The Candidate Advisory Council (CAC) for the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents has presented a list of candidates to Gov. David Ige to fill one Hawaiʻi County seat for a five-year appointment, beginning July 1, 2021, subject to confirmation by the Hawaiʻi State Senate.
The finalists for this seat are:
- Wayne S. Higaki
- Peter S. Hoffmann
- Eric S. Takamura
Finalist biographies are available at www.hawaii.edu/rcac
The CAC began accepting applications to fill this vacancy in early Fall by contacting and encouraging government, business, and community leaders to nominate candidates. The council also placed print advertisements and issued news releases encouraging applications.
All applications were thoroughly and comprehensively reviewed and screened by all CAC members. The CAC is statutorily responsible for conducting recruitment efforts, accepting and screening applications, interviewing candidates, and submitting to the governor the names of nominees willing to serve as regents of the University of Hawaiʻi System, which is a voluntary non-compensated public appointment.
Candidate lists were compiled after a comprehensive review and selection process, which issolely and exclusively merit-based and according to procedures set forth in state statutes and the council’s administrative rules.
“The Candidate Advisory Council thanks all of the individuals who applied for these seats on the UH Board of Regents. This is an unprecedented time in the University’s history, and we are pleased to submit these highly qualified names for consideration to the governor,” said chair Brigitte Yoshino.
The Board of Regents is the governing body of the University of Hawai‘i and consists of eleven (11) members. Representation includes five (5) from the City and County of Honolulu; two (2) from Hawaiʻi County; two (2) from Maui County; one (1) from Kauaʻi County; and one (1) University of Hawai‘i student.
Members of the CAC serve voluntarily and are not paid.
Candidate Advisory Council members:
- Brigitte Yoshino, Chair
- Sommerset Wong, Vice Chair
- Lance Wilhelm, Secretary
- Amy Hennessey, Member
- Brandon Marc Higa, Member
- Dale Nishikawa, Member
- Blair Odo, Member
- L. Thomas Ramsey, Member