STAND. COM. REP. NO. 916

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 505

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 505, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

Deputy Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

G.M. No. 505

MARY ALICE EVANS, for a term to expire 12-3-2018,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by the nominee and finds Mary Alice Evans to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated as the Deputy Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Ms. Evans from the Governor; Department of Transportation; Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Health; Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Office of Planning; Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; Land Use Commission; University of Hawaii System; Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority; Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation; Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority; Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs; Enterprise Hawaii; Young Brothers, Limited; Oceanit; and twenty individuals.

     Upon review of the testimony and the nominee's personal statement, your Committee finds that Ms. Evans' background, experience, and commitment to public service qualify her for appointment as Deputy Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     Your Committee notes that for the past twenty years, Ms. Evans has served in a wide range of government roles affecting sectors such as central state services, human resources, land use, renewable and alternative energy development, economic development, and tourism.  Ms. Evans is currently the Deputy Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and has served in this capacity since 2011.  She previously served, among other positions, as a Special Plans Branch Planning Program Manager at the Office of Planning, Deputy Comptroller of the Department of Accounting and General Services, Special Assistant for Research at the Office of the Governor, and Employment Analyst and Community Services Planner at the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

     Ms. Evans is affiliated with diverse professional organizations throughout the State.  She served as President of the Hawaii Chapter of the American Planning Association.  She is also a member of the Hawaii Economic Association, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Honolulu City Planning Commission, and Urban Land Institute.  Ms. Evans holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Hawaii.

     Testifiers commented on Ms. Evans' consistently strong work ethic and her many years of public service to the State.  Testifiers also noted Ms. Evans' depth of institutional knowledge, particularly the inter-workings of government and roles of each agency, her generosity in sharing this knowledge, and desire to accelerate departmental and state progress.  These qualities provide a foundation for long-term state efforts to develop tourism and business opportunities and to coordinate future public and private sector projects.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Technology,

____________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair