Eds: APNewsNow.
HONOLULU (AP) — The chairman of the Hawaii Tourism Authority will not get another term in the role.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports Hawaii Gov. David Ige withdrew his nomination Thursday to reappoint Rick Fried, who became chairman in July 2015.
Fried says he requested the Democratic governor withdraw his name, saying he “didn’t want the focus to be in any way on personalities or politics.”
Fried says he will continue to work at the agency until his term expires later this year.
The state Senate would have needed to confirm Fried if he was to continue in the role. Fried has been at odds with some lawmakers, who have criticized the agency’s transparency and accountability.
The agency has been met with setbacks recently as it has lost staff members and faced budget cuts.
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Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, http://www.staradvertiser.com
