Meet THE TEAM
Hawaii Real Estate Specialists
Derek Lau | License #RB-19796
President and Principal Broker
2021 REALTOR® of the Year – Honolulu Board of REALTORS®
The prestigious HBR REALTOR® of the Year Award annually honors one special REALTOR® who has significantly contributed to the advancement of the real estate profession as well as the community-at-large. The blue-ribbon REALTOR® of the Year Committee selects the REALTOR® of the Year on the basis of REALTOR® spirit, faithfulness to the HBR REALTOR® Code of Ethics, civic activity, business accomplishments and local, state and national REALTOR® participation.
Earning high praise from the selection committee, Derek personifies the values of the REALTOR® organization, making meaningful contributions to the advancement of the real estate profession and the community at large.
2024 Aloha Aina REALTOR Award Winner
The Aloha ‘Āina REALTOR® Awards Program, which began in 1998, honors and publicly recognizes REALTORS® who excel in the real estate profession and provide exceptional service to their clients. Nominations are only accepted from the public at large.
Derek brings a detailed, service oriented business approach to real estate. A graduate of the University of Oregon in Computer and Information Sciences, Derek previously worked as a software design engineer and consultant for a top Honolulu firm servicing clients in Hawaii and the mainland, he utilizes the communication, dedication, attention to detail and analytical skills of his previous profession combined with over 20 years of full-time real estate experience to service his clients real estate needs.
Dedicated to continually pursuing professional development and higher education in his field, Derek is a Certified Residential Specialist®, a designation only given to the top 3 percent of Realtors in the nation. To earn the CRS designation, Realtors must demonstrate outstanding professional achievements — including high-volume sales — and pursue advanced training in areas such as finance, marketing and technology.
In addition, Derek holds several other designations including:
Certified Residential Specialist®
Certified International Property Specialist®
Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager®
Designated Seniors Real Estate Specialist®
Certified Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist®
Certified Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource®
Certified e-PRO®
Derek is truly committed to giving back to his community and his profession. Some of his past and current leadership roles include:
2021 State President – Hawai‘i REALTORS®
2020-2022 Director – National Association of REALTORS®
2019-2021 Director-at-Large – Honolulu Board of REALTORS®
2017 President – HiCentral MLS
2015-2018 Chair – Honolulu Board of REALTORS® City Affairs Committee
2014-2016 Director – HiCentral MLS
2013-Present Federal Political Coordinator for U.S. Senator Schatz – National Association of REALTORS®
Outside of real estate, Derek has served his community in the following leadership capacities:
2016, 2017 President – Board of Directors, United Cerebral Palsy Association
2017-2018 Chairman of the Board – Hawaii Technology Development Corporatio8
Hawaii Real Estate Specialists
John Connelley | License #RB-15941
Broker-in-Charge
John Connelley was, most recently, the Principal Broker for Locations.
John began his real estate career in 1989 after completing 21 years as a U.S. Marine Corps Officer. It was during this time that he earned his BA in Real Estate. He holds the following designations: Graduate Realtors Institute (GRI), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB).
John has served in numerous volunteer leadership positions at the local, state and national levels. Specifically, he has served as President of the Hawaii Aloha Chapter of CRS in 1997, Chairman of the Honolulu Board of REALTORS® in 2001, and on the national level served on the Board of Directors and Professional Standards and Ethics Committee for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Additionally, in 1998 John was recognized by his peers as the “Certified Residential Specialist of the Year” for the Hawaii Aloha Chapter of CRS. He was also recognized as the REALTOR of Year by the Hawaii Association of REALTORS® in 2012 and by the Honolulu Board of REALTORS in 2017. John has also been installed in the National Association of REALTORS Hall of Fame. John was most recently recognized as the first recipient of the Marcus Nishikawa and Richard Rosenthal Award for Volunteerism and Educational Achievement.
John has performed at all levels within the industry as a salesperson, broker-in-charge and principal broker. While serving in these roles as well as in the roles of volunteer leadership he has instructed many REALTORS® in the areas of ethics, contracts, business strategy, business planning, goal setting, and agency & fair housing. He has instructed the Hawaii State Salesperson and Brokers Pre-Licensing courses as well as numerous continuing education courses.
John is married and the father of two sons. He has been an active youth basketball coach for over thirty years. He also breeds and shows Norwich Terriers in his free time.
Hawaii Real Estate Specialists
Shannyn Matsumoto | License #RS-81913
Realtor
Shannyn was born and raised on the beautiful island of Oahu. Her passion to help people is the driving force behind how she serves her clients. Of the many things Shannyn has learned while being away is that committing to her values of integrity, respect, and hard work is the foundation to creating consistent win-win experiences.
Testimonials
LET RES HAWAII HELP YOU IN FINDING YOUR
Derek Lau was very thorough and explained the process of purchasing a home to us patiently and clearly. He provided different scenarios and his experience with each one, which helped us make informed decisions we felt comfortable with. He listened to our concerns and needs, and offered suggestions and solutions which made sense. All in all he put us first and always kept us updated. He is a professional and very easy to work with.
D Matsuhi Buyer