Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie among finalists for UH regents

Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie is among a dozen finalists for three seats on the University of Hawaii Board of Regents.

The Candidate Advisory Council presented the list of finalists to Gov. Josh Green to fill seats representing Honolulu County, Maui County and Hawaii County. The five-year appointments begin July 1, subject to confirmation by the state Senate.

Board of Regents Chair Randolph Moore of Hono­lulu is one of three regents whose terms end this year. The others are Vice Chair Alapaki Nahale-a from Hawaii County and Eugene Bal III from Maui County.

Abercrombie, a finalist for the Honolulu seat, earned a master’s degree in sociology and doctorate in American studies from UH. His long political career in Hawaii began in the 1970s when he served in the state House of Representatives. He later served in the state Senate, on the Honolulu City Council and in the U.S. House of Representatives before becoming Hawaii’s governor in 2010 and losing his reelection bid in a landslide to David Ige in the 2014 Democratic primary.

Abercrombie said being tapped for the UH Board of Regents would be a “full circle” moment in his career.

“I don’t think there’s anybody alive in the state of Hawaii who’s had more intimate experience with literally every single aspect of university life,” he told the Hono­lulu Star-Advertiser on Friday. “I’ve taught there, I’ve been a student there, I helped form the faculty union, I’ve done budgets in the state House, in the state Senate, from Congress and as governor. I helped evolve departments, I got my master’s degree, my (doctorate) from the university.”

Abercrombie, 84, said he wants to devote “whatever time I have left in life to the university … and to its role as being the critical center and intellectual foundation for however Hawaii as a society evolves. I think the university is the key to this.”

He said he sent Green a letter Friday requesting consideration for a seat on the board.

Keith Amemiya is another familiar name on the list of finalists, also for the soon-to-be-vacant Honolulu seat.

He’s a businessman who launched his political career in 2020 when he ran for Honolulu mayor, finishing a distant second to Rick Blangiardi. Amemiya then ran for lieutenant governor in 2022 but finished third in the Democratic primary.

The other finalists for the Honolulu seat are Matthew Matsunaga, Mary Oneha and Wai­‘ale‘ale Sarsona.

The Maui County seat finalists are Lauren Akitake, Sheri Daniels and Beverly Stanich.

The Hawaii County seat finalists are Michael Miyahira, Kona Moran, Alapaki Nahale-a and Steven Pavao.

The Candidate Advisory Council began accepting applications to fill the vacancies in 2022 by contacting and encouraging government, business and community leaders to nominate candidates. It also placed print advertisements encouraging potential applicants.

The council is responsible for conducting recruitment efforts, screening applications and interviewing and presenting UH Board of Regent candidates to the governor.

The 11-member volunteer Board of Regents governs the UH system. Five of the regents are appointed from Honolulu, two each represent Hawaii and Maui counties, one represents Kauai County and one is a UH student.