Philippines Aquino administration: Guilty for the “genocide of Tacloban” or simply stupid?

You live in Hawaii and voted for the Republicans. A tsunami destroys your home and you need help and turn to Government shelters only to be turned away. The reason: You did not vote for the Hawaii Democratic Party.

You think this is not possible? May be not yet in Hawaii, but what about in a country with a travel and tourism slogan: It's more fun in the Philippines?

Your city has just been struck by the strongest storm to ever make landfall in human history. You are anxious, homeless, restless, and mourning the death of a relative and/or relatives, and you are very hungry from days of not having eaten. You then proceed to a relief center only to be told that you did not vote for the ruling party, therefore, you are denied food.

You think this is not possible in a country with a travel and tourism slogan: It's more fun in the Philippines?

Hawaii based eTN Editor in chief published this important article in today's eTN.

Click here to read it.

Hawaii Governor names Judge Michael Wilson to Hawaii Supreme Court

 Gov. Neil Abercrombie today named Judge Michael D. Wilson as his nomination for associate justice to the state Supreme Court. This nomination will fill the upcoming vacancy when Associate Justice Simeon Acoba retires next month and is subject to state Senate confirmation.

Gov. Abercrombie joined Judge Wilson and his family members to announce the appointment in a news conference this afternoon in the Executive Office Ceremonial Room.

“Both on and off the bench, Judge Wilson is a well-respected leader,” Gov. Abercrombie said. “He brings a wealth of experience, having served as an attorney and Circuit Court judge. The Constitution and our kuleana responsibilities to it will be in good hands.”

“I am very grateful and humbled for being placed as a candidate by the Judicial Selection Commission and honored by the Governor’s appointment,” said Judge Wilson.

Judge Wilson, 60, has served on the First Judicial Circuit since 2000, presiding over the felony trial calendar, drug court and mental health court. Previously, he was a chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources and Commission, commissioner for the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission and executive director for the state Division of Consumer Advocacy.

A graduate of Kailua High School, Judge Wilson earned a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin and a J.D. from the Antioch School of Law.

The high court is composed of a chief justice and four associate justices. Judge Wilson is Gov. Abercrombie’s third appointment to the state Supreme Court. Justices are nominated by the Governor from a list of names submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission. A justice’s nomination is subject to confirmation by the state Senate. Each justice is initially appointed to a 10-year term. All justices must retire at age 70.

                                          

Who is Lori Michimoto? Did only one qualified journalist attended Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau media event in New York?

Who is Lori Michimoto, and who is  Michimoto Communications in Kaneohe?
Her website domain listed on an invitation email on behalf of the the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau (@MauiVisit is invalid.

A phone number for Michimoto Communication is not listed on any emails or websites. Directory assistance in Hawaii did not find a number listed under Michimoto Communication. This mystery PR company sent an email invitation on behalf of MVCB to invite journalists to a New York media event. It  did not include an email address under a valid domain.  No connection to the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau was included.

Lori however shows an impressive profile on her Linkedin.
According to her public profile, she was Vice President, Travel & Tourism for  McNeil Wilson Communications from January 1999 – February 2006. She lists Hawaiian Airlines, the Kauai Visitors Bureau among her clients.

New Yorkers are very sophisticated. With dozens of similar events in New York every day, journalists would verify invitations. No phone contact, invalid domains and no contact for MVCB, no email address under the MVCB domain name may explain journalists in the Big Apple did not take the well meant invitation serious. Maui after all had been voted as the most beautiful island in the world- and one expects much.

This may explain the low attendance of the Maui Media Marketplace at the Westin Hotel New York at Times Square today.

Airports in New York cancelled hundreds of flights today due to the weather. Of course this did not help, but according to Manhattan based eTN editor Dr. Elinor Garely, streets were open and public transportation was working fine all day.

Only 6 guests showed up at the Westin hotel this morning to attend the Maui journalist event. According to a reliable source only one out of the 6 that attended should have been qualified as a journalist. One person was a PR agent and she took her daughter along. It remains unclear what qualification one of the six participants had to win an all expenses paid trip to Maui.

Lori Michimoto in her invitation email to journalists in New york promised:

Be ready for some fun exchange with the Maui partners listed below. And don’t forget your business card for the trip drawing to Maui!

Maui went all out and brought 9 senior executives to New York.
Michimoto said in her invitation:
You will be meeting:

·         Mr. Keli’i Brown, director of public relations, Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau

·         Julie Bicoy, director, Destination Moloka’i Visitors Bureau

·         Shelley Kekuna, executive director, Ka’anapali Beach Resort Association

·         Kathleen Costello, director of marketing/communications, Wailea Resort Association

·         Candy Aluli, public relations, Napili Kai Beach Resort

·         Sumithra Balraj, director of public relations, The Westin Maui Resort & Spa / Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas

·         Megan Haertling, director of public relations, The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui

·         Steven Holt, market director, The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua

·         Xorin Balbes, owner, Lumeria Maui

It remains unclear how many journalists were invited, and how many did not make an attempt to go to the event with no phone number or valid domain listed for a response, specially under today's circumstances. Most press events in New York attract between 100-200 journalists.

eTN reached out to Terryl Vencl, Executive Director of the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Here is her response: 

Media Blitz Purpose

With myriad destinations worldwide seeking media attention, it is essential MVCB continues to meet face-to-face and maintain top-of-mind awareness. New York City is the media/publishing capital of the U.S. and critical to Maui Nui's success as a world-class visitor destination.

We targeted print and broadcast journalists (staff and freelance), as well as social media travel influencers (SMTI’s).  Media were qualified as being open to covering our islands as well as those who have been published in key outlets within the past year, and/or hosting an active blog or a significant presence with other social media outlets. Print circulation, website traffic and social media analytics were all considered and provided to our traveling partners.

Our media blitzes provide MVCB and our Maui Nui partners opportunities to get reacquainted with media and meet new media. Our objective is to present consistent messages including "What’s New?" or "in development" across our islands. This holds true for all of MVCB’s destination partners (those who attend our blitz, and equally, those who do not).

Timeline

MVCB's New York City Media Blitz blitz began on Monday. Over the last four days, we conducted desk-side meetings with editors and "on staff" media with various publications. Today, we hosted two "media marketplaces" where we invited journalists to join us at our hotel. These individuals are primarily those who we don't have the opportunity to meet via desk-side appointments as they do not have "offices."   

Maui Nui Partners and Media Marketplace Attendees

There were three (3) MVCB employees (Lori assists Kelii our PR Director on Media Blitzes) and seven (7) Maui industry partners who participated in our media blitz this week. The Maui industry partners pay their own expenses to NYC, indication of how valuable they think this program is. While we typically target approximately 12 journalists for each media marketplace, today's terrible storm clearly affected attendance. Once we realized awful weather would "hit" today, we had two choices -- cancel or Imua! The entire team decided to "charge forward" and proceed since we were already there this was our best and quite frankly, only option. 

Outlets/follow-up

MVCB will follow-up with all media we met and will work with individuals to develop Maui Nui story angles and editorial placements. Below are the most recognizable outlets we met with. There was a solid mix of "staff" and "freelance" journalists representing niches including general travel, family, romance, health and wellness, spa, cuisine, the LGBT market, and more.

- About.com

- The Advocate

- Afar

- American Way

- The Atlantic

- BET.com

- Bridal Guide

- Brides

- Conde Nast Travel

- Ebony

- Endless Vacation

- Family Circle

- Fitness

- Fodor's Travel

- Food & Wine

- FoxNews.com

- Hemispheres

- Hotel Scoop

- Huffington Post

- Islands

- Manhattan Bride

- Martha Stewart Weddings

- Men's Journal

- The New York Times

- Organic Spa

- Out and Out Traveler 

- Outside

- Parents

- Redbook

- Sherman's Travel Media

- Smithsonian

- The Knot

- Travel + Leisure

- Travel Agent

- Tripfilms.com

- Vogue

- The Wall Street Journal

- Weight Watcher's magazine

- Yahoo

Media Visits

Finally, we will pinpoint various journalists for visits to Maui Nui. The individuals we invite/bring to Maui Nui under our Press Trip or our Individual Media Visit programs are those we further “qualify” and believe provide the best “return on investment” for our islands. 

Additionally, I am not sure why you were not able to find Lori's contact information as the invitation had her current information as the contact person for the RSVP. 

I hope the above helps you understand our media blitz efforts as well as the challenges we faced today due to the weather. We truly appreciate and take seriously the integral role we play as a leader in Maui Nui's visitor industry.

Hawaii third most popular destination for vacation rentals

TripAdvisor^®, the world's largest travel site*, today announced the results of its fifth annual vacation rental survey of more than 1,100 U.S. respondents, which shows that 52 percent plan to stay at a vacation rental in 2014, up eight percent compared to those who stayed in a rental last year. The top three reasons travelers will choose a vacation rental over a hotel stay this year are: more living space (67%), lower rates than hotels (53%), and better amenities (50%). Ninety-four percent of U.S. respondents who have previously stayed in a rental said they were satisfied with their experiences.

@TripAdvisor survey reveals 52% of U.S. travelers planning a vacation rental stay in 2014. Tweet

Families Favor Vacation Rentals

Sixty-one percent said they have booked a rental home when traveling with family or a large group and of those respondents, 48 percent said the main reason they enjoy a rental is spending time together in common living space. Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they had an "excellent" vacation rental experience bonding with family.

Travelers Look to Rental for Value
Eighty-seven percent of all U.S. respondents maintain they would stay at a vacation rental instead of another accommodation if it meant saving money; of that group, 27 percent said they would not need to save money to choose a vacation rental over a hotel. Twenty-one percent said they have booked a vacation rental because they were on a budget.

Here's what travelers plan to spend per night at vacation rentals:

• $100-200: 45%
• $200-300: 22%
• Less than $100: 14%

Settings and Seasons 
Most popular U.S. regions for vacation rental stays in 2014:

• Southeast – 33%
• Northeast and Southwest (tied) – 15%
• Hawaii – 11%

Thirty-two percent will stay at a rental outside of the U.S. and of those traveling internationally, 53 percent will rent in Europe; 30 percent in the Caribbean islands; and 13 percent in Mexico.

The top settings for vacation rental stays in 2014:

• Beach / ocean – 65%
• City – 27%
• Mountains – 18%
• Island and countryside (tied) – 17%
• Lake – 13%

Summer is the most popular season for vacation rentals as 65 percent plan stays between June and August. The most popular months for stays are: July (25%) and October (22%)

Hawaii Symphony Orchestra presents Star Wars and more: The Best of John Williams

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra today announced it is presenting its first “Pops” concert this spring with a performance of “Star Wars and More: The Best of John Williams.” Stuart Chafetz will conduct the special, one-performance show at the Blaisdell Concert Hall on Friday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. The excitement of Tinseltown will come alive with music from “Star Wars,” “E.T.,” “Schindler’s List,” “Jaws,” “Harry Potter,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and more.

“I am thrilled to be back and conducting the Hawaii Symphony in such a great, fun-filled tribute to an American icon, John Williams,” Chafetz said. “This program showcases the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra performing a variety of Williams’ greatest movie scores. It’s a chance to relive some of the most memorable musical moments in Hollywood history. I can’t wait to share it with our audience.”

Chafetz is a conductor with an affable podium demeanor and a keen sense of audience engagement. He is well known to Hawaii audiences and has become a sought-after pops conductor on the mainland. Chafetz will be on the podium this season in Baltimore, Houston, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Columbus and in many other cities. He previously held posts as Resident Conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Associate Conductor of the Louisville Orchestra. Chafetz was also the principal timpanist of the Honolulu Symphony for 20 years.

“We are very excited to have Stuart bring his great pops program home to Honolulu,” said HSO Executive Director Jonathan Parrish. “We think the audience will be delighted to see our musicians perform some non-classical classics.” Tickets range from $27 to $71 and go on sale Friday at 9 a.m. at the Blaisdell Box Office, online at www.HawaiiSymphonyOrchestra.org or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

HSO’s six-concert Halekulani Masterworks Spring 2014 series begins March 16 with an all-Beethoven concert.

About the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra
The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Hawaii’s orchestra, is composed of 84 professional musicians who have won the enthusiastic praise of the nationally and internationally renowned soloists and guest conductors who have performed with it.

The 2014 HSO season is supported by the State of Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Office of Community Services.

For more information or to make a donation, please visit: http://hawaiisymphonyorchestra.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HawaiiSymphony

Social Media Club Hawaii announces 2014 Board of DIrectors

Social Media Club Hawaii (SMCHI) today announced its 2014 Board of Directors whose one-year term runs from February through January 2015.

SMCHI is dedicated to connecting social media professionals to advance social media literacy, improving industry standards and conditions, and providing education and promoting ethical behavior in the social media industry and related fields.

Gwen Woltz, co-founder of Wahine Media and returning SMCHI president, said the chapter’s goal for the year includes expanding awareness of the organization, building bridges to other related communities, establishing a formal presence on the neighbor islands, expanding membership and benefits, and increasing sponsorships and partner relationships.

The 2014 Board of Directors is:
·       Gwen Woltz of Wahine Media (President and Events Chair)
·       Shelly Simpson of Small and Mighty Marketing (Events Committee)
·       Jennifer Armstrong of Kaia Consulting (Events Committee)
·       Tara Coomans of Akamai Marketing (Membership Chair)
·       Liberty Peralta of PBS Hawaii (Membership Committee)
·       Loryn Guiffre of Maryknoll School (Communications Chair)
·       Shauna Goya of Communications Pacific (Public Relations)
·       Trey Roy of Wahine Media (Social Media)
·       Amanda Tompkins, social media and interactive media specialist (Social Media)
·       Joaquin Villarreal of OFM Multimedia Labs (Blogger)
·       Richel Cole of the YWCA of Oahu (Email Marketing)
·       Sylvia Dahlby of SmartSearch (Sponsorship Chair)
·       Shiloh Swanson, freelancer (Tech Chair)
·       Denise Laitinen, freelance writer editor and journalist (Big Island representative)
·       Ali Catalano, social media strategist and blogger (Big Island representative)
·       Peter Liu of Bump Networks and TEDxMaui (Maui representative)

Social Media Club Hawaii has more than 70 members and holds about four public educational events a year. There are also member-only events and training seminars.

For more information about Social Media Club Hawaii, visit www.smchawaii.org. Follow us on Twitter (@smchi) and Facebook (facebook.com/smchi).

About Social Media Club

The Social Media Club is an international organization devoted to developing and sharing best practices in social media: conversation, transparency, and authenticity. Meetings are currently free and open to the public. It was founded in San Francisco in 2006 and has more than 200 chapters worldwide. It is a nonprofit educational organization, a 501(c)6.

Flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Hawaii National Guard soldier Drew M. Scobie

As a mark of respect for the memory of Sgt. Drew M. Scobie, Gov. Neil Abercrombie has ordered that the flags of the United States and State of Hawaii shall be flown at half-staff at all state offices and agencies, as well as the Hawaii National Guard, from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, the day of his memorial service.

“The people of Hawaii are thinking of Drew, who volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan last year as a testament to his convictions,” Gov. Abercrombie said. “We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family and friends as we mourn the loss a brave and selfless man.”
                                                                                                             
Scobie, 25, of Kailua, attended Kalaheo High School and worked as a perioperative technician aide at Straub Clinic & Hospital. He died in an aircraft crash at Bagram Airfield in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, on Jan. 10. Sgt. Scobie was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery, in Wahiawa, as a fire direction officer.

Outrigger announces key management changes

Outrigger Enterprises Group, is pleased to announce the following appointments and promotions:

Aurelio Garcia joins the Outrigger Reef on the Beach as executive chef, responsible for the resort’s Kani Ka Pila Grille and banquet food preparation, production and control, ensuring high standards of quality are met. Previously, Garcia was chef at the Ocean House and executive chef at the former Sam Choy’s Breakfast Lunch & Crab. Garcia is a member of the American Culinary Federation and attended The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York.

Mizuki “Mindy” Mabuchi joins Outrigger Hotels and Resorts as sales manager – Japan/Asia. Mabuchi previously served as an executive consultant for RGF Jalan USA Inc. Previously, Mabuchi was sales/marketing/media producer in the Travel Information Division of Recruit Co., Ltd. (Jalan headquarters).

Ian Milley was promoted to director of business performance and provides a centralized source for consumer insights, industry data, internal and competitive benchmarking and revenue performance. Prior to joining the Outrigger team, Milley worked for Life Settlement Solutions as financial analyst and pricing department manager and for Linsco/Private Ledger as a money desk disbursement supervisor.

Jamie Wong has assumed the position of director of revenue management for the Outrigger Reef on the Beach. Wong was previously director of revenue management for OHANA Hotels & Resorts. She holds the Certified Revenue Management Executive (CRME) designation from Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI).

David Reed has been promoted to director, systems and programming. Reed held several positions in hotel operations with Outrigger before information technology, initially as systems control coordinator, then as programmer analyst, senior project engineer and most recently as manager of application programming.

Hawaii boasts most expensive US destination for Presidents' Day weekend

KIHEI, Hawaii - Kihei, a small town on Hawaii's Maui Island, is the USA's most expensive destination this upcoming Presidents' Day weekend, based on the cost of its lodging. This finding was uncovered by the latest survey, which compared U.S. destinations according to their hotels rates for the period spanning February 14 to February 17 (Presidents' Day).

Click here to read the full article.

Swine Flu case on Oahu

eTN learned tonight about a case of Swine Flu or H1N1 virus has been confirmed this evening. The patient is an elderly man at the Hale Nani home on Oahu,

The patient had been at Hale Nani for several weeks and only tonight the diagnosis him infected and diagnosed as a  swine flu case was related to his relatives. He was transferred to an isolation room at the facility. Due to concerns in regards to payments the Hale Nani has not transferred him to an isolation unit of a hospital. eTN could not confirm if the Hawaii State Health Department was informed at this time.

Relatives are concerned for the patient to be now with other patients in an isolated room and may catch more viruses. The patient was originally treated after a heart attack.

Swine flu is highly contagious contagious and caused travel and tourism to South East Asia to collapse several years ago. It may be a high priority for Hawaii depending on this industry to do everything possible to avoid further spread of this disease. 

For people with mild cases of H1N1 flu, doctors probably won't give any prescription medicine. The treatment is just to stay home, stay away from other people, and take care of yourself. Mild H1N1 flu may go away on its own after a week or two.

Here is what you need to know about H1N1

Most people who catch H1N1 flu can take care of themselves at home; they will get better on their own in about two weeks. But some people get so sick from HN1 flu that they need to be treated in hospital. Some die from H1N1 flu.

These groups of people are more at risk for getting seriously sick from H1N1 flu. They are more likely to get flu complications like pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections. If they have long-term (chronic) diseases, the flu can make their disease symptoms worse:

H1N1 flu is a new kind of flu in humans. It's caused by a contagious virus. H1N1 flu infects the breathing tubes in your nose, throat, and lungs.

H1N1 flu has many names: it's also called swine flu, human swine flu, and influenza A H1N1.

H1N1 flu symptoms are similar to regular seasonal flu symptoms:

fever

cough

sore throat

body aches

headache

chills

no appetite (don’t feel hungry)

nausea, vomiting (throwing up) or diarrhea

runny nose

Warning signs of severe flu in adults – get emergency help right away if you have one or more of these signs

it's hard to breathe, you're short of breath

blue or grey lips

pain or pressure in your chest or stomach

suddenly dizzy

confused

dehydrated, not peeing (no urine)

lots of vomiting (throwing up)

seizures

your flu symptoms improve but then come back; your cough is worse and you have a fever.

Maui Whale Festival Presents "Whales Under the Stars":

MA'ALAEA, MAUI, HI -- A free outdoor presentation titled "Whales Under the Stars" will be offered by Pacific Whale Foundation as part of the Maui Whale Festival on Friday, February 14 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Kalama Park in Kihei. The public is invited.

The presentation will include thrilling videos and dramatic photos of whales shown on a large screen, with commentary by Greg Kaufman, the founder and Executive Director of Pacific Whale Foundation and author of numerous books, scientific and popular publications. A pioneer in noninvasive humpback whale research in the mid-1970s, Kaufman has studied whales for more than 35 years in Hawaii, Australia, Ecuador, Tonga and other parts of the Pacific.

By the Stage on the Ball Field at Kalama Park
"This is a fun and interesting way to spend part of what we call 'Whale-entine's Day' at the peak of whalewatching season on Maui," says Kaufman. "We'll be using the big stage, sound system and seating that will be at Kalama Park for World Whale Day the following day."

Kaufman is widely acknowledged as an innovator and leader in marine ecotourism. Kaufman is also a world leader in addressing whale protection issues, and is an Invited Participant to the International Whaling Commission’s Scientific Committee, serves on the Hawaiian Island Humpback National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Committee, and recently co-led the United Nations Environmental Programme's Regional Workshop on Marine Mammal Watching in the Wider Caribbean Region.

"I'll be sharing dramatic footage from Pacific Whale Foundation's research in Australia, Ecuador, Chile and Hawaii, news about whale protection efforts around the world, and the latest findings about these magnificent animals," says Kaufman. "It's a great way to get a closer look at whales and enjoy a starry night at the park."

Food and Drinks for Sale
Artisan pizza from Porto Mediterranean Grill and Pizzeria will be available for sale, along with soft drinks.

A limited number of chairs will be available for use at no charge or attendees can bring their own lawn chairs and blankets. If you wish to reserve a chair seat, please call Pacific Whale Foundation at (808) 249-8811 ext. 1 between 6 am and 9 pm daily.

Pacific Whale Foundation is a nonprofit international organization dedicated to protecting our oceans through science and advocacy. To learn more about Pacific Whale Foundation, please visit www.pacificwhale.org.

The Maui Whale Festival continues through March. To learn more about the Maui Whale Festival events, please visit www.mauiwhalefestival.org.

Sixth Annual North Shore Chamber of Commerce Business Expo

The North Shore Chamber of Commerce's 6th Annual Business Expo will take place on Friday, May 2^nd at Waimea Valley on the North Shore. This year's theme is: "The North Shore Experience: Learn, Grow, Prosper." This event will bring together businesses and nonprofits from Kaena to Kualoa that make up the unique North Shore experience including agriculture, dining, retail, art, manufacturing,  ocean sports and recreation, and visitor attractions in the beautiful setting of Waimea Valley.  It will focus on what's special about the region as well as provide opportunities for growing your business.  Businesses and others that are part of this North Shore Experience as well as those that serve the North Shore region are invited to participate in this event.

Kicking off the event will be keynote speaker Peter Apo, Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee and cultural tourism consultant, who will talk about the special challenges of being a destination community while maintaining the community's unique identity.  He will talk about the roles of the place, guest, and host in creating the North Shore Experience. More information will be forthcoming about this year's speakers, panelists, workshops and a very special pau hana networking event.

The Chamber is currently seeking sponsors to support the event.  Sponsorship offers a wonderful opportunity to assist in the professional development of more than 150 Expo attendees, network with over 30 exhibitors, and get your name, service or product out to the North Shore community.  For more information on sponsorship, go to www.GoNorthShore.org or call the Chamber at (808) 637-4558. Deadline is Friday, February 28.

About the North Shore Chamber of Commerce (NSCOC)

Haleiwa Main Street, DBA the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, a charitable

501 c 3, was founded in 1985 to encourage economic development through historic preservation. Today, the Chamber exists to promote, maintain, and encourage the historic, cultural, civic, and economic welfare of the North Shore district through research, education, advocacy, and related activities.

Hawaii Governor Taps Bhagowalia as Chief Advisor on Technology, Cyber-Security

HONOLULU – Gov. Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment and promotion of Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia as Chief Advisor for Technology and Cyber-Security, effective Feb. 18, 2014. The new executive leadership position was created to establish Hawaii as a premier technology and cyber-security hub in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as to strengthen ties between Hawaii and Washington, D.C. in support of the state’s Business and Technology Transformation.

“Under Sonny’s exceptionally positive leadership and energy, the State of Hawaii has made great strides in developing a strong technology and security foundation, launching key programs to transform business and technology in the state, and charting a strong course for the future with a nationally recognized transformation plan,” Gov. Abercrombie said. “Now more than ever, we need Sonny to help our state take the next step by representing Hawaii at a national level to ensure we establish a cohesive technology and cyber-security strategy, position Hawaii for future federal collaboration and investments, and encourage our community stakeholders to continue to support Hawaii’s technology transformation.”

The Governor also highlighted significant accomplishments by Bhagowalia and his extended CIO team over the past two and a half years in a detailed annual report, released today and available for download at the state Office of Information Management Technology (OIMT) website: http://oimt.hawaii.gov

With this change, OIMT’s two deputy CIOs will be promoted into new roles to facilitate the office’s transition from key foundational activities, such as planning and designing new systems, to implementation. Deputy CIO of Operations Keone Kali will succeed Bhagowalia as state CIO, while Deputy CIO of Business Transformation Randy Baldemor will join the Office of the Governor as Director of Strategic Initiatives, both also effective Feb. 18, 2014.

Since its creation in 2011, OIMT has made tremendous progress in three overarching strategic areas: 

1.    Reengineering “the way we do business” (on-line versus waiting in-line)

2.    Modernizing and securing the technology infrastructure

3.    Establishing transparency and accountability through governance

Accomplishments highlighted in the comprehensive CIO Annual Report include:

1.    Aligning business and IT through four key programs (enterprise resource planning, tax, health IT, and business process reengineering)

2.    Strengthening the state’s critical security and technology infrastructure through four key programs (consolidated infrastructure, enterprise shared services, enterprise security/privacy, and the Hawaii Broadband Initiative)

3.    Implementing transparency and accountability through two key programs (open government and governance)

Departmental collaboration with OIMT, as explained in the report, further illustrates the depth and breadth of the transformation effort.

“The standard of excellence in leadership, program execution and teamwork set by Sonny provides a solid foundation for Hawaii’s future, and I commend him for his commitment and service to the people of the State of Hawaii,” Gov. Abercrombie added. “This is the right time to transition, and I am confident that Keone will maintain the high-quality execution of the state’s IT transformation plan and management of OIMT. In addition, Randy’s newly established position within my office demonstrates our commitment to furthering this effort, and it will facilitate the strategic alignment of priorities and resources on key business transformation initiatives as well as fostering greater coordination and collaboration across departments.”

Bhagowalia said: “I thank the Governor, my fellow directors, my extended ‘ohana’ of CIOs, all our staff, and the people of Hawaii for their unwavering support of the transformation. We are proud of the major accomplishments so far and excited about the road ahead for the great State of Hawaii. While I look forward to new horizons, I ask everyone for their continuing support of Hawaii’s next CIO, Keone, and Director of Strategic Initiatives, Randy, in their efforts to advance the transformation.”

Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia
Prior to being appointed as Hawaii’s first CIO in July 2011, Bhagowalia served for 11 years as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and one year in as a Senior Level (SL) employee of the U.S. Government. He served as the Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in Washington, D.C., supporting five national White House programs for the Federal CIO. He previously held two CIO executive leadership roles at the U.S. Department of the Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education within the U.S. Department of the Interior. He also served with the FBI CIO within the U.S. Department of Justice for seven years as a SES (at Assistant Director level) and one year as a SL. In addition to his public sector experience, Bhagowalia served with distinction for 14.5 years as Chief Engineer/Manager at Boeing in support of Systems Integration and Business Development for U.S. Government Civilian, Defense and Intelligence Community Clients. He is a graduate from Syracuse University and Louisiana State University with Masters and Bachelor’s Degrees in Engineering and Management.  He is a distinguished graduate (twice) from the National Defense University with CIO and IRM certification. He has won numerous national awards for executive excellence.

Keone Kali
Kali was named Deputy CIO in November 2012 and brings 20 years of experience in information technology, business development, and management in both the public and private sector. He previously served as the Director of Information Technology and acting Chief Technology Officer for the Pacific Disaster Center on Maui. Kali was also the CIO for the City of Beverly Hills, where he designed, executed and managed a comprehensive five-year Information Technology Master Plan, transformed the city’s technology architecture to support highly-available and accessible public services, and formed new revenue generating programs. He is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles.

Randy Baldemor
Baldemor also joined OIMT over a year ago and brings to his new position 14 years of diverse business and government experience, including as deputy director of the state Department of Taxation, where he led the IT modernization efforts and business process re-engineering activities that significantly improved tax return processing and refund issuances. He has also served as president of software development company DiscoveryBox, assistant vice-president of claims for Island Insurance Companies, and litigation partner at Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel LLP. Baldemor received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Florida and earned his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law.

The new chief advisor and director positions are being funded through a grant from the Hawaii Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting quality of life improvements in the state.

New Federal Lawsuit Charges Maui County with 1st Amendment Violations

Pastor Strat Goodhue and his wife, Doreen Goodhue, were unconstitutionally ordered to leave a Maui County public sidewalk where they were distributing religious literature.

HONOLULU – Maui County (“County”) is again in federal court, accused of violating the free speech rights of a Maui pastor and his wife.  In October, Pastor Strat Goodhue and his wife, Doreen, were peacefully handing out religious materials on the public sidewalk outside the Maui Fair when a Maui Police Department (“MPD”) Officer ordered them to leave.  When Pastor Goodhue asked a second Officer whether this was legal, the Officer replied that it was – and, worse, that Pastor and Mrs. Goodhue could also be ejected from other public sidewalks nearby (including in front of the police station) if they attempted to distribute religious literature.

The Goodhues did as instructed by the police, but had strong concerns about the actions of MPD and sought legal help from the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii Foundation (“ACLU”).   The ACLU and the law firm of Davis Levin Livingston filed a federal court lawsuit on January 7, 2014 and reached out to the County to discuss settling the case quickly and with minimal expense.  The County rejected this attempt to resolve this matter at an early stage, such that litigation will continue.

Pastor Goodhue said:  “Part of our mission is spreading God’s word.  The Maui Fair gives us an opportunity to spread our message to thousands of people on Maui – no other event gives us the same kind of chance to connect with so many people and spread the joy we’ve found through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and to obey God’s command to communicate to everyone about Him and His love and mercy.  All we are doing is offering people a Gospel tract. We don’t try to coerce anyone into taking one. The police ordered us to leave, and we complied, but it just felt wrong.  I reflected on it and thought: ‘Is this right? Can they really do this?’”  

Matthew Winter, with the law firm Davis Levin Livingston, added: “The fact is that the sidewalk is public space, and under the First Amendment, all are free to express their opinions there. While government may set some restrictions on the time, place and manner of speech in order to protect public safety, they are not allowed to unilaterally squash the voice of peaceful, law abiding demonstrators. Pastor and Mrs. Goodhue did the right thing in obeying the commands of MPD officers, but those commands were unconstitutional – and so today we are in court to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”

This is the second federal lawsuit charging First Amendment violations that has faced Maui County in just a few months – and, likewise, the second time in just a few months that Maui County has ignored the ACLU’s suggestion to resolve matters early before incurring substantial attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.  In September 2013, the ACLU and the County settled a case involving unconstitutional County rules that prohibited holding signs along public roadways.  As part of the settlement, Maui County agreed to revise its rules and practices.  ACLU of Hawaii Senior Staff Attorney Daniel Gluck noted: “The Constitution exists to put limits on government, and all government officials are sworn to uphold it.  Just a few months ago, we had to bring a lawsuit against Maui County because of its illegal policies on free expression on the roadways, for marches and sign waving. The fact that we now have to file a similar case concerning sidewalks, just to get the County to comply with the First Amendment, is of great concern to us and should be of great concern to all who reside on or visit the Valley Isle.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”) is our nation’s guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.