STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1349

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 540, 541, 690

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 540, 541, and 690, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Hawai'i Historic Places Review Board

 

G.M. No. 540

GEORGE CASEN,

for a term to expire 6-30-2015 (Term amended to 6-30-2014 by GM575);

 

G.M. No. 541

GERALD L. DE MELLO,

for a term to expire 6-30-2015; and

 

G.M. No. 690

ROBERT K. IOPA,

for a term to expire 6-30-2014,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds George Casen, Gerald L. De Mello, and Robert K. Iopa to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of George Casen from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Caltrans, and seven individuals.

 

     George Casen has seventeen years of experience as an architectural historian, seven of which included generalist environmental planning duties in organizations including the Hawaii Office of Environmental Quality Control, Department of Education, Historic Hawaii Foundation, California Department of Transportation, and Parsons Brinckerhoff in Orange, California.  He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook and has a Master of Science in Secondary Education and History from Long Island University, New York, and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning and a Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Mr. Casen has served as a volunteer docent at Bishop Museum, and as an architectural historian, has prepared numerous determinations of eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places and is familiar with preparation and review of architectural history reports.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Gerald L. De Mello from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii, Hawaii Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, and seven individuals.

 

     Gerald L. De Mello is the Director of University Relations, University of Hawaii at Hilo, where he is responsible for communications and coordinating the dissemination of information relating to the University of Hawaii at Hilo operations, programs, research, and activities.  Prior to this position, which he has held since 1991, Mr. De Mello served as Administrative Assistant to the Governor in the Governor's Liaison office for the County of Hawaii from 1987 to 1991, and taught at Hawaii Community College for fifteen years.  He is a graduate of Eastern Washington State University and holds a Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Mr. De Mello is a former member of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, is currently a member of the Hawaii Historical Society and is active in numerous community associations, including the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Hilo Mainstreet Program.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Robert K. Iopa from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Historic Hawaii Foundation, Native Books Na Mea Hawaii, and two individuals.

 

     Robert K. Iopa is President and Principal of WCIT Architecture, a firm he established in 2000 and which was recognized in 2007 and 2008 as one of the top fifty fastest growing small businesses in the country by Entrepreneur Magazine.  In addition, he is the Managing Member of two associated businesses, Makalii LLC and Mea Makamae LLC.  Mr. Iopa has participated in the development of projects throughout Asia, South America, the South Pacific, and Hawaii.  He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California and is currently an Adjunct Professor and member of the Advisory Council of the School of Architecture, University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Mr. Iopa is a member of AIA Honolulu, serving on the Board of Directors from 2001-2003, and is active in a wide range of professional and community organizations.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Technology,

 

 

 

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair