(BIVN) – The County of Hawai’i has named a new Deputy Director of the Department of Research and Development.

Robert “Bob” Agres, who recently served as the Manager for Disaster Recovery Community Engagement and Collaboration under the Planning Department and was familiar to the residents of Puna who were impacted by the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea, will fill the position. Agres succeeds Sulma Gandhi, “whose passion for rural healthcare led her to accept a position with one of Hawaiʻi’s premier philanthropic organizations leading their healthcare portfolio for the islands,” a County news release stated.

The County news release says Bob has held various leadership roles in the City and County of Honolulu, Islander Institute, Hawaiʻi Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development, and the County of Maui.

The Director of the Hawaiʻi County Department of Research and Development is retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Douglass Shipman Adams. “Bob Agres is the right person at this time to help lead the Department of Research & Development as we work to achieve Mayor Roth’s vision of a sustainable, equitable, and thriving Hawaii Island,” said Adams. “Bob’s community experience, aloha for our island and her people, and focus on pono practices connect directly with our team’s efforts moving forward.”

“We are extremely fortunate to have found someone with a proven track record of community-minded leadership and unwavering commitment to our island and its residents to step up to help lead the Department of Research and Development,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “Bob has proven to be a tireless advocate for those who have endured hardships as a result of the 2018 Lower Puna eruption, and we know that he will bring that same passion and vigor to the rest of our island, as we all work to make Hawaiʻi Island sustainable for generations to come.”