News Release from www.Hawaii.gov/gov August 22, 2011

Honolulu – Governor Neil Abercrombie last week appointed* Barry T. Mizuno to fill the Hawai'i County seat on the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai'i (UH). 

Mizuno, 63, is a former managing director to the County of Hawai'i (1990-1992). Prior to that, Mizuno worked at the Constellation Energy Group. He retired from Puna Geothermal Venture, BTM LLC in 2006. Previous areas of employment included Hamakua Sugar Company, Constellation Energy Group, and Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. Mizuno is a certified accountant who serves on a number of community and professional organizations including: Hawai'i Society of Certified Public Accountants, Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Hawai'i Island Chamber of Commerce, Hawai'i Island Economic Development Board, Hawai'i Leeward Planning Conference, Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin, and Hawai'i Island Beacon Community, among others. Mizuno earned his B.A. in Business Administration from Central Washington University. He is a graduate of Waimea High and Elementary School.

The UH Board of Regents formulates policy and oversees the university system through the university president. The board is composed of 15 regents, nominated by the Regents Candidate Advisory Council, appointed by governor and confirmed by the state Senate.

Mizuno will serve as interim regent until he is confirmed by the full Senate next session. The Senate successfully confirmed the Governor’s earlier appointments of Coralie Matayoshi, Saedene Ota, and Jan Sullivan.

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*As with Judicial nominees, Abercrombie is refusing to make public the list of nominees provided to him by the UH Regents Selection Advisory Commission. This is a break from the previous practice of Governor Lingle who made the list public and sought public comment on nominations.