The Honorable Neil Abercrombie

Governor, State of Hawai‘i

Opening Remarks: The Administration's New Day for the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative

The Honorable Neil Abercrombie grew up in Williamsville, New York.  He came to Hawaii in September 1959, the month after statehood, to be a teaching assistant at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he earned a Master’s degree in sociology and later a Ph.D. in American Studies.  

For 30 years, Mr. Abercrombie served the people of Hawaii on all levels of government as a state representative, state senator, Honolulu City Council member and Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In November 2010, Mr. Abercrombie was elected as the State of Hawaii’s seventh Governor. He was inaugurated into office on December 4, 2010.

Dwight Takamine

Director, Department of Labor & Industrial Relations

Panel 1 (moderator): People--Do We Have the Jobs and Workers for Clean Energy?

Dwight Takamine is currently serving the Abercrombie Administration as Director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. He- graduated from Honokaa High School and went on to obtain his BA degree from the University of Hawaii-Manoa and his J.D. degree from the William Richardson School of Law. First elected to the State House of Representatives in 1984, he served until 2010, first as State Representative and then as State Senator for the last two years.

Jeff Matsu

Chief Researcher, DLIR Green Jobs Initiative

Panel 1: People--Do We Have the Jobs and Workers for Clean Energy?

Jeff directs the Hawaii Green Jobs Initiative (HGJI) at the Department of Labor & Industrial Relations. Launched in December 2009 with federal funding under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, this program aims to position the State of Hawaii as an innovation leader in green workforce development. Through its extensive partnerships across government, academia, business, industry, and the local community, the HGJI believes that a skilled, trained workforce will serve as the basis for Hawaii’s transition to a sustainable green economy. Jeff holds degrees in economics from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington, and was a research scholar at Osaka University and Kyushu University in Japan.

Darren Kimura

CEO & Chairman of the Board, Sopogy/Energy Industries Holdings

Panel 1: People--Do We Have the Jobs and Workers for Clean Energy?

Originally from Hilo, Hawaii Mr. Kimura began his energy career working in the Pacific Northwest the early 90’s. In 1994 he founded Energy Industries which is today one of the largest private energy services companies. In 1998 he established Energy Laboratories a technology incubator. In 2002 he created Sopogy a solar technology manufacturer. In 2007 he created Keahole Solar Power a renewable energy service company. Darren has been recognized as the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Green Entrepreneur of the Year, Energy Pioneer and received the Earth “Honua” Award from the Blue Planet Foundation.

David Lovelace

Training Director, Hawai‘i Electricians Joint Apprenticeship Committee

Panel 1: People--Do We Have the Jobs and Workers for Clean Energy?

David Lovelace, Acting Training Director for Local Union 1186, has a long history of experience in the electrical field. David began to instruct for the IBEW Local 1186 JATC in 1987 and Honolulu Community College in 1991. David has experience in instructing energy management training which includes: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training, Programmable Logic Controls, Building Automation, Photovoltaic and Direct Digital Controls. These training courses collectively seek to educate and train Electricians to perform work that results in more efficient and cleaner energy for the State of Hawaii.

Scott Murakami

Workforce Development Director, UH Community Colleges

Panel 1: People--Do We Have the Jobs and Workers for Clean Energy?

Scott Murakami serves as the Director of Workforce Development at the University of Hawaii, Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges. He has held a variety of leadership positions in higher education at private, non-profit and public institutions including serving as the Director of the Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training, and Provost and CEO at the Hawaii Technology Institute. Murakami also volunteers his time to serve a number of professional and civic organizations. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges, is the Immediate Past President of the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers, and a member of the Oahu Workforce Investment Board. Murakami holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science and Sociology, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and a Master in Accounting (MAcc) from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Richard Lim

Director, Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

Panel 2 (moderator): Capital--How Do We Attract more Capital and Financing?

Richard C. Lim is currently serving in the Abercrombie Administration as Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.  He graduated from Santa Clara University (BA) and Chaminade University (MBA).  He was formerly the Managing Director/Co-founder of Sennet Capital, LLC; President of CityBank Hawai‘i; EVP of International Savings; President of International Holding Capital Corporation (parent company of International Savings); and, from 1976 to 1988, worked in various capacities for International Holding Capital Corporation.  He was also the former publisher and co-founder of TIGR Report (Targeted Industries Growth Report), a monthly report in Hawaii Business Magazine reporting on key sectors with potential to diversify Hawai‘i’s economy.

Karl Fooks

President, Hawai‘i Strategic Development Corporation

Panel 2: Capital--How Do We Attract more Capital and Financing?

Karl is the president of the Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation, an agency of the state of Hawaii that partners with private sector investors to mobilize investment capital for the growth sectors of Hawaii’s economy. Formerly a managing director and head of Private Equity in Asia for J.P. Morgan & Co., Karl has extensive experience as an investment professional. Prior to that position, Karl was head of Mergers and Acquisitions in Asia for J.P. Morgan & Co. He holds a master’s degree from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and hails from the North Shore of Oahu.

Jae Kwak

Managing Member, Current Capital & Consulting

Panel 2: Capital--How Do We Attract more Capital and Financing?

Jae Kwak, Managing Director, has over 17 years of commercial banking experience with Bank of Hawaii.  Kwak spent the last 10 years in Bank of Hawaii's Equipment Leasing Division, and spent most of that time specializing in photovoltaic leasing and financing, with an emphasis in the finance of power purchase agreements, or PPAs. Current Capital specializes in placing equity and debt capital for photovoltaic projects for both owner users and investors.  Current Capital also develops photovoltaic projects for investors interested in the Feed-In-Tariff, or FIT.

Dawn Lippert

Project Manager, Hawai‘i Renewable Energy Development Venture

Panel 2: Capital--How Do We Attract more Capital and Financing?

Dawn Lippert joined Hawaii Renewable Energy Development Venture (HREDV) in 2009.  She is responsible for the organization’s investment portfolio, business training, and strategic partnerships. Prior to HREDV, Ms. Lippert was a senior consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton in Washington D.C.  She provided management consulting for renewable energy projects, including the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.  Previously, Ms. Lippert worked with Hawaii County to develop the island’s sustainable energy plan with the Kohala Center and the County, and worked on energy commercialization projects with The Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi, India.  She is also a LEED Accredited Professional. Ms. Lippert received her B.A. from Yale University and Master’s Degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Michael Pfeffer

Managing Partner, Kolohala Ventures

Panel 2: Capital--How Do We Attract more Capital and Financing?

Michael T. Pfeffer co-founded Kolohala in 2006. Mr. Pfeffer has over 10 years of experience in venture and private equity investing and entrepreneurship. From 2001 through 2005, he served as President and CEO of Persis Corporation, a Hawaii-based private equity firm with venture, media, and real estate holdings throughout the western US. In addition, in 1997 he co-founded Pinpoint Venture Group, LLC, a Seattle-based venture firm. In addition to his corporate duties, Mr. Pfeffer has also served the Hawaii community as a trustee for The Nature Conservancy Hawaii, Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, Honolulu Symphony, and Chaminade University, among others. Mr. Pfeffer holds three degrees in Anthropology: a BA in from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1991, an MA from the University of Hawaii in 1995, and an M.A. from the University of Washington in 1997.

Jeff Mikulina

Executive Director, Blue Planet Foundation

Panel 3 (moderator): Capitol--Is the Government Doing Enough to Advance Clean Energy?

Jeff Mikulina is the executive director of Blue Planet Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to end the use of carbon-based fuels on Earth. Prior to working with the Foundation, Jeff served for 10 years as the director of Hawai?i’s largest environmental advocacy organization, the Sierra Club, Hawai?i Chapter. His accomplishments in environmental advocacy include passing legislation that sets a binding cap on Hawai?i’s greenhouse gas emissions, requires that all new homes use solar water heaters, requires returnable deposits on all beverage containers, provides incentives for renewable energy use, establishes curbside recycling on Oahu and increases the funding of natural resources through tourism taxes. Jeff earned a Master’s of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying Decision Theory.

Representative Denny Coffman

Chair, House Committe on Energy & Environmental Protection

Panel 3: Capitol--Is the Government Doing Enough to Advance Clean Energy?

Representative Denny Coffman is in his second, two-year term in the Hawaii State House of Representatives, where he represents District 6 on Hawaii Island, which consists of North Kona, Keauhou, Kailua-Kona, and Honokohau.  He is the Chair of the Energy and Environmental Protection Committee and also sits on the Water, Land and Ocean Resources; Housing; Consumer Protection and Commerce; and Judiciary Committees.   Representative Coffman attended Coleman College in San Diego, California and obtained an Associate Degree in Data Processing.  He is also a graduate of National University in San Diego, California with a BA in Business Administration.  He has served in the US Army as a Specialist E4 with European NATO assignments.

Senator Mike Gabbard

Chair, Senate Committee on Energy & Environment

Panel 3: Capitol--Is the Government Doing Enough to Advance Clean Energy?

Mike Gabbard is a State Senator representing District 19 (West Oahu). He is the Chair of the Energy and Environment. He previously served as a Honolulu City Councilman for District 1 from 2003-2005. Senator Gabbard was instrumental in passing landmark energy legislation in Hawai'i to increase the renewable energy portfolio standard to 40% by 2030, to establish energy efficiency standards to achieve 4,300 gigawatts of electricity use reductions by 2030; to make the renewable energy technologies income tax credit refundable to spur increased investment; and to prohibit homeowner associations from imposing cumbersome restrictions on the installation of solar energy devices. He's also a proud owner of an all-electric Nissan Leaf.

Hermina Morita

Chair, Public Utilities Commission

Panel 3: Capitol--Is the Government Doing Enough to Advance Clean Energy?

Hermina Morita was appointed and confirmed as the Chair of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission in mid-March 2011 after resigning her seat as a State Representative representing East and North Kauai.  She served as a legislator for fifteen years, thirteen years as the Chair of the House Energy & Environmental Protection Committee.  As a Legislator, Chair Morita worked to enact many significant energy policies such as net energy metering, renewable portfolio standards, energy efficiency portfolio standards, codifying the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative, greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and dedicated funding for energy and food security programs through a carbon tax on petroleum products.  Now, as Chair of the PUC, she works to implement and align a regulated utility's performance to carry out these important public policies.

Estrella Seese

Acting Energy Administrator, DBEDT

Panel 3: Capitol--Is the Government Doing Enough to Advance Clean Energy?

Estrella A. Seese is the Acting Energy Program Administrator for the State of Hawaii. In her present capacity, she is leading her state energy team in enabling and facilitating Hawaii’s transition to a clean energy economy by reducing the state’s dependence on imported fossil fuel by at least 70% by 2030. She represents the State in energy-policy related regulatory proceedings in Hawaii to ensure that regulatory framework and policies that are developed will promote the achievement of the State’s energy goals. Estrella has over thirty years of experience in Hawaii’s utility regulation, utility rate setting, and energy planning. Prior to joining DBEDT, she spent most of her career with Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (HECO) as Director of Pricing, and was responsible for the development, administration, and implementation of the electric rates and tariffs for the HECO Companies. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Economics from University of Hawaii, Manoa, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from University of Santo Tomas.

Jay Fidell

Founder, Think Tech Hawai‘i

Moderator

HCED’s moderator, Jay Fidell, came to the islands in 1965 as a Coast Guard lawyer. He was a founder of Bendet Fidell in 1974 and has practiced business law there since then. He has an abiding interest in technology, and founded ThinkTech Hawai‘i in 2000. He has served as a director of HTDC, NELHA, HSDC, HSTC, HVCA and the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum. Jay produced a weekly ThinkTech radio show on HPR until 2008. He writes a tech blog and column, organizes tech and business educational programs, and produces weekly video shows for broadcast on OLELO and OC16. He is an ardent advocate for economic diversification and a clean energy future for Hawai‘i.