Porsche enthusiast Gunner Mench

“Aloha!” This Hawaiian greeting expresses compassion, sympathy, and affection, which all combine to form the multifaceted Hawaiian sensibility that also shapes the Porsche Club on the Big Island. One of the people who embodies this spirit in an extraordinary way is the President himself, Gunner Mench.

“For the Pacific, we’re nothing more than a speed bump,” says Gunner Mench, gazing out at the endless expanse of surging ocean. “If it wanted to, it could overrun us.” From flooding, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions to fire and even earthquakes, you can expect it all in Hawaii. Like in summer 2023, when devastating bush fires destroyed entire towns. Having lived for three decades on the Big Island, which is by far the largest island of the 50th US state, Gunner Mench is all too familiar with the forces of nature on this pearl necklace island.