5 nominess named so far in new KIUC board election
Raymond W. Paler, Scott N. Giarman, Jim Mayfield, Gregg Gardiner and Earl S.P. Smith have been selected by a nominating committee to be on the ballot for the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative board election set for Saturday, Sept. 27.
The nominating committee included Mary Lou Barela, Walt Barnes, Jerry Gibson, Wanda Shibata and Turk Tokita.
Each of the five nominees, and others interested in being considered as candidates, submitted résumés and letters of interest to the nominating committee.
“I was impressed with the candidates we selected, and would like to thank everyone who took the time to apply for the director positions,” said Barnes, current KIUC board member and chair of the nominating committee.
“Each would be a great asset to the board and to the community,” Barnes said.
“I am pleased with the list of nominees, and have every confidence that each challenge will be met with integrity and the highest standard of excellence,” said Barela.
Gardiner, who like Barnes won election to a one-year term during the first KIUC election in February of this year, is board chair. Barnes has said he will not seek re-election.
Giarman, executive director of the Kauai United Way, ran unsuccessfully in the February election. Mayfield, an executive with Bank of Hawaii, was on the organizing board which facilitated KIUC’s purchase of Kauai Electric. He also ran but did not win election in February.
Paler is a small businessman who ran for a seat on the Kaua‘i County Council last year, but did not get elected. Smith is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy who worked for McBryde Sugar Company, holds engineering degrees, and still does some consulting work.
A director is one of nine elected representatives of the membership who collectively constitute the board of directors, which governs the business and affairs of KIUC and is generally concerned with the broad courses of action to be followed by the utility.
The board is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the utility.
Qualified KIUC members may be nominated by collecting 35 signatures of other members (electric account holders) in good standing and submitting completed member petitions to the nominating committee no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
All candidates with valid petitions will be placed on the ballot for the Sept. 27 election. For more information, please see the Web site, http://www.kiuc.coop, or call KIUC’s election hotline, 246-4378.