CAC presents finalists for 5-year appointments to UH Board of Regents

HONOLULU – The Candidate Advisory Council (CAC) for the University of Hawai’i Board of Regents has presented a list of candidates to Governor David Ige to fill one Maui County seat and one City and County of Honolulu seat for 5-year appointments, beginning July 1, 2015, subject to confirmation by the Hawai’i State Senate.

The finalists for these two seats are:

City and County of Honolulu seat (currently filled by Regent Chuck Gee, whose term will end on 6/30/15)

1.         Peter S. Adler

2.         Maralyn A. Kurshals

3.         Michael T. McEnerney

4.         Russel S. Nagata         

Maui County seat (currently filled by interim Regent Helen Nielsen whose term, contingent on  Hawai’i State Senate confirmation, is through 6/30/15)

1.         Sherrilee K. Dodson

2.         Vincent R. Linares

3.         Anders F. Lyons

4.         Helen F. Nielsen

5.         Ernest K. Wilson

Interim regents whose terms are also subject to confirmation by the Hawai’i State Senate are Simeon Acoba (appointed through 6/30/17); Dileep Bal (appointed through  6/30/17); and Peter Hoffmann (appointed through 6/30/16).  These interim appointments were made by Governor Neil Abercrombie in October 2014 to replace regents who had resigned in July 2014.

“The Candidate Advisory Council expresses its deepest gratitude to each and every individual who took the time to consider offering to serve the public as a UH Regent,” said CAC Chairman L. Thomas Ramsey, “and we are pleased to submit these names for consideration to the governor and the state senate. The University of Hawai’i  is our only public system of higher education in the state and, as such, is one of the most important institutions in shaping the future of our island home.  We look carefully for outstanding individuals who have achieved much in their chosen professions, and are willing to donate their time, experience, and wisdom toward guiding UH to a brighter future for all in Hawai’i.”

The Board of Regents is the governing body of the University of Hawai‘i and consists of fifteen (15) members.  Representation includes seven (7) from the City and County of Honolulu; two (2) from  Hawai‘i County; two (2) from Maui County; one (1) from Kauaʻi County; two (2) At Large; and one (1) University of Hawai‘i student.

The Candidate Advisory Committee 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 Hawai’i System, which is a voluntary non-compensated public appointment.

Candidate lists are 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 CAC began accepting applications to fill these vacancies on the board in mid-summer of last year by personally recruiting individuals and contacting and encouraging government, business, and community leaders to nominate candidates.  The council also placed print advertisements and issued news releases encouraging applications.

Members of the Board of Regents and the CAC serve voluntarily and are not paid.

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