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The Â鶹´«Ã½ State Senate has confirmed the appointments of Wayne Higaki, Simeon Acoba, Jr., Helen Nielsen, Ernest Wilson, Jr., David Iha and Michael McEnerney to the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ Board of Regents on April 30, 2015.
“This is an exceptional group of leaders with a range of diverse skills and expertise in the operations of large organizations,” said Governor David Ige. “I am confident they will contribute to the continued success of the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ System.”
Nominees
- Wayne Higaki, Â鶹´«Ã½ County, will serve through June 30, 2016.
Higaki is the chief development officer at , an affiliate of The Queen’s Health Systems. He is chair of Â鶹´«Ã½ County’s Workforce Investment Board and a member of the Workforce Development Council for the State of Â鶹´«Ã½. He graduated from Honokaʻa High School and earned an associate of science degree at . - Simeon Acoba, Jr., Honolulu County, was currently serving on an interim basis and will serve through June 30, 2017.
Acoba served on the for 14 years. Previously, he served as a judge at various levels for 20 years. He continues to be active in judicial organizations and has received many awards for his work. He received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ and earned his juris doctorate from the . - Ernest Wilson, Jr., Maui County, will serve from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2020.
Wilson is a seasoned executive with more than 50 years of experience in the fields of travel, hospitality, food service, military logistics and higher education. In the civilian arena, he served in numerous positions for hospitality organizations including Holiday Inns, Embassy Suites, Sheraton Hotels and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts. In the military, he achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel leading several large complex organizations. He is a graduate of , (BS), (MS) and (honorary doctorate of business). - David Iha, Kauaʻi County, will serve through June 30, 2017.
Iha has a long history of service to the and has been an outstanding leader at . While there, he was part of the leadership team that designed and built a new campus, and in his 16-year tenure as provost, he expanded the curriculum and established exchange programs with educational institutions in Okinawa and mainland Japan. He served as the executive administrator and secretary of the Board of Regents from 1998 until his retirement in 2006. He is a graduate of Kauaʻi High School and received a bachelor’s degree from and a master’s degree from . - Michael McEnerney, Honolulu County, will serve from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2020.
McEnerney is president of McEnerney Shimabukuro Okazaki & Fujita CPAs AAC. He holds a CPA certificate and is registered in Illinois and a CPA license/permit and certificate in Â鶹´«Ã½. He was awarded a BS degree at the with a double major in accounting and business administration (finance), an MBA from the UH Mānoa and a JD from . - Helen Nielsen, Maui County, was currently serving on an interim basis and will serve the remainder of her term which ends June 30, 2015.
Nielson has a passion for community service and environmental sustainability. She was a founder of the Maui Coastal Land Trust and served on its board. Nielsen is co-owner/manager of commercial properties in Wailuku, Maui and Waimea, Â鶹´«Ã½. She studied business at and , both in New York.
Editor’s note: This article was updated after the senate confirmed Gov. Ige’s nominees on April 30, 2015. The original article was from the .