Gov. Neil Abercrombie named his nine appointees for the Board of Education today, saying they all have made a “commitment to the young people” of Hawaii.

The appointees, who still must be confirmed by the Senate, are:

>> Don Horner, who was previously chosen to fill a vacancy on the elected BOE. Horner is chief executive officer and chairman of First Hawaiian Bank;

>> Wesley Lo, chief executive officer at Maui Memorial Medical Center;

>> Brian DeLima, attorney and former Hawaii County Council member;

>> Nancy Budd, attorney and a member of the Kauai Planning and Action Alliance Public Education Action Team;

>> Jim Williams, retired administrator and CEO of the Hawaii Employer-Union Benefits Trust Fund;

>> Charlene Cuaresma, associate director of the Graduate Professional Access Program at UH-Manoa;

>> Cheryl Kauhane Lupenui, chief executive officer of the YWCA on Oahu.

>> Keith Amemiya, executive administrator and secretary of the Board of Regents;

>> Kim Gennaula, philanthropy director at Kapiolani Health Foundation.

Horner was appointed as chairman of the BOE.

In a news conference, Abercrombie said he did not choose anyone from the current elected BOE “not because they were not dedicated people” but because “I thought it was impossible for me to choose one or two members” and not the others.

"I think the best way to move forward is to give an appointed board the chance to set its own course and to meet its own destiny," he said. "To actually have these folks who have made this kind of commitment to the young people of this state, to the taxpayers of this state, is something that fills me with deep gratitude."

The appointees were chosen from more than 150 applicants.