The stream of new political appointments continued in Hawaii to fill positions left vacant in the shuffle that started with the death of long-time U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye in December.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday announced the appointment of Democrat Gilbert Samuel Coloma Keith-Agaran to state Senate to represent Hawaii’s 5th senatorial district, a Maui seat recently left vacant by Shan S. Tsutsui when he was appointed to the liutenant governor’s office.
That office had become vacant when Abercrombie appointed Brian Schatz to Inouye’s seat two weeks ago.
“Gil brings a wealth of experience from the practice of law and work in county and state government. His passion for the people of the Valley Isle is evident and I am confident he will continue to serve them well,” Abercrombie said in a statement.
Keith-Agaran was appointed to the House in January 2009 to complete the unexpired term of the late Bob Nakasone, then elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2012.
The shuffling will continue, as Abercrombie will now make an appointment to fill the remainder of Keith-Agaran’s term in the House.
He will choose from a list of three names supplied by state Democratic party.
Keith-Agaran practices law in Wailuku were he is a partner in the Maui law firm of Takitani Agaran and Jorgensen LLLP.
He served as chair and deputy director of the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources, director of Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and deputy director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, as well as County of Maui Public Works Director.
He presently serves on the boards of the Maui Food Bank and the Tri-Isle Resource Conservation and Development Council.
Keith-Agaran earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale, and a law degree from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley.
