Latest news with #MufiHannemann
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hannemann resigns amid HTA controversy
The Hawai 'i Tourism Authority is back in the hot seat with state legislators and the public as it undergoes more leadership shake-ups while dealing with allegations that procedural deficiencies allowed for inappropriate freebies at the Hawai 'i Convention Center. Mufi Hannemann resigned Thursday as chair of the Hawai 'i Tourism Authority board, saying he wants to end distractions after allegations surfaced during a discussion of a state financial audit that two of his nonprofits, the Hawai 'i Lodging and Tourism Association and the Pacific Century Fellows, received Hawai 'i Convention Center freebies. Hannemann, a former Hono lulu mayor who is also the longtime president and CEO of HLTA and founder of the Pacific Century Fellows, told the board Thursday, 'The best thing for me to do is to step down as chair, and then I will have to think whether I want to stay on the board, because the reputations of those incredible, important organizations have been put into question.' The allegations emerged Tuesday during a special HTA board meeting to discuss the findings of a financial audit of HTA's fiscal year 2024 by Accuity LLP, a firm contracted by the state auditor's office. Accuity's audit determined that there were procedural deficiencies that allowed for free food and rent for events at the convention center, but did not issue a finding of fraud. The audit did not name the events in question, but they were the Hawai 'i Lodging & Tourism Association's public safety conference, which was held at the convention center on Dec. 6, 2023, and a meeting of the Pacific Century Fellows, which was held May 15 in an HTA boardroom at the convention center. The board did not take any action on the allegations about comps during the HTA special board meeting, which was continued until Thursday. At Thursday's meeting the HTA board discussed the issue for about an hour and a half, with many members expressing concerns about public perception and trust. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Ultimately, the board voted to move further discussion to the next HTA Administrative & Audit Standing Committee Meeting. The committee is expected to make a recommendation to the board—which is likely to be well scrutinized by the public and could determine how well HTA fares as the state Legislature winds down. The timing of HTA's latest drama comes as the House Finance Committee is slated at 2 p.m. today in Room 308 to hear Senate Bill 1571, which would give the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism more power over HTA by downgrading the HTA board to an advisory board. House Majority Leader Rep. Sean Quinlan (D, Waialua-Haleiwa-Punaluu ) said lawmakers have varying opinions on the bill. 'One argument is that if you make the board advisory, that would make people less likely to want to serve on the board because it's a big-time commitment, especially for a neighbor islander. I really do love the board members. I think they are wonderful people—sometimes they don't always get along, ' Quinlan said. 'You could make another argument that the board hasn't been able to quite figure things out lately. I think it's a discussion that is going to involve a lot of people. They need to really think about what is the future of the board and what responsibilities should they have.' State Rep. Adrian Tam (D, Waikiki ), current chair of the House Tourism Committee, said HTA's current issues also could determine how lawmakers weigh their budget requests. 'I think that the HTA board needs to sort itself out and focus more on tourism. All this infighting only hurts this industry and makes us dysfunctional, ' Tam said. 'We are going through a session right now and they have presented their budget. And this is not helping their case on whether or not they have have the confidence of Legislature.' The job of convincing the state Legislature that HTA is up to the task now falls to former Honolulu City Council Chair Todd Apo, whom the board elected to replace Hannemann as HTA chair, and HTA Planning Director Caroline Anderson, who was recently appointed to serve as interim HTA president and CEO and interim HTA administrative officer after the March 21 resignation of Daniel Naho 'opi 'i. Gov. Josh Green appointed Apo to serve on the board in October. Apo is CEO of 'Iole, a nonprofit focused on sustainability and resilience. He also served in senior roles at the Hawai 'i Community Foundation and Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. HTA board member James McCully, chair of the HTA Administrative and Audit Standing Committee, said, 'I think this is a watershed movement for this board, and I enter into it with great optimism and I thank member Apo for being willing to serve.' Hannemann, who was a Green appointee to the HTA board, was largely credited in 2024 with helping HTA to make a comeback in the state Legislature when it emerged from session with a recurring $60 million lump sum budget—no small feat for an agency that had endured cutbacks, organizational changes and the threat of repeal or defunding over several earlier sessions. However, legislators showed that some lingering doubts about HTA's capabilities remained when they passed Senate Bill 3364, which went into effect July 1, and repealed HTA's exemption from the administrative supervision of boards and commissions. The exemption from the administrative supervision of boards and commissions was the last one HTA had since it was founded in 1998. The Legislature also took away its procurement exemption in 2021, and in 2022 the agency lost its special fund status. Since the exemption's removal, the Hannemann-led HTA board and James Kunane Tokioka, director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, have had some very public disagreements over HTA's budget, HTA's use of its crisis funding and the top salary threshold for a new president and CEO. Tokioka said removal of the exemption, which was instituted by legislators who had lost confidence in HTA, makes it 'an attached agency that needs approval for expenditures, the budget and (spending categories ).' Naho 'opi 'i, who had been HTA's 11th top leader since the state Legislature created the agency in 1998, indicated in a resignation letter seen by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the HTA /DBEDT leadership structure was hard to navigate. 'I have had the privilege of working alongside dedicated colleagues and passionate stakeholders who recognize the delicate balance between tourism, culture, and the well-being of our residents, ' Naho 'opi 'i said. 'However, my time in this position has also been marked by increasing discomfort due to the actions of some board members and the persistent political interference from external agents. Instead of fostering an environment where HTA can operate with the stability and strategic clarity needed to fulfill its mission, I have found myself endlessly navigating a landscape dominated by conflicting political agendas, inconsistent direction, and decisions that often appear driven by external pressures rather than the long-term interests of Hawaii's people and place.' Tokioka said he wishes Naho 'opi 'i well, but added, 'There were things that I thought he should do and not do.' It's still unclear whether Hannemann will have the option of choosing to remain on the HTA board, but if he does, Tokioka said he is confident that there will be a path forward. 'I can work with everybody. It's never been personal for me. I have 10 other boards that fall under DBEDT, and not on one of them do I have any conflict with the chair or executive director, ' he said. The HTA Administrative Audit & Standing Committee has much to unpack from the meetings on Tuesday and Thursday, and there were some inconsistencies in how HTA applied its policies. Hannemann told the HTA board Thursday that it was only that morning that he had been presented with a bill from the convention center for $14, 000 in relation to the two events. Convention Center General Manager Teri Orton told the HTA board that Hanne mann's organizations were not billed sooner for the events because they were reserved as HTA space. Hannemann said he did not expect a bill for the Pacific Century Fellows meeting since he had planned to hold it in another location and moved it there at Naho 'opi 'i's request to make it more convenient for the HTA staff who were participating. He added that he believed the HTA space request for the HLTA Visitor Public Safety Conference was appropriate as it was an HTA-sponsored event. The forms reserving the events as HTA space were unsigned. Now the HTA board must try to determine who approved the events as HTA space and whether that approval was out of character or the result of undue influence. Tokioka said once the billing issue emerged in the financial audit, HTA's policy was tightened to require the signature of the HTA president and CEO and the HTA vice president of finance before any comps for HTA space are approved. State Auditor Leslie H. Kondo told the Star-Advertiser, 'We didn't find any evidence of fraud. If we had found evidence of fraud, we would have reported it immediately to the board and to management.' 'Based upon the information that we were provided, it appeared that there were organizations that were receiving complimentary or discounted use of the facility that did not seem consistent with HTA's use policies, ' Kondo said. 'We didn't look at the records themselves, so I don't know the total. But I can tell you that there were more than the two organizations that Mr. Hannemann is associated with that appear that they were able to use the facility without having to pay or at a discounted rate.' John Cole, state deputy attorney general, told the Star-Advertiser that the matter had been referred to the Attorney General's Office, but it determined that there was not enough information to open an investigation. The State Ethics Commission told the Star-Advertiser that state ethics investigations are confidential, and it could not comment as to whether an investigation had been opened.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaii consumers urged to protect genetic data after 23andMe files for bankruptcy
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) is warning residents to be cautious with their personal information following 23andMe's bankruptcy filing. Mufi Hannemann resigns as Hawaii Tourism Authority Chair amid audit questions The state's Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) is advising consumers to manage their genetic data carefully, offering steps to delete or limit access to the information stored with the company. On March 23, 23andMe, a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company, filed for bankruptcy. In a press release, the company said it plans to sell most of its assets while continuing to operate normally during the process. While 23andMe has assured customers that no changes are planned for how it stores or protects data, the bankruptcy raises concerns that the company may sell customers' genetic data as part of the proceedings. Hawaii residents who want to delete or limit the use of their genetic data with 23andMe can follow these steps:How to Delete Genetic Data: Sign in to your account at Go to the 'Settings' section of your profile. Scroll to the '23andMe Data' section and click 'View.' Download your data if you want to keep a copy. Select 'Permanently Delete Data.' Confirm deletion by following the email instructions. How to Destroy Your 23andMe Test Sample: If you want to opt-out of having your DNA sample stored, go to the 'Preferences' section in your account settings. How to Revoke Research Consent: If you allowed 23andMe or third-party researchers to use your data, you can withdraw consent in the Research and Product Consents section. OCP Executive Director Mana Moriarty stressed the importance of taking action: 'Consumers can demand the removal and destruction of their genetic data from 23andMe. We encourage all customers to protect their sensitive information from misuse or unauthorized access.' Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The DCCA is committed to safeguarding the privacy of Hawaii residents and will continue monitoring the situation. For more information on consumer protection in Hawaii, visit the DCCA website at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mufi Hannemann resigns as Hawaii Tourism Authority Chair amid audit questions
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Mufi Hannemann resigned Thursday as chair of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) Board, following ongoing questions raised by a state audit about discounted services at the Hawaii Convention Center involving his non-profits. Councilmembers hope for progress as Blangiardi set to start town hall meetings The audit, which led to referrals to the state attorney general and the ethics commission, did not allege fraud. However, concerns were raised regarding $14,000 worth of discounted or comped services, including space and catering, for events organized by the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association and Pacific Century Fellows—both of which are led by Hannemann. At Thursday's HTA board meeting, Hannemann announced his resignation, explaining that continued questioning from fellow board members about the discounted services left him with no choice.'The best thing for me to do is step down as chair, and then I'm going to have to think if I want to stay on the board,' he said. 'The reputations of those credible, important organizations have been put into question.' Hannemann further clarified that his organizations were unaware of any outstanding bills that had not been paid. In response to the audit, changes have already been made to the process for using the convention center's facilities. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Following Hannemann's resignation, Todd Apo was voted in as the new chair of the HTA board. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hannemann resigns as HTA chair amid allegations of freebies
GEORGE F. LEE / SEPT. 30 Mufi Hannemann resigned today as chairperson of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority Board today amid a dispute over Hawaii Convention Center freebies. Hannemann is seen here attending an HTA event at the Convention Center in September. 1 /2 GEORGE F. LEE / SEPT. 30 Mufi Hannemann resigned today as chairperson of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority Board today amid a dispute over Hawaii Convention Center freebies. Hannemann is seen here attending an HTA event at the Convention Center in September. GEORGE F. LEE / MARCH 14 Mufi Hannemann resigned today as chairperson of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority Board today amid a dispute over Hawaii Convention Center freebies. Hannemann is seen here attending the fourth State of the City address by Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangairdi at the Mission Auditorium this month. 2 /2 GEORGE F. LEE / MARCH 14 Mufi Hannemann resigned today as chairperson of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority Board today amid a dispute over Hawaii Convention Center freebies. Hannemann is seen here attending the fourth State of the City address by Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangairdi at the Mission Auditorium this month. GEORGE F. LEE / SEPT. 30 Mufi Hannemann resigned today as chairperson of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority Board today amid a dispute over Hawaii Convention Center freebies. Hannemann is seen here attending an HTA event at the Convention Center in September. GEORGE F. LEE / MARCH 14 Mufi Hannemann resigned today as chairperson of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority Board today amid a dispute over Hawaii Convention Center freebies. Hannemann is seen here attending the fourth State of the City address by Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangairdi at the Mission Auditorium this month. Mufi Hannemann resigned as chairperson of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority Board today saying he wants to end distractions after allegations surfaced during discussion of a state financial audit that two of his nonprofits received Hawai'i Convention Center freebies. Allegations emerged Tuesday during a special HTA board meeting to discuss the findings of a financial audit of HTA's fiscal year 2024 by Accuity LLP, a firm contracted by the State Auditor's Office. Accuity's audit determined that there were procedural deficiencies that allowed for free food and rental income for events at the Convention Center, but did not issue a finding of fraud. The audit did not name the events in question but they were the Hawai 'i Lodging & Tourism Association's public safety conference, which was held at the Convention Center on Dec. 6, 2023, and a meeting of the Pacific Century Fellows, which was held May 15 in an HTA boardroom at the convention center. Hannemann, the former Honolulu mayor who is also the longtime president and CEO of HLTA and the founder of the Pacific Century Fellows, told the board today, 'The best thing for me to do is to step down as chair, and then I will have to think whether I want to stay on the board, because the reputations of those incredible, important organizations have been put into question.' Hannemann told the board that he was only today presented with a bill from the Convention Center for $14, 000 in relation to the two events. Convention Center General Manager Teri Orton told the HTA board that Hannemann's organizations were not billed sooner for the events because they were reserved as HTA space. The forms reserving the events as HTA space were unsigned. Now, the HTA board must try to determine who approved the events as HTA space and whether that approval was out of character or the result of undue influence. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. State Auditor Leslie H. Kondo told the Star-Advertiser, 'We didn't find any evidence of fraud. If we had found evidence of fraud, we would have reported it immediately to the board and to management.' 'Based upon the information that we were provided, it appeared that there were organizations that were receiving complimentary or discounted use of the facility that did not seem consistent with HTA's use policies, ' Kondo said. 'We didn't look at the records themselves so I don't know the total. But I can tell you that there were more than the two organizations that Mr. Hannemann is associated with that appear that they were able to use the facility without having to pay or at a discounted rate.' State Department of Business, Economic, Development & Tourism director James Kunane Tokioka told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that once the state audit brought up the issue, the policy was tightened to require the signature of the HTA president and CEO and the HTA vice president of finance before any comps for HTA space are approved. The board did not take any action on the allegations about comps during the HTA special board meeting, which was continued until today. At today's meeting, the HTA board discussed the issue for about an hour and a half, with many expressing concerns about public perception and trust. Ultimately, the board voted to move further discussion to the next Administrative & Audit Standing Committee Meeting. The committee is expected to make a recommendation to the board later. John Cole, state deputy attorney general, told the Star-Advertiser that the matter had been referred to the AG's office, but they determined that there was not enough information to open an investigation. The State Ethics Commission told the Star-Advertiser that state ethics investigations are confidential and it could not comment as to whether or not an investigation had been opened. After Hannemann's resignation, the board elected former Honolulu City Council chairperson Todd Apo to serve as its new chair. Gov. Josh Green appointed Apo to serve on the board in October. Apo is CEO of 'Iole, a nonprofit focused on sustainability and resilience. He has also served in senior roles at the Hawai'i Community Foundation and Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. 49 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? .
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Preventing tourist, local drownings added to Hawaii visitor safety conference
Mufi Hannemann Mufi Hannemann The 7th annual Visitor Public Safety Conference has been scheduled for Wednesday at the Hawai 'i Convention Center with a new emphasis on preventing drownings in an island state that has the nation's highest rate of visitor drownings and second highest for residents. Among the resident drownings, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders disproportionately have the highest death rate. They make up 27 % of Hawaii's population but about 36 % of resident drowning deaths, according to the Hawai 'i Water Safety Coalition, whose representatives will be on this year's new drowning prevention panel and will discuss the first Hawai 'i Water Safety Plan, which was released this month. Even more tragic, according to the coalition, less than 2 % of Hawaii's second grade children in public schools have the necessary water skills to keep themselves out of trouble. 'Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders : Samoans, Tongans and Micronesian children are the highest, ' said Mufi Hannemann, chair of the Hawai 'i Tourism Authority that's a sponsor of the conference. In a state surrounded by water, the reasons are many : Low-income, large families where parents often work multiple jobs and lack the time to teach their children to swim, even if they know how to themselves. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. And they might not be able to pay for swim lessons for their children. Hawaii also needs more public swimming pools where children across the state can learn, Hannemann said. He grew up in Kalihi and said there are no public pools near the Kamehameha IV public housing project. North of Kaneohe along the Windward Side, Brigham Young University-Hawaii has the only pool, but it's not public, Hannemann said. 'We need a swimming pool at Kahuku High School, ' he said. Tourists who are unfamiliar with the power and danger of ocean waves, undertows and rip currents can get in trouble quickly—especially during the annual winter big-wave season underway on Oahu's North Shore. Even experienced big-wave riders who live on the North Shore have died. And people enjoying just watching the ocean who think they are safely on the beach can suddenly get swept out to sea by a rogue wave that reaches deep into the shoreline and pulls them out to sea. For tourists, Hannemann said airlines might want to consider showing inbound passengers a water safety video—or one highlighting the dangers of the ocean—as they fly to the middle of the Pacific. North Shore waves were pumping at 30 to 40 feet the night of Jan. 17 when two Mililani teenagers—boyfriend and girlfriend Joseph 'Joey ' Fujioka, 18, and 17-year-old Samantha Chun—went missing, prompting a search over the next four days. Fujioka's remains were recovered about 200 yards off Ke Iki Beach. Chun remains missing. They parked Fujioka's Toyota on Ke Iki Road and set up a blanket on the beach around 10 :30 p.m., near where they parked, according to police. Their belongings were recovered from the area, police said. The annual Visitor Public Safety Conference also focuses on reducing homelessness, crime and increasing safety in Waikiki—an area of only two square miles that's packed in with 70, 000 to 75, 000 tourists each night, Hannemann said. While the conference focuses on Waikiki, the problems and solutions are universal across the state for both residents and tourists, Hannemann said. 'We try to get out in front of problems and challenges and talk about solutions both in the short term and the long term, ' he said. Honolulu remains one of the safest cities in the country, but high-profile crimes—especially against tourists—often grab headlines and go viral, putting the tourism industry in jeopardy, he said. 'At the end of the day, we can tell people what a great place this is to visit, ' Hannemann said. 'But at the end of the day, if they don't feel safe coming here, they won't.' Panelists at Wednesday's conference are scheduled to include Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Director Kurt Lager, Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm and other state and city officials, who also will discuss disaster management. Honolulu Star-Advertiser reporter Allison Schaefers, who helped to write the Hawai 'i Water Safety Plan, also will speak. Her 5-year-old daughter drowned Feb. 28, 2004, in a Navy housing 'retention detention pond ' that was designed to reduce the risk of homes getting flooded in a storm and had been swollen with stormwater. Charlotte Paige Schaefers, affectionately known by family and friends as 'Sharkey, ' jumped into the pond to save a 3-year-old child who couldn't swim. This legislative session, companion bills in the House and Senate—House Bill 1232, HB 1233, Senate Bill 1221 and SB 1222—would prohibit counties from permitting new retention and detention ponds and require the state Health Department to inspect existing ones across the islands. The conference has been scheduled with a light breakfast starting at 7 :30 a.m., with sessions following from 8 a.m. to noon at the Convention Center's meeting room 323. Members of sponsoring organizations are admitted for free, and the general public can buy tickets for $25 by visiting /40uSHVd. Tuesday is the deadline to register.
