DBEDT director confirmation sails through Senate
Unlike the Carleton Ching nomination for the director of DLNR, the confirmation of the director and deputy director for the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism passed committee and the full senate with no hang-ups.
Above: The image presented by the Hawaii Senate here is one of unified support for Governor David Ige’s nomination; a big difference from yesterday’s non-vote on Ige’s nomination to head the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
In unanimous consent, members of the full senate today confirmed Luis Salaveria as the Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). Also confirmed, Mary Alice Evans as Deputy Director of the DBEDT.
“Our economy is in good hands,” said Senator Glenn Wakai, Chair of the Senate Economic Development and Technology committee. “He has the intelligence, background, and demeanor to launch our economy into new areas of profitability.”
Salavaria has more than 20 years of public and private sector experience and most recently served as the deputy director of the Department of Budget and Finance. Evans has four decades of public service, starting as a student intern in the office of the Governor. She has been serving as deputy director of DBEDT since 2011.
“We’re very excited, very appreciative of the Senators’ confidence in us,” said Salaveria. “Our state is headed in the right direction. We have a lot of things we need to accomplish, such as diversifying the economy, cultivating innovation, and building the workforce of the future, all things that are important for the state and we look forward to getting to work.”