Senate Standing Committee on Labor and Technology

Aloha and great afternoon, everyone. Will the Senate Committee on Labor and Technology please come to order. This is our 3:00pm agenda. Today is February 25, 2026 and we're in Conference Room 225. This hearing is also being streamed on the Hawaii State Senate's YouTube channel, Hawaii. Just a few housekeeping announcements in the unlikely case of technical failures.

This meeting will reconvene here in Conference Room 225 on February 27, 2026 at 3:00pm for all testifiers, including those on Zoom, we ask that you stand on your written testimony. If your oral testimony is different from your written testimony, the time limit for each testifier will be one minute.

The content, including the hearing notice copy of the measures and testimony can be found on the legislature's website. If time permits, decision making will occur after we hear from all those offering testimony and members in the general public. Today's agenda is gubernatorial nominees for various different boards and commissions.

So I want to thank all the nominees for being here, whether in person or on Zoom. I really appreciate your time, especially on some short notice, but appreciate you being here and thank you Members for your attendance as well.

We will proceed to our first item on our agenda and how we will go about this for Members in the General public is I'll call testimony first and then I'll call the nominee at the end. First up is GM630.

This is submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council gubernatorial nominee Cary Miyashiro for term to expire 6:302029. First up in person, we have Helen Sanp. Okay. Standing on testimony and support. Thank you so much. Director Butai. Dlir.

Aloha.

Welcome.

Good afternoon. Chair Alapante, Senator Moriwaki. I'm Jade Butai, Director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. We stand on our testimony in strong support. I know there's like seven nominees, but I just want to say that the Workforce Development Council plays a critical role in shaping our workforce strategy.

To do that well, we need the Members that brings both expertise and deep commitment to public service. And we believe that all the nominees, you know, we submitted seven testimonies. They'll be engaged, thoughtful and forward looking and who will strengthen the Council's ability to serve our state. Thank you.

Okay, thank you so much. We have Director Bennett Mesalucha for Workforce Development Council.

Workforce Development Council stands on certain testimony. Strong support.

Okay, thank you so much. That completes our list of registered testifiers. We also have Wesley Shingawa in support, Lance Joe in support, Superintendent Hayashi in support. Randall Higa. In support. Myung zero, Erin Yagi and Alan Hayashi. In support. Is there anyone else on GM630? Okay. If not Members, any questions for any of the testifiers?

If not, we'll call on the nominee. Cary. Mr. Miyashiro. Aloha. Welcome. Yes, anywhere, any mic. You could have two mics if you want to. Yeah. If you want to just share a little bit about your background and identify yourself and why you want to serve. Okay.

Part of it is I've been working with, let's see, I've been working with a lot of the career pathways and stuff in the last 45 years. I've been with DOE, working on the career pathways and it's a good chance to extend what I'm doing. How do we get.

And one of the things that I think is important is that we need to get the students to actually apply what they've learned. So the big thing is how do we get applied learning how we give them the experience. Because learning, book learning and without the experience sometimes doesn't work out.

Yeah. Members, any questions for Mr. Mirishiro?

Just, you know, I mean, what would be the recommendation? I mean, you just talked about the doe. We kind of seen that feeling. I don't know when, maybe when I left high school, but we don't have that anymore. We had carpentry, we had automotive bodywork. We had a lot of trades back then.

I hear a lot of my colleagues, they talk about the workforce development going back to this. I just don't know when it went away. And what would be maybe your process and try to work. You try to get that ideas back to, I guess education wise.

I mean, I know it's a big group you guys are with, but. And I think what would you do?

I think a few years back what happened was the secretary of education came out and he stated, or she stated that they go in, they're not targeting career in college anymore. They're going more for workforce.

So it's to get the experience into the classroom, give them the experience if they want to go and further it say if they want to become surgeon, you know, the career is first.

Right.

Then the schools teach them how to get into college so they can become that. So it's not like career focus just to graduate. And in the end you've got no job waiting for you. Right. It's more targeted. So I think we need to be

more strategic in how I'm trying to say that. I mean, when, I mean, I don't know, maybe you would know when did we go away from that? Because again, we had that when I was going to school, we had different trades. We had, you know, to the police academy.

We had carpentry, masonry, we had all of these things. And then all of a sudden we went focused on college. Everybody got to get one college degree. And then now we're going back slowly in a different angle than what you are saying. But I just don't understand how.

Why is it so difficult to have the pathways in moving forward in getting this because kids nowadays cannot afford to go college.

Actually, pathways started. I helped Waipal High School do career pathways in 1994. So we're talking about 30 years ago that we started.

I just forgot to eat.

Well, I'm old before you're born.

But anyway, they started career pathways back then and we had a student operating accredited unit at the school at. And what they were doing is giving them experiences and we hired them out of high school. We ended up paying for that.

So a lot of the people that came to that organization, we ended up paying about 80% of their college degree because if they go into accounting and they're in accounting Department, we'll pay for the classes. So I think that, so I think the idea of going to K12 to college to work has changed.

Whereas you can go into the military does the same thing. They get a lot of people out of high school and we went, I got a chance to go to Schofield. And a lot of these people here, what they did is they were, they had the masters, they joined the military out of high school.

But because they become experts in their area, they work with the colleges. And so one of them was going for his doctorate because he said, I wanted my doctorate. So the military pays for it.

So I think some of them is that we can do lateral where you working and get your education at the same time, which I think may be more meaningful because then when they go to college, it's like, yeah, that's what we're doing at work versus studying something which you may never use.

Right. Okay.

Thank you, Chair. Appreciate it.

Any further question, Senator Marwaaki?

Thank you, Kerry, for your service. And as we look at what you've done, which is a lot of career education and also working with the prisons. But how do you see bringing that expertise into the Workforce Development Council? Because the Workforce Development Council now is expansive. It's just not just labor, but it's everything, right?

Education connected to labor, connected to private sector. What can you bring that will sustain that effort going Forward so I don't go back again to what Senator is saying.

So, Senator, one of the things I think that's important is that the ability to hook up with businesses. And for the last 30 years, I was working with education and businesses. So it's a matter of getting the businesses seeing what the needs are.

And a lot of times the training should be done by businesses anyway because once they graduate, they retrain them to their. So how do you bring the businesses ideas to get businesses working with the students as they're going through? If we can do internships where they actually lead to employment and the business can hire.

And the incentive for the business is that if you take the Senator here, you get the first choice on who you want, Right? So how can we get the businesses tool, it's applied learning. How can we get them to have the first chance at this if we do it that way?

So what are you folks doing on the Workforce Development Council to. To do that? So how are the council, I don't know, groups that you work with doing that? Because you need. On both sides, right?

You need the employer, but you also need students to see, yeah, I can get credit or I can get paid, or I can do something where it's an incentive for the student as well as the employer.

So a lot of times what we're doing is that as we helping them with the training, we're looking for businesses that will actually align. So the idea is to get the businesses to align. So a lot of we're looking at businesses that are looking for workers and have them participate in the learning.

Okay, any further questions? The only question I have. Is this your first term or is this a renomination?

This is a renomination.

Yeah. Okay. Thank you so much. Mr. Miyashiro.

Thank you.

Okay, next up is GM628. This is submitting for confirmation consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council gubernatorial nominee Rona Fukumoto for a term to expire on June 30, 2029. First up, DLIR Director Wutai Chair, Madam Vice Chair. Okay, standing on testimony support. Thank you. Director Mesolucha Workforce Development Council.

Stand on a written testimony. Strong support.

Okay, stand on testimony support. Thank you. And that completes those that are registered. I'll also note that in addition to those testimonies, Randy Pereira, HGA in support, and the rest of these other individuals in support, Heather Luss, Shelley Niles, Nuisa Boss, Randall Swindle, Joanne Kealoha, Paige Choi, Amy Miller and Kimi Koji, all in support.

Anyone else on GM 628. Okay. If not. Ms. Fukumoto, if you could please come forward. Aloha and welcome.

Thank you. Thank you. Chair Elafante, Vice Chair Lamosao, and Members of the Committee.

Yes. Why would you want to serve?

So I'm currently President and CEO of Lanakila Pacific. Our mission is to help individuals with disabilities and older adults find independence in the community. And we do this through a lot of work programs and our Lanakila Meals on Wills program.

So as part of the Workforce Development Council, I think I bring that perspective, understanding the needs of individuals who have disabilities or other challenges. Also worked for 15 years with Catholic Charities Hawaii in homeless services.

So I know there's a lot of need there to match up work with housing and being able to afford rents, you know, once they are housed. So there's a lot of synergy in there. And I think I can bring that perspective to the council.

And this is a reappointment or first?

It's a reappointment.

Okay. Yes, go ahead. Oh, no, I know you're. Any questions, Members?

Okay, I will.

Okay. Senator Moriwaki.

You work with the disabled and the homeless, and so these are really vulnerable populations. How is that perspective brought into the workforce development console? And how do we engage them and connect them with employers?

That segment of the community, especially ones who want to work, should be able to work. We need everyone actively in the workforce, and sometimes there's a misunderstanding about what kind of support they need. Some don't need a whole lot of support. They come in with degrees. All they need is to get past the interview.

It's educating employers, it's educating the public, and it's giving them a sense of support so that they are willing to step out and try to find a job. And all the work the Workforce Development Council is doing to bring together partners, so.

So the business community, like you asked about the public government, to understand the needs of the workforce and how diverse it is. I think that's part of the role I would play in bringing that to the Council.

This is generational commitment.

Yes. So that is very exciting. We've moved through years, and I don't have the timeline memorized, but we've created in this past with the input of the public, with input of government agencies, council Members and business Members, pillars to work towards. And from that, it's education, it's second partnerships.

And from that, we were able to come up with a generational commitment and find a North Star and a generational commitment. So we're not looking at just Workers now, we're not looking at businesses now, but really to make sure everyone can be employed and live gainfully employed and thriving even up to 2045.

So there's a lot more in that commitment. It's not just fixing the current problems, it's really looking across all that time to make sure that we build programs. So it's very exciting. And I think the most exciting part is all the partners that are coming together.

It was a core group that came up with it and it's growing from there. I did want to address Senator Favela's question from a mother's perspective,

But go ahead. Yes.

So there were those workforce programs or CTE type programs in the high schools. My son just participated last year as a sophomore, going to be a junior in a program at HCC. So he's a high school student, $502 weeks in three different areas. So carpentry, auto mechanic and CAD drawing. I think that's how the partnership works.

That's how all the sectors are working together. Maybe they're not teaching it in the high school, but these students are able to get into a college level program, hands on work and be exposed to it in that way. So.

So, you know, we might not be able to put it back into the high schools, but it's still being offered, I think $50, best money I've ever spent. He was super interested in one of the areas and we're going to take it from there because he's not the best student. That's his.

His path wasn't going to be for your college. So where was it?

Was it in the school at HC? HCC?

Yeah. So the college partners, so the university partners are picking up some of that and I think it can be just as effective. Yeah.

Any further questions? I think the one question that I have, and I know we talked about this when we met, is how do we get you mentioned about. Thank you for sharing that personal story about your son.

But how do we get more of our youth involve, you know, whether it's in the role that you play as CEO, atlantaquila Pacific, but more at the state level and county level where we kind of have this pipeline to get them involved in whether it's workforce development or other opportunities.

Like what are you seeing in your role and how do you see us continuing that pipeline?

I think the internship programs are really good. A lot of nonprofits have youth program boards or young adult or young professional boards. We have one too. So just to get them in at the business level, to get them in, you know, as workers or employees and give them opportunities to see what's going on in the community.

I think that's really strong. Apprenticeship programs are also part of it to give them other paths to enter the workforce. Opportunity. Youth is an area. There's youth who somehow get lost in the system, end up on the couch. They're not working, they're not in school. You can't find them when they're.

I mean, it's hard to find them once they're there. So we need to catch them early, get them involved in programs.

Thank you so much. Members, any other questions? If not, thank you so much, Ms. Fukumo. We move on to. Our next nominee is GM631. This is submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Work Workforce Development Council gubernatorial nominee Keith DeMello for a term to expire on June 302029.

First up on our list of testifiers is DLIR Director Butai.

Thank you, Chair. Vice Chair.

Okay, thank you. Testimony and support. Wendy Gaty, ADC. Is she here or online? I don't see her. Director Mesolucha. Thank you. Testifying in support. Thank you. On Zoom. Lauren Zirbel, Executive Director for Hawaii Food Industry Association.

Okay, thank you. Joshua.

Not present, Chair.

Chair, Vice Chair, Committee Members, you've got my testimony. I'll be brief. Just wanted to note, I've had the privilege of knowing and working with Keith for about 15 plus years now, back when we were both in the Abercrombie Administration together.

And since then I've just had the real pleasure and privilege of being able to work with him again and again over the years, including most recently at a Workforce Development Council meeting just last week. And what I always take away from Keith is I always learn something. He's a very smart guy.

He has a calm, steady hand and does a really good job of bringing all perspectives into the fold, which is exactly the kind of thing you need for this position. So happy to testify in strong support of his renomination. Thanks so much.

Thank you.

And I will call the nominee.

You did register to testify too, so one and beyond on that. So we'll call you in a bit here. I do have you down and then just want to say that there are other people that also submitted testimony in support.

We had Sharon Hurd, Director of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Maika Monakata in support and the following individuals also in support. Brian Miyamoto, Farm Bureau. Amanda Shaw, Food Systems for Coordinator for Agriculture Stewardship, Hawaii. Mr. Miyamoto, would you like to testify? I just called, your name were on. Mr. DeMello, I have you down in support.

Thank you. Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the community, Brian Miyamoto here on behalf of the Hawaii Farm Bureau. We'll stand on our written testimony in support. But just briefly, Farm Bureau's a long standing relationship with Mr. DeMelo. We think currently on the BDC.

He's doing an amazing job, understands the challenges for for workforce development, but in particular for us for agriculture. So we're very excited. We ask for your support and we'd like him to continue in the role that he's currently serving. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

Okay, thank you so much. I did mention Amanda Shaw, Food Systems Coordinator for Agriculture Stewardship of Hawaii. Also in support, Patrick Souza, Marisha Palma, Elmore Nathan Kam, Amy Hennessy, Sunshine Topping, Myeong O, Amy Aguayani and Diane Le, all in support. That completes our list of registered testifiers for GM631. Anyone else that wishes to testify on this nominee?

Members, any questions for the testifiers? If not, we'll call on Our chair, Mr. Delon. Welcome.

Chair, Vice Chair. Members of the Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to humbly request that I've considered for reappointment to a second term on the Workforce Development Council. I am currently serving as the chair to two meetings in. In that role over the last.

Over the last four years as part of my first term, I chaired the Special Projects Committee and we focused on promoting and certifying the American Job Centers throughout all the counties across the state. Why I'm seeking to continue service on the Workforce Development Council.

It's as simple as over the last 10 years, since I left state service, went back to the private sector, half of my extended family has moved away and it's. They've followed the kids, my siblings, other cousins, the younger kids.

It seems that a lot of them, not all of them, but many, are not seeing a future for themselves in Hawaii. And that's it. And I see the Workforce Development Council as a very unique opportunity. It is a unique body too.

It's a mix of public, private, labor, very large council, but also one with very active committees, which is very encouraging. That means it actually does things. It's not a reporting mechanism. And I know that previously the question about a generational commitment was brought up.

I do see the Workforce Development Council among its responsibilities as important are those federal requirements and statutory requirements are including the state unified plan. There also is this very powerful ability to convene Members. And it's not one agency's responsibility or even ability to set workforce development goals.

It really takes an alignment of all the parties, the schools, the state agencies, the employers, and I would even say the communities themselves that are very unique across this state.

So I see that beyond merely checking boxes for compliance, I think we could convene and work toward a unifying goal so that the youngest generation of our state does envision a future for themselves in Hawaii.

Thank you Members, any questions? Senator Moriwakee?

Yes. Thank you for serving. And it was very exciting to hear the Workforce Development Council moving in a direction of looking at it statewide and looking for the next generation. As to congratulations being chair, what do you envision?

What are the challenges that you see and how might you with your really now really seems to be very active group looking at how do we really commit to it and what are some metrics of outcomes?

The go to metrics would be, you know, completion of training programs, participation. But I think that I would actually. I would actually.

The outcomes that you're looking for, outcomes like four years down the road you say we did this.

That's a great question. I would love to see just more stories and better numbers of our youngest generation getting those jobs here and completing those internships or those programs. Again, just really based on Participation in the programs themselves and throughout the process as we're engaging our various partners.

I mean, that alone is a metric that I would consider as being representative of success. Because again, I don't think we have the answer right now. We are looking at great changes across our workforce, AI, for one.

And that's why the Workforce Development Council will be holding an AI workshop just after session, I believe, midway through the year. And I do hesitate to state what those metrics are, because I don't. I don't think we have what those metrics are. The metrics that we are currently using.

I think there is a bit of a danger of that being set if we rely too much on federal compliance. We need to convene to determine what those metrics are for Hawaii. Otherwise we are training our local workforce for mainland jobs.

So. So when you say the metrics that you have now, they're all like federal metrics and it's ticking off the boxes. Or is there anything substantive that you're. You're looking at and saying, yeah, that's. I mean, the generational thing is one thing, but what are you looking at?

Because I think this is a very important commission and seeing what you folks are up to in terms of where the direction is, it also edifies us in the Legislature to know where we should be supporting because it really has legs and it really is going to keep our kids here because they're all leaving, as you say.

So how do you see framing that? Maybe it's not a fair question right now that you're stepping into, but in terms of just framing it for us so that we can see, yeah, you folks are moving ahead in this direction.

In my first term chairing the Special Projects Committee with my focus on the American Job Centers, those participation rates are some of the metrics that I think we currently use.

Then I would add to that mix and again, like, I would point to participation in the programs, the program, the state internship program that has expanded beyond state jobs, but does now include private sector. I think that's a great thing. But the next question is how is it? How do we measure that impact and its participation?

The completion of those, the securing of jobs and more of our youngest, our youngest residents staying here.

Thank you.

Any further questions, Senator Fevella?

So just talking about that going forward, I mean, I guess, you know, one of the big things, I guess like in our district, you know, we have future farmers of Hawaii. I talk to these kids. Yeah. All the time, says, you know, you get a lot of backing from agriculture.

The farm guys, my question is that how are we going to emphasize. Because these kids are very exciting and I go to a lot of the events that they have, very intelligent, especially Waipahu and a couple other kids as freshmen. When I interviewed him, I thought he was a senior. I think he's a junior now.

But I mean, he's just phenomenal. If you listen to this kid, where they're going to go, you know, where these kids going to go with intelligence and the background that they bring in, diversifying agriculture, where is these kids going to go?

And that's something, I guess maybe, you know, I don't know if it's a low hanging fruit for you guys, but I mean, what, what, what do you think you have in future for these kids, you know, moving forward in that avenue of education?

What comes to mind is I was speaking with somebody from the Kona Community College this morning and she was sharing how they don't just need doctors, they need technicians at every level. And they need not just one, but two or three.

And while they could bring some of those, you know, so to speak, top level folks from elsewhere and pay for the cost to, to move to Hawaii, they don't really have the budget for those, those technicians that might be making maybe 100, $120,000 a year. We need those to be homegrown. Those are some of the opportunities.

But Kona Community Hospital is a good example, is that they're right next to a few agricultural farms and operations and they are tying in opportunities around food is medicine and those two overlap. So I think there are opportunities for that. It even overlaps into community services, community feeding opportunities. But that really takes engaging the community as well.

And that's why I would add that local, very place based communities, they have to be part of the conversation as well.

Chair. I have another question,

Senator Moriwaki.

So you bring up kind of an idea that I have in terms of not only jobs or businesses we have today, but what about the businesses of tomorrow?

And I'm just thinking whether, even if it's entrepreneurship, you know, how are we connecting up so that we're training kids not just to work for somebody, but to work for themselves. And I think that's workforce development, but in a different perspective. But I think you're talking about an AI conference.

You're talking about really getting people or the kids to really start thinking on their own. How can I start a business? Are you folks looking at that area or is it all just kind of connecting with an employer? You talked about special projects So I thought that could be a special project.

Yeah. While for special projects, that Committee we did focus on AJCs as well as at the time, Maui Recovery, but then also sort of strengthening the Workforce Development Council's ability to communicate its legislative positions. But in answer to your question, that's why I think again, the generational commitment, that North Star is key.

We have to set that and it has to be developed with as much input, impact as we can from all, I hate to say stakeholders because that's so overused, but it's true. We need that input and there is real energy around that at this moment.

And I think it is a real opportunity for Hawaii to set its own agenda when it comes to workforce. It's not a simple answer and I'll be upfront, I don't have the answer with me right now.

To me, I think I would be a little presumptuous to state that, but I think that's the strength that I could bring to the WTC as chair. It is bringing together the Members of the council, which 41 Members, such a wide, a wide array of Members, but also every single partner that we could bring into this discussion.

Because it's not a simple answer and it's workforce is, it's a challenge that's continuing to evolve and especially with the advent of technology, it's going to keep evolving. So I know that's not really too specific an answer.

Just think about it. Sure.

Any other questions? The Chair has a few questions for you, Chair DeMello. So the first is, I know in your previous career you worked in technology at the state.

So how do we bridge that gap in terms of getting youth development programs, especially in that space, which is such a finite field of recruiting and finding at the right salary and benefits. What are your thoughts on that and your role as Chair?

A lot of thoughts on that. As chair mentioned, I used to work within the Office of Enterprise Technology Services. And so I did see firsthand and even was responsible for promoting the opportunities within the state around it. Ironically, you're not looking for specific technology, you're looking for the capability to learn new technology because it changes so quickly.

Then also I saw that the goal isn't necessarily to hire somebody that you could keep forever. You're realistically this, this current generation, a couple generations now you might keep them for two years. Some you might train up to their next position, perhaps private sector, perhaps in another Department, or vice versa.

You might get them after, you might take them from the private sector like myself, back into, back into state service. So it's a work pipeline that I think might be the successful model, depending on what the role is. But then also there is an exciting pilot project.

At the time that this was about 10 years ago, it was called it Broadbanding and it expanded the state's ability within a civil service structure to adapt to what are very technical and expert expertise demanding positions.

Thank you. And then the last question I have is having to going off of Senator Morawaki's question about federal guidelines and the role of workforce development and metrics. So I know in the federal capacity it's the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Right.

So if you're familiar with it, how does that structure and how does your role and your colleagues role fit into that context in terms of what you're able to do and can you do anything more that's creative? In addition to the federal guidelines,

I believe with wioa, the requirements, they're focused on workforce training for youth for adults and underserved populations. Also among the required responsibilities of the WDC are the development and the maintenance of the state unified plan. And you know, that's updated every two years.

That's where I think that a guiding star, again, like this isn't just a checkbox and a plan to put on the shelf. Like it has to be a real plan that's rooted in real Hawaii needs, workforce needs. And I think that is something that cannot be, cannot only come from a single agency or a council.

It does take something like a guiding star where we could rally everybody around it to better inform next steps and identify what those actionable programs could be and the goals and how we measure success toward that. Yeah, I think going beyond.

I always saw this for a boarding commission, unless we're legislative, legislatively like told we cannot do something, we could do it because in the end we're an advisory council and so we, we should. We have the responsibility to think outside the box and make those recommendations.

Thank you.

Any further questions, Members?

If not, thank you so much, Mr. DeMello. Thank you. Move on to our next measure, GM512 submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council gubernatorial nominee Jason Benn for Herm to expire on June 30, 2031st.

First up is Director Butai.

Chair, Vice Chair and Committee Members. Stand on testimony.

Okay. Standing on testimonial support. Director Masalucha, WDC.

In support. Thank you. Then we have Kiko Bukowski, Chair, Vice

Chair, Vice Chair, Committee Members, as an individual, just stand on my testimony and support.

Okay, standing on support. In addition to those testifiers, we also have Kelly J Uioka, Micah Kane, Shelly Kimura in support. Scott Siu in support. Terrence George and Elliot Mills all in support. Anyone else that wishes to testify on GM512. Okay, Members, any questions for the testifiers before we bring up the nominee?

If not, Mr. Ben Aloha and welcome

Vice chair Members of the Committee. I'm Jason Ben.

I'm the Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation Administrative Officer at Hawaiian Electric where I oversee IT, HR Public affairs and Strategic planning and seeking to serve on the Workforce Development Council because I really do care deeply about ensuring that a lot of things we've talked about that Hawaii is a place where the next generation can live and thrive.

So you know, all the previous folks talked about it as well. You know, I come from a big family. I have four kids. One of them's already had to move to Austin, Texas to make a living. I just recently had a grandchild.

So I'm very passionate about making sure that my kids can stay here, that I can watch them grow up here and thrive here as well. For that to happen, I think our future depends on how do we connect durable living wage careers and pathways to local people.

And so I think my experience in workforce planning, technology and transformation can help the WDC and provide a private sector experience perspective on what we need to create a sustainable workforce of and for Hawaii. So I just want to say mahalo for considering me for the role and I'm available for any questions you may have.

And then this is your first time being nominated or reappointment. Yes, first time. First time, sir. Congratulations on that. And with that, Members, questions for Mr. Ben. Senator Moriwaki.

Thank you, Chair. So coming from Hawaiian Electric and Renewable Energy, I know you have a lot of challenges and transformation in the as well as, you know, having to work with all of us. What have you learned or what is the transformative agenda that you can bring to workforce development console to make it transformative for the workforce?

Yeah, for sure. So I think. Thank you for that question. First of all, Senator. So at Hawaiian Electric we have both very important tradecraft that pay good living wages that we need to fill and we also have very high level college graduate level engineers that we need to fill those jobs as well.

We've gone through sort of a down cycle of losing those engineers and linemen to the Mainland. You know, after they went through their mainland fire crisis, they hired a lot of our guys to the mainland.

We've really doubled down on how do we attract local kids to stay, how do we work with the schools and inform them of what kind of jobs we can hire and that they can stay home and earn. And so we have an eight part initiative that we're doing to try to attract local kids, get them early.

Did a big internship this past summer. In fact, Chair Demello, I just found out today, selected one of our interns as the intern of the year.

So we're trying to reach kids from the top to the bottom through the uh, through the community colleges to let them know we have jobs, that we need skilled labor, we need skilled engineers, we need skilled business people. This is what we're looking for.

These are the training you can take to try to prepare to qualify for the jobs that we have. So we're really innovating on how we keep the local kids here.

And also we've done reach back to the mainland through colleges on what we're calling Kamaina come home and try to get kids to come back to work in Hawaii. I hope I answered your question.

So the model that you have that you're seeing success, are you sharing that so other employers can, can do the same? I think absolutely. You know that that's important is what. What is what works, what doesn't. Especially what doesn't. And you know, sharing that.

Yeah, thank you for that. So we're still learning. We're just launched these eight initiatives the last year and that's what I hope to share with the WDC as, as we learn what we're learning about it.

And also trying to co join, you know, like just as an example, we're trying to reach the West Coast school Hawaii clubs to say there's jobs back home, you don't have to stay in the rainy northwest, you can, you can come back home.

So yeah, that's what I would hope to do and provide to the WDC if I'm nominated or confirmed.

Just one other area since we have a private sector here. We are always losing to the private sector, the state because of the compensation. And how do you folks look at salaries? Your hr, so how do you look at salaries? Incomparable. So that we can in fact track kids back from the mainland.

I don't know what the salaries are up there, but you know, how do we look at that, the compensation? Is that a big part or are there other kinds of amenities or incentives that we can Keep kids here.

So thank you for that question. So let me take it in two parts, one from the work perspective, one from the personal. Our approach is to look at a total employee value proposition. So it cannot only be about the money.

And we feel like, you know, we're private sector, but we also provide a critical service to the community and to the state. So we really encourage people that want to come, you got to come with a heart of service. But we do grade to a benchmarked market median and we want to be competitive.

And then taking my work half out and speaking personally, sometimes I think in Hawaii we handicap and we have to be willing to pay as employers, all employers, competitive to the mainland, wage, not competitive to each other, and kind of get out of the crabs in the bucket mentality there.

Like if we want the people to stay here, we have to pay them, you know, fairly to what they could get paid in the, in the West Coast, I would think. So we benchmark it to other firms that are, you know, our size, utilities, but also to the local market.

And it's our desire to pay people what they deserve and what they can get elsewhere. Yeah.

Thank you, Chair. Okay. Any further questions? Yeah, Vice Chair Lamosao. Senator.

Hi. Thank you, Jason. So I was just looking at your resume and I was like, zero, wow. Hawaiian Electric. Hawaiian Electric. Hawaiian Electric. So for many years you worked for Hawaiian Electric. But I wanted to, because the workforce development console really should be looking at all industries and what.

How do you plan on developing your relationships with all the different industries to make sure that you're not just advocating for just one for all.

Fair, fair question. I am blessed. I've been there almost 30 years. I came in from the entry level, but I was in technology first as an entrepreneur. So I had my own technology consulting firm and I worked in IT for many years, which is a cross cutting perspective.

It's not industry specific, so I think I can bring that. And I also come from a family of entrepreneurs, so I've been working Since I was 10 for started a dollar an hour in my family's restaurant. So I think I have a pretty broad perspective.

And you know, really the fields I've been in have not necessarily and that I came up in are not necessarily specific to the electric industry, so I think they're applicable to all. And plus we partner with a lot of different agencies and I serve on the board of governors for Hawaii Community foundation.

So we're looking at some of the same issues across, you know, outside of business, just looking across the state and where we can be useful.

Okay, great. Thank you.

Yeah.

Any further questions, Members? I think they asked a lot of my questions, so I won't have any questions for you. Thank you. So you're good. Thank you again. Okay, we'll move on to Our next nominee. GM626.

This is submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council gubernatorial nominee Sean Nakamura for a term to expire on June 30, 2027. DLIR Director Butai. Okay. In support. Thank you. Director Mesolucha. And support. Thank you. And then we also have Kelly uioka and Dane Wicker in support.

That completes our list of registered testifiers for GM626. Anyone else that wishes to testify on this measure? Members, any questions for the testifiers? If not Mr. Nakamura. Aloha and welcome.

Thank you. Chair, Vice Chair. Members of the Committee, Sean Nakamura. You know, for me, it's really personal. I think a lot of people shared their testimony as well. I have a young son.

I would like to have a place for him just as I've been very fortunate to come come back home to the place where I was born. I think for me, looking back at my great grandparents working in the cane fields and other, that was a form of workforce development at the time.

And for me, I kind of really hearkened back to that time, and I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for them and kind of the path that they paved. I have over 20 years of different finance and accounting experience currently. I've been lucky to be on the performance management and Finance Committee.

I think I can bring a lot to that, not only in the compliance side, but I think looking beyond that and how we can kind of partner and really provide value. I kind of listened to a lot of the.

The different committees as well as the performance monthly management meetings, and I can kind of hear the frustration from them as well. And hopefully over time, I can kind of learn be a part of that and really provide value for the Committee.

So happy to answer any questions you have, but, yeah, excited to be here and thank you for the opportunity.

Members, any questions for Mr. Nakamura?

Senator Moriwaki. Why not? I noticed that you are in this Committee to evaluate the program performance and assure fiscal accountability. I'm just wondering, is this your second term?

No, first.

So have you been able to see what they've been doing so far and how might you. We're always looking for metrics and return on investment and so forth that you might have some ideas on how we can really have at least For Hawaii performance metrics that really count, that have outcomes.

Yeah, absolutely. You know, I'm still honestly learning and getting my feet underneath me. What I've seen from so far is, I think, working with Binette and team, really, to try to standardize the different reporting metrics to make sure that the different federal monies that we're getting from for we all are being spent.

I know there's some challenges there, timing. There's a number of different factors which I won't go into great depths, I think, as far as the opportunity.

I look at some of the metrics out there, and if we're looking over the next decade of about, let's say, 170,000 of potential people entering the workforce over the next decade, but yet only able to provide for 100 to 120, there's a huge gap there.

And if part of our outcomes is to be able to fill that gap, however big or small, I would love to do 100%. It's kind of my goal.

But that's really, I think, on our end, starting with the federal monies and making sure that we can use what we're given to start off with and then build upon that. But really working with team over here, and I think the future is bright, but we gotta start from the ground up.

I think if, in fact, we have federal monies, I don't think we should depend only on federal monies. I mean, we have the. That came out of needing internship programs. But I think your consul should also be looking at what are the gaps from the federal side that the state can provide.

And having some metrics to say this is an important area would be helpful for us to see that, you know, hey, the federal isn't covering this, but we really need to if we want to keep our kids here. Here.

Yeah, no, that's something definitely I'll be looking into. I don't have a detailed answer for this time, but don't worry.

Thank you. Any other questions? If not Mr. Nakamura? I do have a few questions, and I know I did ask you this when we did meet, so thank you for the time. Is how do we also in the field that you work in, in financial services, in that industry, how do we create a pipeline for our youth?

Who, you know, I think now with the help of financial literacy as a program in the doe, that will help to get youth interested in finance. But what do you see in your role in WDC and creating that pipeline for those that may want to go into that industry?

Yeah, I think on our end I'm switching to my day job. Hat but creating internships on that, how we can partner up. I think a lot of public partner partnerships is a good way to go, getting them exposure. A lot of people don't realize that that's an opportunity and a field they can go into.

A lot of people, we also deal with insurance on our side, kind of fall into it, if you will. I think, you know, the partnerships that you guys create and the programs that you mentioned is a good start.

And building upon that, I think a lot of it is just informing them that that opportunity is there for them if that's something they're interested in. Because it's not really taught in school. Right. You don't take a financial accounting class. It's math class, English and other.

But maybe if we can evolve or create those pathways for them, they can kind of see that future.

I have a question.

Yeah, thank you.

Go for it. Senator Moriwaki.

So you brought up something. When we're talking about pipeline, we're talking about education, that you don't think about that in finance. You think, gee, math. But is there, I mean, looking at your background or others in your field, creating that pipeline, as the chair says, what kind of courses do you need to take?

What do we need to do in the Department of Education? College. That. That we can really start to. To. To educate kids so that they really can get those jobs in finance. Because we think, gee, that's so high power. Can't do that.

Yeah. I was lucky. Where I went, there was an economics course offered, I think financial literacy, kind of rounding out beyond the basics of, you know, math, science and other. But I recognize there are limited resources and other that maybe prohibit kind of these specialized or niche programs.

Economics is a key one that I took basic money management and other things beyond like just practical application of that. I think a lot of people, when they come out, they struggle with financial literacy, of how to manage their own books.

I think if you could teach kids that class and let them know that actually there's professions that specialize in that, I think that opens the door for a lot of opportunities. And to your point, the pathway and the pipeline. Pipeline.

Okay, good. Thank you.

I think those are great questions that. Senator Moriwaki, which also triggered me to ask this question, if you're okay sharing. Absolutely. You mentioned that you moved to the continent and came back. What drove you to come back? Yeah.

I know for a lot of people here in the room that are on WBC, you know, they don't want to see their kids Go away. Right. And then be sort of gone forever on the continent. Like what. What was your driving factor? Yeah. And how. How can you create that bridge and reconnection coming home?

For me, it was deeply personal with my family here. I think I was on the Mainland for a bit. Went to college in LA. What kind of drew me back there is a pay differential. I think we're all aware of that. There has to be something here as we look forward.

Building different types of businesses, different types of opportunities. Whether it's in technology. I know there's a lot of potential renewable energy here. I think finding that special IT that can draw the next people. Not everyone's going to have that family drive that I had. Right. I made that conscious decision. Luckily I was able to find housing here.

I think that's also part of the equation as well. Workforce plus workforce housing. I think the two go hand in hand. If you don't have a place to live, it doesn't matter. You know what great job you have. You know, you're kind of out of luck.

And so I know that's much broader than maybe the WDC here, but I think if we can think broader on those terms, I think that's really part of the overall solution. And so maybe for us and team here in the council, working with that component on the housing side, I think is part of the equation.

That also was part of my drawback. I was lucky enough to find housing here in addition to find a job.

Thank you. Any further questions, Members? If not, thank you so much, Mr. Nakamura. Thank you. Really appreciate it. Move on to our next Measure, which is GM5.04. This is submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council gubernatorial nominee George Denise for a term to expire on June 30, 2030.

And list of registered testifiers beginning with Director Butai. Okay. In support. Thank you. Keith Ayashi, Superintendent for DOE. In support. Ricky is superintendent online.

Not present, Chair.

Thank you so much. Director Mesolucha. Okay. In support. Thank you. And then that's all that I have that have registered to sign up. And the following individuals. All in support. Support. I do see some Members from gca. I don't know if GCA wants to testify. Ryan Sakuda. Okay. Standing on testimony and support. Thank you.

Okay.

We have a person by the name of Chelsea from Ralph Inouye in support. Leonard Leong, Richard Hell Held and K. Plitz, all in support. That completes our list of registered testifiers for GM504. Anyone else on GM504? Members, any questions for any of the testifiers? If not, we'll call on the nominee. Mr. George Denise. Aloha and welcome.

Thank you for waiting. Thank you for your time.

Yes, if you want to introduce yourself and why you want to serve and if this is your first term or a reappointment.

My name is George Denise, first term. I am the Director of Construction for CBRE and Turner and Townsend. Just like to help grow our industry as well as our community at large. Trying to make a more resilient Hawaii and give more opportunities for people.

I think we have a lot of opportunities here that people don't know about, that introducing them to might change their opinions about packing up and leaving or a different career choice. And then I think a lot of it's just introducing them to it.

And I think this committee's job is to be that North Star and kind of help guide it through the various different. Open up those doors so that everybody can see them and think about it and explore them and then can make better choices for themselves that allow them the opportunity to stay or if they decide to leave.

But you know, they have the full fledged decision making capability and see all the opportunities that are here for them.

Thank you. Members, any questions for Mr. Denise? If not, the Chair has one question. You have a unique background in construction and construction management.

So how do you see your role on WDC, as you mentioned in some of your opening remarks, as creating that pipeline in Northstar to get more youth or people involved and engage in this field?

Yeah. So as a representative of the General Contractors Association, I mean, a big part of it is representing our Members and our industry at large. But you know, a really common thing that we hear in the General contracting industry is how did you get there? And the answer is, you know, I kind of fell into this.

I didn't even know this existed. I didn't think about the fact that there are this many different trade units, that there's this different. This many different types of positions, whether it be marketing or legal, accounting and all these specialties that exist. They just thought, you know, carpenter and superintendent kind of thing.

And it's just something that a lot of people don't even know about. And so. Sorry, I kind of lost my train of thought there. But I guess, I mean, that's kind of just the thought process is bringing that same thought not just to our industry, but to others too. And sharing like, hey, here's what worked for us.

We tried this. And then seeing something that worked for somebody else and saying here we should try this.

Thank you. Members, any questions?

Vice Chair lamassa So what has been working then for your industry and what hasn't since you talked a little bit

about that, a lot of hands on engagement. And so it's just been never letting up. So we have programs that work with, uh, hcc, we're working with the high schools and the CTE programs to try and get our, get more touches with those groups.

It's a lot of events, it's a lot of putting our name out there and talking to people and helping the, you know, the trade unions and the contractors and the schools understand there's a way, there's a path for them to start touching. You know, previously we were focusing on high school.

Now on top of high school, we're starting to focus on middle school and even introducing at the elementary level so that people can just start learning about it and just hearing about it. And obviously what you're trying to share at high school level is different knowledge you're trying to share at elementary.

But it's trying to show, make that door open from day one. Because when you talk to little kids, I mean, what do they say? I want to be a doctor, I want to be a firefighter.

You know, it's these big things that they know, they're the sexy positions that pop and it stands out to them and helping them see that there's all these other opportunities and don't look down on what dad did or what uncle did or those types of things. And so it's a lot of touches.

It's just constant touches of different places in different areas and never letting up.

So I have a follow up. Have you been seeing growth then in your industry as far as workforce, whether it be at a more managerial level or in trades? Since you folks have been doing all those workshops.

We have seen a little bit. We've had some great experiences where we've been running this breaking ground program. And originally it was working directly with high school students. And then we transitioned into working with teachers and partnering General contractors with those teachers so that they could touch more people and have a longer lasting relationship.

So now they have a relationship with the school and the students in that program. For four years at the school, the very first year, one of the coolest things that we had experience was we brought in some speakers talking about the different trades.

And one of the speakers was a young lady who actually went through the program with us. So we've had some anecdotal stuff. I would say that we are seeing more interest and more Openness to the trades.

It's still, it's a long sog, but I think we're seeing more openness to the opportunities that are there and the pathway that, you know, this can be a lifelong career. This can be a period of time.

And then you go from being the plumber or the carpenter whatever, to now having your own small plumbing business or your own small carpentry or cabinet shop, and you can transition that way.

We have a few that have, you know, people that have finished long terms in the unions and then stepped over to become teachers at the shops, things like that. So we've seen some, but it's also kind of early to be able to see some of the evidence playing through its way, all the way through.

Thank you.

And also as a follow up to Vice Chair Lamosao's question, you know, I even know, like, at the education level and the DOE, it's always hard to find a educator in the trades, whether it's pay or time. I mean, if you have a good educator in the trades, you are fortunate in that school. Yes.

So have you explored that in your career? And looking at what are ways maybe we can create some pipelines within the DOE to get people to want to teach courses?

I would say no fairly. I haven't actually explored it yet. It is something that we're thinking about. We talk about it. You know, we work with Whannell Connoisseur and her team a lot. And that's a constant challenge.

One of the things about breaking on 808 is it's, it's putting more of that information with the teachers who are teaching this. And some of them are retired carpenters or retired laborers or sheet metal workers. And that's great. They bring some trade information. We're bringing some new information to them.

Especially if they're 10-20 years out of the trades, there's things they haven't learned. A lot of them are relatively fresh out of college, out of the classroom, and they don't have any experience with this.

And so what we're doing is one, we're giving them kind of a glimpse into what goes on in the construction world today, what modern technologies and tools exist. And then we're also partnering them with a general contractor. And the idea there is, it's the phone, a friend.

It's like, hey, I want to teach this one particular subject, but I don't understand it. I saw what you taught us in that classroom. Would you be able to lend us a hand and help come teach it a little?

Or, hey, I have a student who really wants to go into carpentry, and they don't know where to start. She's afraid to walk down there to the carpenter's union. Would you come talk to her, maybe even help her out?

And now the general contractor comes and says, well, you know, I've seen her every time I've come for the last four years, and why don't you come join our trade? You know, we can escort you through the carpenters and bring you right up in our company.

So that's kind of the idea, is to try to help augment those teachers. And, you know, we're asking them to augment our workforce challenge. And so we're trying to help augment their education ability challenge.

Thank you. Okay, Any other questions, Members? Okay. If not, thank you so much. Thank you. We'll move on to our next nominee, which is GM503, submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council gubernatorial nominee Douglas Chang for a term to expire on June 30, 2030.

And on our list of testifiers, first up, Director Butai, DLIR. Okay. In support. Thank you. Director Missalucha, WD.C Okay. Standing on testimony and support. Thank you. And Mufi Hanneman, President CEO of Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association and former mayor, in support. Do you want to submit? Say anything, sir?

May I approach?

Yes, you may. Thank you. Aloha and welcome.

Aloha and welcome, Mr. Chair. Madam Vice Chair. Member Fevella. I wanted to come and say a few words.

I did submit testimony, but I think this is a major opportunity for the hospitality industry to really make some major inroads in working with the Department of Labor and the Workforce Development Council to underscore the fact that even though we may have the greatest number of job opportunities every year, year in and year out, we are facing some significant challenges going forward.

We have an aging workforce in some of our sectors of the hospitality industry. We've also lost many employees when we were struck with the pandemic and also with the Maui fires. They've moved to other places like Las Vegas and so forth.

And thirdly, I think this is an opportunity to also demonstrate the fact that our jobs are not only in the hotels or in the airlines. We're a big tent, and we cover a lot of aspects. Retail, restaurants, attractions, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

So what Doug Chang brings to the table is a seasoned veteran of the industry, someone who has served on boards, not just on Oahu.

I'm sorry, your time is up, but you can summarize.

Okay, so let me just summarize by saying this. I really believe that this is an excellent choice. He brings experience to the table and someone that I felt very strongly about that the state would be well worth it to have him on the commission here because he'll bring a strong hospitality perspective. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Hanneman. That completes our list of those who registered to testify on GM503. In addition to those testifiers, we also have Chad Shishido in support from Pearl City High School, Simeon Miranda, John Adel, Kikola McKellen for American Hotel and Lodging Association of Hawaii and Hotel alliance, and Laura Malia Sanders, all in support.

That completes our list of registered testifiers for GM503. Anyone else that wishes to testify on this measure? If not Members questions for any of the testifiers? If not, we'll call on the nominee, Douglas Chang. And thank you so much for coming all the way down from the North Shore.

Thank you so much. Chairman Elefante, Vice Chair Lamosao, Senator Fevella, I appreciate the opportunity to be here and be considered for the Hawaii Workforce Development Council.

As noted, I have been in hospitality for a number of years here in Hawaii, raised on the island of Oahu, had the privilege of working on Kauai, on Maui, and now back here 10 years in Waikiki, and most recently the last year and a half up at the Ritz Carlton, Oahu, Turtle Bay.

And so I bring this perspective of community, having been raised here and having worked my way up through the ranks. Started as a dishwasher, and here I stand before you as a General manager. And so I know the joys, I know the challenges of, of what it takes to be successful.

I maybe have a little different situation in hospitality. I'd love to bring more people home. We have well paying jobs. The last four executives that I hired on my team, I had to import talent from outside, which is unfortunate.

And so I think we have, as an industry, have to do a much better job of educating and marketing the diversity and the richness of opportunities within hospitality. And as Mufi said, it's more than hotels. Hospitality touches every one of us that are privileged to live here. So thank you for your consideration.

Thank you. And this is your first term or reappointment? First term, first term. Congratulations on that. With that Vice Chair Lamosao, any questions? Okay.

I don't see anyone else. I think you answered our questions, so thank you so much.

Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

And thank you for your work with Pearl City High School too.

It was fun.

Yes, thank you. Okay. With that, GM629 was deleted from the agenda. And so we'll move on to GM671, which is our Bless you.

Which is our last item on our agenda, which is submitting for consideration and confirmation to the board Board of Directors of the Pacific International Space center for Exploration Systems gubernatorial nominee William Frisby for a term to expire on June 302029.

And the only person that is listed to testify that submitted written testimony is Bonnie Irwin, Chancellor for the University of Hawaii. In support anyone else on GM671? Okay. If not all the way from Hilo, we have the nominee. Mr. Frisbee.

Aloha and welcome Aloha to the chair, Vice Chair and Committee for your time and efforts today and allowing me to speak on my consideration for appointment to the Board of Directors for Pisces. My name is William Frisbee.

I'm seeking to serve and it's going to be my first term on Pisces, mostly because what I've seen on these islands and what its youth can give to the community via Pisces and in turn grow and support the STEM industries, especially within the aeronautics and aerospace industry industries.

I currently lead and train about 50 cadets in Hilo and over 450 cadets across all of Hawaii in both leadership and STEM. So I definitely see what these organizations, especially like Pisces, can do for our overall community. My experience here with STEM on Big Island has showed me many things. Unfortunately, one of the biggest ones is weakness.

And as we've heard today, it's the lack of communities that opportunities to excite and enhance our youth. However, in the past few weeks, luckily I've been involved in both the Onazuka Day here on Big island as well as the county state science fair in Hilo this past weekend.

So I see that excitement is there if we can get this information in front of our youth and if we can keep our youth excited. But it's not just about exciting. Our youth is also about getting the parents involved to see that their kids can have a future.

Not just an education, not just doing X, Y and Z, but even going off island, getting their education on the mainland, then coming back and recontribute that back to our environment.

There's plenty of firm to do here in STEM on the island and a lot of the organizations that Pisces has memorandum of understanding with can really help keep that STEM excitement on the island, keep the Kids and the youth on the island, but also help them get a deeper and more robust education and then return that back to the community 10 times, three times.

And we all know once you get excited about something, you can give a lot back.

In case you can tell by the way I'm talking, Pisces allows us to spend a lot of time and efforts focusing on the youth of Hawaii and getting them into the development of new and innovative technologies that can really help the aerospace sector.

We've all seen the excitement about, you know, Artemis 2 launch and SpaceX and all this really, really incredible stuff that's been happening in a past five to seven years. Why not use Hawaii as a great starting off point for these kids who are getting really excited by that.

That in turn helps Hawaii in both economic diversification, getting corporations invested in Hawaii, and more importantly, Hawaii's youth and allowing the youth to return to the islands after getting that education. And so that's really all I have to say on that topic. Thank you for your time and I appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Members, any questions for Mr. Frisbee? Okay, and then the only question I have is, do you know how many Members are on Pisces currently?

Currently on Pisces, there are two leadership positions and 45 people on the board of directors.

Okay, and then you folks meet how often?

Usually once a month.

Once a month. Okay, thank you. Any other questions? Okay, if not, thank you so much, Mr. Frisbee. Thank you. I appreciate your time. Thank you. Members, if you're okay, we'll roll into decision making.

Okay, One by one we can vote on another individually.

Yeah. Okay. Well, now we'll roll into decision making on our 3pm agenda. And thank you to all those who are here today that have, whether you've brought your ohana or co workers or friends to support. Really appreciate it.

And just before we get into the decision making, I just want to say that the caliber of individuals that have come before our Committee and the selections from the governor's office and working through DLIR and WDC, really impressive candidates. So thank you so much for volunteering your time to serve. We really appreciate it, especially in this space.

So with that Chair's ready to make my recommendation, we'll just go in order, chronological order and we'll take it individually. So first up is GM 630. This is consideration for Hawaii Workforce Development Council for Cary Miyashiro. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent any further discussion.

Okay.

If not, Vice Chair Lamosao for the vote. Chair votes Aye.

On GM 6:30. Recommendation of the Chair is to advise and consent. [Roll Call] Chair, your completion is adopted.

Congratulations, Cary. Move on to our next item. GM628. This is consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council for Rona Fukamoto. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent any further discussion. If not, Vice Chair Lamaso for the vote. Chair votes Aye.

Okay. For GM 628. Recommendation of the Chair is to advise and consent. Noting the excuse absence of Senator Moriwaki for the remainder of the agenda. Anyone voting with reservations or no? Hearing none. All Members present. Chair your vote Aye. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Congratulations, Rona. Next up is GM 631. This is consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council gubernatorial nominee Keith DeMello. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent any further discussion. If not, Vice Chair Lamosao for the vote. Chair votes Aye.

Members voting on GM631. Recommendation of the chairs to advise and consent. Anyone voting with reservations or no? Hearing none. All Members present. Chair vote Aye. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Congratulations, Keith. Next up on Our agenda is GM512. This is submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council for Jason Benn. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent any further discussion. If not, Vice Chair Lamosao for the vote. Chair votes Aye.

Okay. Members voting on GM512. Recommendation of the Chair is to advise and consent. Anyone voting with reservations or no? Hearing none. All Members present. Chair vote Aye. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you, Vice Chair Lamosao. Congratulations, Jason. Next up is GM626. This is consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council. Sean Nakamura. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent any further discussion. If not, Vice Chair Lamosao for the vote. Chair votes Aye.

Members voting on GM626. Recommendation of the Chair is to advise and consent. Anyone voting with reservations or no? Hearing none. All Members present vote Aye. Chair your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you, Vice Chair. Congratulations, Sean. Next up on Our agenda is GM504. This is consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council. George Denise. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent any further discussion. If not, Vice Chair Lamosao for the vote. Chair votes Aye.

Okay. Voting on GM504. Recommendation of the Chair is to advise and consent. Anyone present wanting to vote with reservations or no? Hearing none. Chair your your application is adopted.

Thank you. Congratulations, George. Next up is GM503. This is consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council. Douglas Chang. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent any further discussion. If not, Vice Chair Lamosao for the vote. Chair votes Aye.

Okay, Members voting on GM503 recommendation of the Chair is the to advise and consent anyone present wanting to vote with reservations or no? Hearing none. Chair all Members present vote Aye. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Congratulations, Douglas. And finally on our agenda is GM671. This is consideration and confirmation to the board of directors for Pisces for William Frisbee. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent any further discussion. If not, Vice Chair Lamosao for the vote. Chair votes Aye.

Okay, Members, we're voting on GM671. Recommendation of the Chair is to advise and consent anyone present wanting to vote with reservation or no? Hearing none. All Members present vote Aye Chair. Your condition is adopted.

Thank you so much, Vice Chair. And congratulations, William. And congratulations to all our nominees. This concludes our agenda for today. We are adjourned.