STAND. COM. REP. NO. 4090

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: GOV. MSG. NOS. 752, 753

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 752 and 753, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

Hawaii Sister State Committee

G.M. No. 752	KURT OSAKI, for a term to expire 06-30-2023; and
G.M. No. 753	JANE CLEMENT, for a term to expire 06-30-2026,

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Kurt Osaki and Jane Clement for service on the Hawaii Sister State Committee.

KURT OSAKI

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Kurt Osaki from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and one individual.

Upon review of the testimony and Mr. Osaki's qualifications, your Committee finds that Mr. Osaki's background, experience, and commitment to public service qualify him for appointment to the Hawaii Sister State Committee. After earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Designs from the University of Hawaii, Mr. Osaki furthered his education at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. In 1995, Mr. Osaki established Osaki Design Inc., now known as the Osaki Creative Group, with offices located in Berkeley, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii. Offering a wide range of services including sports branding, packaging, communication, and environmental design, Mr. Osaki's clientele includes various professional sports teams, sports leagues, universities, and corporations throughout the United States and Japan. One of his and his team's major accomplishments is their designing of the "H" logo for the University of Hawaii in 2000. Mr. Osaki's commitment to public service is evidenced by his service on various boards and commissions, including serving as a board member on the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii from 2020-2021 and as an advisory board member on the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce of Northern California from 2009-2021.

Your Committee notes that section 229-2(b)(1), Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires the Governor to appoint one member to the Hawaii Sister State Committee from a list of five nominees submitted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Mr. Osaki's appointment to the Hawaii Sister State Committee will satisfy this statutory requirement.

Your Committee finds that Mr. Osaki's ability to convey unique and inspirational stories through design; extensive experience in engaging with different cultures and communities including cities, governments, and non-profit organizations; and commitment to public service will be valuable assets to the Hawaii Sister State Committee. Your Committee therefore recommends that Kurt Osaki be appointed to the Hawaii Sister State Committee.

JANE CLEMENT

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Jane Clement from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Hawai‘i State Association of Counties.

Upon review of the testimony and qualifications, your Committee finds that Ms. Clement's background, experience, and commitment to public service qualify her for appointment to the Hawaii Sister State Committee. Ms. Clement was born in Cebu, the Republic of the Philippines, and in 1994, she immigrated to Hawaii and has been a resident of Kona since 2004. She has served as the President of the Kona Visayan Club, which in 2011 served as the local host and sponsor organization that assisted in facilitating the establishment of a sister city agreement between the County of Hawaii and Ormoc City in the Philippines. Ms. Clement is currently the Executive Assistant to the Mayor of the County of Hawaii responsible for various tasks, including managing the County's sister city program. As the County's Sister City Protocol Officer, Ms. Clement actively engages with the County's sister cities through various initiatives and projects. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, she produced the County's first-ever sister city virtual concert, a creative event designed to reach out to and reconnect with the County's sister cities whom, like the rest of the world, were dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, Ms. Clement successfully produced a thirty-minute commemorative documentary film to celebrate the County's sixtieth anniversary of its sister city relationship with Oshima, Japan. Ms. Clement's dedication to the community is also evidenced in her service on various boards and organizations, including serving as the President of the Kailua Village Business Improvement District and the Chair of the Government Affairs Committee of the Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce. She currently serves as the Hawaii Island Commissioner to the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts with her term to expire June 30, 2022, and is an officer on the Keahole Center for Sustainability, formerly known as the Friends of NEHLA (Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority). She is also an active member of various boards and commissions including the Kona Visayan Club, West Hawaii Community Forums, and the Economic Development Committee of the Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce.

Your Committee notes that section 229-2(b)(5), Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires the Governor to appoint one member to the Hawaii Sister State Committee from a list of five nominees submitted by the Hawaii State Association of Counties. Ms. Clement's appointment to the Hawaii Sister State Committee will satisfy this statutory requirement.

Your Committee finds that Ms. Clement's extensive knowledge and firsthand experience in establishing sister relationships with foreign municipalities and her commitment to public service will contribute greatly to the Hawaii Sister State Committee. Your Committee therefore recommends that Jane Clement be appointed to the Hawaii Sister State Committee.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair