(BIVN) – The list of final candidates to fill a Hawaiʻi County seat on the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents has been released. According to the Candidate Advisory Council (CAC) for the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents, Governor David Ige has been presented with these three names:

• Wayne S. Higaki – Higaki currently serves on the University of Hawaii Board of Regents and is a member of the Planning & Facilities, Intercollegiate Athletics, Academic & Student Affairs and Independent Audit Committees. Wayne S. Higaki is an Assistant Administrator at Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital, an affiliate of The Queen’s Health Systems located in Kamuela on Hawaii Island. Higaki has served in several capacities at North Hawaii Community Hospital since it opened in 1996 including Vice President of Public Affairs and Vice President of Clinical and Support Services.
• Peter S. Hoffmann – Hoffmann is a former Hawaiʻi County Councilmember, and is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Hope Services. For nearky three decades he served in U.S. Army Intelligence, retired in the rank of Colonel as US Defense Attache to the Republic of Austria. He is a substitute teacher at Waikoloa Elementary / Middle School.
• Eric S. Takamura – Takamura is currently the Deputy Chief Engineer for the County of Hawaii’s Wastewater Division where he oversees both the operations and maintenance and capital improvements projects. Eric has worked as an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in the College of Engineering, as well as an Assistant Professor at Portland State University in Oregon.

Governor Ige will choose one to fill one Hawaiʻi County seat for a five-year appointment, beginning July 1, 2021, subject to confirmation by the Hawaiʻi State Senate.

From the University of Hawaiʻi news release:

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 is solely 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