STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1731

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 657

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 657, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

Hawai‘i Sister State Committee

G.M. No. 657

THANH-LO SANANIKONE, for a term to expire 6-30-2008,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Thanh-Lo Sananikone from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT); Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce; East-West Center; and five individuals. 

     The nominee is an international businessperson and management consultant with over eighteen years of experience.  She is the Managing Director of PacMar, Inc., where she is responsible for daily administration and management and is involved with the coordination of international and domestic project activities.  Ms. Sananikone received a Master's of Public Health in Environmental Health Management and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry/Microbiology from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

     PacMar, Inc., is a Hawai‘i-based international management and development consulting company working in the Asia-Pacific regions.  PacMar seeks innovative ways to turn project and business concepts into viable enterprises and acts as a catalyst to identify and devise strategies to overcome impediments to business success and socio-economic development in the Asia-Pacific region.

     As the Trade Mission Coordinator for the State of Hawai‘i, Ms. Sananikone coordinated and led many successful trade missions to Vietnam.  She also has extensive involvement in numerous nonprofit community organizations and professional associations concerned with Pacific and Asian affairs.

     Your Committee notes the testimony of DBEDT to the effect that the nominee is superbly qualified to be a member of the Hawai‘i Sister State Committee.  Over the course of a distinguished career, she has served in international leadership positions with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region.  These positions include a wide range of responsibilities, from consulting on business opportunities to assisting immigrants and refugees.  DBEDT has had the pleasure of working closely with her on trade missions to Vietnam, and finds her to be knowledgeable of the local business investment environment, and energetic and enthusiastic about assisting Hawai‘i companies.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and International Affairs,

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair