STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1713

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 825, 826, 827, 828, 829

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Tourism and International Affairs, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 825, 826, 827, 828, and 829, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Board of Directors of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority

 

G.M. No. 825

CRAIG NAKAMURA,

for a term to expire 6-30-2018;

 

G.M. No. 826

FRED ATKINS,

for a term to expire 6-30-2018;

 

G.M. No. 827

GERALD L. DE MELLO,

for a term to expire 6-30-2018;

 

G.M. No. 828

RODNEY G. K. KAM,

for a term to expire 6-30-2018; and

 

G.M. No. 829

SEAN DEE,

for a term to expire 6-30-2018,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds Craig Nakamura; Fred Atkins; Gerald L. De Mello; Rodney G. K. Kam; and Sean Dee to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Board of Directors of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA).

 

CRAIG NAKAMURA

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Craig Nakamura from the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association and seven individuals.

 

     Mr. Nakamura is the Administrative Partner in the Carlsmith Ball LLP law firm's Maui office and is a member of the Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution Group.  He has practiced in many areas of law, including corporate and business, labor and employment litigation, litigation and alternative dispute resolution, civil litigation, construction litigation, probate, real estate, land use, and hospitality.  Mr. Nakamura has served as a member of the HTA Board of Directors since 2011.

 

     Mr. Nakamura indicated in his personal statement that his background, having been born and raised in Hawaii and having worked on Maui for over thirty years, gives him an understanding and appreciation of Hawaii's heritage, culture, and environment that is fundamental to his approach to everyday life.  He also indicated that he believes it is important to build on the outdoor, active lifestyle that many residents and visitors of Hawaii enjoy through maintained support of existing sports events and a strategy to expand and market Hawaii as a location for sporting events.  Mr. Nakamura also indicated that he intends to promote programs that support Hawaiian culture and build upon Hawaii's historical connections to other world regions, as well as promote programs that support, protect, and develop Hawaii's natural resources.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Nakamura's past legal experiences and service to the HTA Board of Directors qualify him for reappointment to the HTA Board of Directors as a representative of the County of Maui.

 

FRED ATKINS

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Fred Atkins from the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, Office of the Mayor of the County of Kauai, Kauai Chamber of Commerce, Poipu Beach Resort Association, and four individuals.

 

     Mr. Atkins is a General Partner in Kauai Kilohana Partners, which renovated and manages the Kilohana Plantation Estate.  He is the former President of Hale Kea Ranch, Ltd., a company created to develop the Rockefeller Estate at Hale Kea.  Mr. Atkins has previously worked as the sole proprietor of Amenities Hawaii, and as the Resident Manager and Convention Sales and Marketing Manager at Kauai Surf Resort.  He has served as a board member of Kauai Hoe Waa, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, and Kauai Visitors Bureau.  Mr. Atkins currently serves on the YMCA Board of Directors.

 

     Mr. Atkins indicated in his personal statement that he believes it is important to ensure that Hawaii's host culture is integrated into the message, events, and process of marketing the Hawaiian Islands.  He also indicated that he desires to see the HTA Board of Directors hold true to the vision statement, and improve upon it where possible.  Mr. Atkins additionally indicated that he would like to bring Hawaii's agricultural history and small farmers into the mainstream of the visitor industry.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Atkins's past experiences in the visitor industry qualify him for appointment to the HTA Board of Directors as a representative of the County of Kauai.

 

GERALD L. DE MELLO

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Gerald L. De Mello from the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association and five individuals.

 

     Mr. De Mello is an affiliate faculty of the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.  He has previously worked as the Director of University Relations at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, an Emeritus Professor of sociology at Hawaii Community College, and Administrative Assistant to the Governor in the East Hawaii liaison office.  Mr. DeMello has previously served on the Board of Land and Natural Resources and has been a member of the Hawaii Historical Society and Hawaii Professional Marketing Association as well as the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, and Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawaii.  He currently serves on the Lyman Museum Board, Hamakua Heritage Board, and Hawaii Historic Places Review Board.

 

     Mr. De Mello indicated in his personal statement that he has a strong professional and personal interest in Hawaii's history, culture, and sociology as they cultivate Hawaii's visitor industry and perpetuate native Hawaiian and multi-cultural traditions and culture.  He indicated that he understands marketing strategies applied and used to maximize the return on investment of state dollars in marketing plans and targeted promotional venues selected to improve the visitor experience in Hawaii and believes the HTA can further promote cultural and heritage travel and collaborate with the Department of Transportation and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to define roads and byways as heritage corridors.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. De Mello's past experiences in academia, marketing, and sociology qualify him for appointment to the HTA Board of Directors as a member-at-large.

 

RODNEY G. K. KAM

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Rodney G. K. Kam from the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association and two individuals.

 

     Mr. Kam is the Ambassador of Aloha for Quiksilver, Inc. Hawaii.  He has previously worked for Quiksilver, Inc., as the Senior Director of Retail for the Americas, Vice President of Operations Retail for the Americas, Vice President of New Business Development Hawaii, Regional Manager of Hawaii, and District Manager of Hawaii.

 

     Mr. Kam indicated in his personal statement his commitment to the values of aloha and his belief that Hawaii and the aloha spirit are gifts to the world.  He indicated that he hopes to be fiscally responsible with tax dollars and nurture a thriving community of healthy individuals, families, and businesses that are informed about Hawaii's rich heritage and culture while living in a state of lokahi.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Kam's past experiences in retail and his passion for aloha qualify him for appointment to the HTA Board of Directors as a member-at-large.

 

SEAN DEE

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Sean Dee from the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, Orbitz Worldwide, and twenty-one individuals.

 

     Mr. Dee is the Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of Outrigger Enterprises Group.  He has previously worked as the Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of AEG and President of AEG Live Global Branding division and Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of Hard Rock International.  He has served on the Board of Directors of the LA Tourism & Convention Board, Grammy Museum LA Live, and STAPLES Center Foundation.

 

     Mr. Dee indicated in his personal statement that he wishes to contribute the sum of his decades-long knowledge and experience in international resort and leisure sale and marketing to the mission of the HTA.  He also indicated that he believes that the HTA should work to improve Hawaii's competiveness as a global destination for leisure and business travel and market Hawaii as a premier visitor destination without losing the essence of Hawaii's people, places, and culture.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Dee's past experiences in marketing and the hospitality and tourism industry qualify him for appointment to the HTA Board of Directors as a member-at-large.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism and International Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

GILBERT KAHELE, Chair