Michael J. Marks

The Hippo Collector

All Things Hippo is comprised of objects from the Michael J. Marks collection. He was a graduate of Cornell University and the University of Chicago School of Law. He was a prominent lawyer and businessman. His legal career included 28 years with Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. and many years in private practice in Honolulu and New York. Mr. Marks served on the boards of the Hawai‘i Opera Theatre, Honolulu Aquarium, Honolulu Zoological Society, the Arts Council of Hawai‘i, and the Governor's Council on the Ocean Center. He also served as a Lecturer of law for a number of years at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa’s College of Business Administration. He was twice voted by the students as professor of the year.

Among other things, Mr. Marks is remembered for his enthusiasm as a gourmet and his droll sense of humor. A lifelong hobby, which began as a joke over Michael's ample girth, resulted in Michael's collection of more than 4,000 hippopotamus items from around the world in every conceivable medium, including wood, precious metals, papier mâché, ceramic, and paintings. After retiring as vice president and general counsel of Alexander & Baldwin in 2003, Mr. Marks moved to Colorado. Mr. Marks died on October 5, 2010 in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. Named professorships in honor of Mr. Marks have been established at University of Hawai‘i Richardson Law School and the University of Chicago Law School.