Our Aloha Charge Team
Jim Burness - CEO/Founder
Jim is the founder, CEO and general manager of Aloha Charge and National Car Charging (NCC) and is considered one of the nation’s leading Electric Vehicle and Charging experts.
With previous careers in both the automotive industry and the renewable energy sector, Jim launched Aloha Charge in 2012 to facilitate the build out of Hawai’i’s EV charging infrastructure in a wide variety of channels including hospitality, municipal facilities and multi-family dwellings. Today, the companies manage 4200 ports nationwide across 650 customers with installations in 43 states.
With offices in Honolulu and Denver, Jim is actively involved in many local sustainability communities and has worked closely with utilities to help facilitate our state’s transition to electrified mobility.
A graduate of The Colorado College and the University of Denver, he’s previously held positions at J.D. Power, American Honda and Microsoft’s CarPoint.
Jim and his wife purchased their first electric car in 2012, and now they both drive fossil free.
Blaise Hirayama - Business Development
Blaise brings a wealth of experience to Aloha Charge. Deeply committed to understanding organizational culture and growth strategies, Blaise is now bringing that same passion and commitment to building a greener Hawai’i.
To make this happen, he’s focused on partnering with businesses and organizations around the state - to be a trusted advisor in bringing EV charging to every island - in an effort to help the state achieve its sustainability goals by 2035.
An island native, Blaise proudly attended Kamehameha Schools as well as the University of Washington and the University of Hawai’i.
An avid beach goer, Blaise believes strongly in protecting our natural resources. He recycles everything he can and believes in living “just enough.” While not an EV driver yet, he’s on the hunt for just the electrified ride.
When he’s not working, Blaise can usually be found on the beach. He loves all outdoor activities including surfing, hiking and golfing.
Amber Stone - VP, Business Development
As the Vice President of Business Development, Amber focuses on designing commercial EV charging solutions for workplace, multi-family, and public parking applications. Her current projects include upgrading the EV hardware for the City & County of Honolulu EV infrastructure, and installing units for several high-end condominiums and Disney’s Aulani Resort.
With a background in residential property development and commercial property management, Amber is uniquely positioned to recognize a property’s future needs and has the financial experience to help customers navigate budgets as the demand for EV charging increases.
A graduate of Hawai’i Pacific University and Kamehameha Schools, Amber’s previously held positions at Mokuli'i Tax Services, Miss Hawai’i USA pageant system and Pohaku Services. A strong supporter of Hawai’i Clean Energy Initiative, she is always looking for ways to reduce her carbon footprint and our state’s dependency on fossil fuels.
Amber and her family live on Oahu and are currently planning the purchase of their first electric car.
Bill Blomberg - Service Director
Bill comes to Aloha Charge after a diverse career in aerospace, engineering pyrotechnics, and telecommunications.
With a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stony Brook University, Bill started as a Project Engineer at RCA Astro Electronics working on SATCOM communications, NOAA meteorological satellites and Space Shuttle subsystems.
After an extensive career in aerospace engineering, Bill joined Lucent Technologies and subsequently Avaya as a Program Manager.
Most recently, Bill serves as a project manager at RingCentral working with large US and international clients on deploying and configuring enterprise-level internet-based telephony systems.
Bill’s wide experience in customer-facing roles paired with his technical and trouble-shooting background make him an excellent fit to help keep EV chargers up and running.
