Note: In spite of declarations from HD5 Democrats that their list of three nominees would be released by the Hawaii Democratic Party or by the Governor's office, Gov Abercrombie has proceeded to make an appointment without disclosing the three nominees from which he chose.

UPDATE: Hawaii County Democratic Party January 13, 2014 released the three names sent to Abercrombie by HD5 Democrats.  In addition to Creagan, HD5 Dems offered the choice of "Michael Matsukawa, an attorney, and Steve Sakala, a farmer."  Neither the State Democratic party nor the Governor's office released the names.  (More details: Political Radar, Big Island Now)

GOVERNOR APPOINTS RICHARD CREAGAN TO STATE HOUSE

News Release from Office of the Governor Jan 10, 2014

HONOLULU – Gov. Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Richard P. Creagan, M.D. to the state House of Representatives for Hawaii’s Fifth Representative District, a seat recently left vacant by the resignation of Rep. Denny Coffman. The appointment is effective immediately and for the balance of the term.

“Richard’s diverse experience as a physician, researcher, farmer, Peace Corps volunteer and educator will contribute greatly to his service to the people of Hawaii,” Gov. Abercrombie said. “I look forward to working with Richard as a member of Hawaii’s House of Representatives.”

Dr. Creagan first came to Hawaii in 1966 and trained for the Peace Corps on Molokai for two months. He then served as a Health Care Worker in the Marshall Islands for two years. He speaks fluent Marshallese. A resident of Naalehu on Hawaii Island, Dr. Creagan is vice-president of Kiolakaa Mountain Farms, which he founded in 1994 with his wife, Marilyn, who works as a labor and delivery nurse at Kona Community Hospital.

As a residency trained and board certified emergency physician, Dr. Creagan worked for 10 years in California prior to moving to Hawaii full-time 23 years ago. Since then, he has worked in the Emergency Department and served as vice-chief of staff at Kona Community Hospital, worked as a Hawaii Department of Health bioterrorism preparedness epidemiologic investigator monitoring disease outbreaks, and helped found and run Hualalai Urgent Care.

Before his medical career, Dr. Creagan was a student and human genetics researcher at Yale University and the University of Connecticut Medical Center. He later helped found and run San Francisco-based AGRI, a firm which focused on animal vaccines and human blood products. The start-up company was eventually bought after five years, which facilitated his move to Hawaii.

As an educator, Dr. Creagan has assisted in teaching junior scientists at Yale and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He taught English as a Peace Corps volunteer, seventh and eighth grade math and science in Pittsburgh, and tutored students in English at Naalehu Elementary School.

Dr. Creagan graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and then with an M.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He recently returned to school and earned a Certificate in Plant Tissue Culture in 2005 and a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2009 from the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

# # #

HTH January 11, 2013: Abercrombie picked Creagan from a list of three finalists submitted by the Hawaii Democratic Party District 5 Council. The council winnowed a field of nine candidates to arrive at its list. Abercrombie, state Party Chairman Dante Carpenter and John Buckstead, Democratic Party vice chairman for West Hawaii, all declined to name the finalists.

BIN: "The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for the other names on the list."

December 28, 2013: Abercrombie Gets Secret List of Three Candidates to replace Rep Coffman