes shape some of the state's most visible and valuable spaces, yet the work behind them is often noisy, emissions-heavy and unreliable.
In Hawaiʻi's unique setting, Lēʻahi takes a site-specific approach to sustainability and land stewardship at residential and commercial sites. Using drone mapping and environmental modeling, the team evaluates sun exposure, wind, drainage and soil conditions before design begins. This leads to smarter decisions and fewer unnecessary inputs. As climate pressures and wildfire risks increase, resilience guides the work—prioritizing landscapes that are environmentally appropriate, safer over time and that deliver value to property owners.
"I couldn't find a service that matched the standards expected in other professional sectors, so I set out to build one," said de Quevedo, who graduated from the JD/MBA program in 2021.
A defining principle of de Quevedo's entrepreneurial journey has been adaptation. He believes Hawaiʻi businesses can no longer rely on geographic isolation or outdated practices. He said local companies are now measured against national and global standards.
He credited his law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law with shaping his analytical approach and his MBA program with giving him the tools to act, scale and execute, and said that his Shidler experience reinforced systems thinking, disciplined operations and long-term value creation.
He also emphasized that none of Lēʻahi's success would be possible without Kaimalu Stanich, his business partner, close friend and a graduate of UH Mānoa's School of Architecture , or without the Lēʻahi team. Since founding the company, he said all profits have been reinvested into growth, systems and employees, reflecting a belief that long-term success begins with investing in people.
For the entire story and more stories like this, see the fall/winter 2025 edition of Shidler Business .
The post Stewardship meets strategy: Shidler alum reimagines Hawaiʻi's landscapes first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News
