COLLEEN W. HJi.Ni\eUS!~ 73(; C"-"","lJ H"'ie,f- G.",_, H "I""b j~l)~j ~~!";:/2h \Congre!5S of tlJC ~lllitco ~t'ltc£l J!)Ollllr of :lRqmscntiltll.lfS l!1la5hl1l~fOn, nit: 20313--1101 To: The Honorable senator Clayton Hee, Chair The Honorable Senator Maile Shimabukuro, Vice·Chair Members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor Re: GM 512 (Dwight Takamine) Date of Hearing: February 1, 2011 Time: 10:00 am Place: State Capitol, Room 16 Dear Chair Hee, Vice·Chair Shimabukuro and members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor: I am writing in support of GM 512 nominating DwightTakamine to the position of Director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations ("DLlR") for a term to expire on December 1,2014. Dwight received his law degree from William S. Richards School of law in 1978 and subsequently practiced labor law in Honolulu and on the island of Hawaii. In 1984 Dwight was elected to the State House of Representatives where he served continuously until being elected to the State Senate in 200S. While serving in the House of Representatives Dwight cilaired the Finance Committee as well as the Labor Committee. He also chaired the Senate's Labor Committee. As the immediate past chair of the Senate's Labor Committee, Dwight has a keen understanding of the various issues currently facing the DUR, induding the problems facing the State's unemployment insurance program. I first met Dwight upon my election to the State Senate in 1998. He has impressed me as being an extremely fair person and effective leader. As a labor attorney myself, I am confident that Dwight is well qualified regarding labor and administrative issues and will be able to serve effectively in the position of the Director of DUR. Given my personal familiarity with Dwight, I believe that his appointment would promote the free flow of information between the State of Hawaii and my congressional office with regard to the many labor related issues facing the State. This relationship would be a definite benefit to the State in matters where my office can be of assistance. For these reasons, I wholeheartedly support the nomination of Dwight Takamine to the pOSition of Director of the DUR. I L --£:~~-- COLLEEN HA~ABUSA - , . U.S. Represe1tatlve Hawaii. Distri( 1 January 31, 2011 Senate Judiciary & Labor Committees Regarding Confirmation of Mr. Dwight Takamine as Labor Director Aloha, It is my honor to support Mr. Dwight Takamine to serve for Director of Labor, State of Hawai’i. I have known Mr. Takamine since 1984. He and I served as Freshmen Legislators in the State House of Representatives at the time. He ably represented District 1 (Hamakua-Kohala-North Hilo) for 22 years before moving to the State Senate. I also worked with him on a myriad of community issues and projects relating to Hamakua between 1994 and 2004. At the time I was Land Assets Director-HI Island for Kamehameha Schools. Mr. Takamine in my view is an outstanding choice for Labor Director. He is a very caring person, passionate about everything he does, honest as the day is long, a quick study, a genius if I might say-able to amass and analyze tons of information and synthesize it all down to something tangible-easy to understand-and lay out option upon option with ease. He has a tremendous ability to bring people together, is open minded, accessible, easy to approach-to talk to, a great listener. I have never seen someone who works so hard for his constituents, who works diligently and sincerely to bring about consensus. But it is his love of working people, his community, and his family and his belief in the goodness of people and fairness and justice that makes him so very special. Please confirm him for Director of Labor for our Great State of Hawai’i. Robert K, Lindsey, Jr. Hawai’I Island Trustee Office of Hawaiian Affairs NEIL ABERCROMBIE DWIGHT TAKAMINE GOVERNOR INTERIM DIRECTOR AUDREY HIDANO DEPUTY DIRECTOR STATE OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS 830 PUNCHBOWL STREET, ROOM 321 HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813 www.hawaii.gov/labor Phone: (808) 586-88421 Fax: (808) 586-9099 Email: dlir.director@hawaILgov January 31, 2011 To: The Honorable Clayton Hee, Chair and Members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor Date: Tuesday, February 1,2011 Time: 10:00 a.m. Place: Conference Room 016, State Capitol From: Elaine Young, Administrator Workforce Development Division Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Re: G.M. No. 512 Relating to Confirmation of Dwight Takmine as Director of Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Aloha, Chainnan Clayton Hee and members of the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee. I am Elaine Young, Administrator of the Department of Labor's Workforce Development Division. I would like to express my full support for Interim Director Dwight Takamine's appointment as the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations. It has been my privilege to know and work with Dwight Takamine for the past seventeen years when he served as a state legislator, first as a Representative, and more recently as a Senator. Since I hold the honored distinction of "Senior Administrator" for the Department of Labor, I was able to work with the Director a few weeks before he actually officially began on December 7, 2010. Dwight does not know the meaning of "slow down." He has only one speed: Super Fast! During the past eight weeks that he worked with us at the Department, he has displayed a contagious enthusiasm and sincere desire to do his best for the Labor Department, its staff, and all of our customers. He has clearly conveyed his passion to improve the way the Department operates by opening the lines of communication at all levels, establishing and renewing relationships, and working collaboratively with partners, which include the business community, various government agencies, non-profit organizations, all of the Labor Department staff, and yes, the Legislature. G.M.512 January 31, 2011 Page 2 During these initial weeks, Director Takamine has discovered and acknowledged that there is much to learn in his new capacity, but he has demonstrated that he is a quick learner and more than willing to face the challenges. As a strong team player and visionary leader; he has motivated and encouraged all of us to work together as a team for the greater benefit to the public. His heartfelt conviction and positive outlook about his job, and the actions he foresees for our department to move forward are inspiring and exciting. It gives us hope for the future. I have served as a State Labor Department employee under 13 different directors, each with his or her own management style. I am impressed by the qualities I see in Director Takamine and believe that he has the potential to be an excellent and productive leader for the Department of Labor. He will do well because last week he told his senior management team that he likes his new job and is "having fun!" I would like our new leader to have fun while he works hard, and for the reasons stated, I urge your support of Dwight Takamine's confirmation as Director of the Department of Labor. Thank you for the opportunity to provide this testimony. NEIL ABERCROMBIE GREGG YAMANAKA GOVERNOR CHAIRPERSON JAMES P. HARDWAY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 830 PUNCHBOWL STREET, SUITE 417 HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813 www.hawaii.govllaborIWDC Phone: (808) 586-8672 / Fax: (808) 586-8674 January 28, 20 II To: The Honorable Clayton Hee, Chair and Members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor Date: Tuesday, February 1,2011 Time: 10:00 a.m. Place: State Capitol, Conference Room 016 From: James P. Hardway, Executive Director Workforce Development Council RE: GM 512 - Dwight Takamine Director, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations The Workforce Development Council ("WDC") strongly supports the confirmation of Mr. Dwight Takamine to be the Director ofthe Department of Labor and Industrial Relations ("DLIR"). The WDC is an attached agency to the DLIR and is responsible for advising the Governor and Legislature on workforce development to support economic development and employment opportunities for all. The WDC is also the State Workforce Investment Board for purposes of the federal Workforce Investment Act ("WIA") of 1998. The WDC assists the Governor in developing and updating comprehensive five-year strategic workforce investment plans and oversees workforce (public) investment activities in the state. The WDC feels that Mr. Takamine is eminently qualified, and well positioned to address needs related to workforce development. Being the former chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, as well as the former Chair of the House Finance Committee, Mr. Takamine is already quite familiar with Hawaii's workforce development infrastructure and the issues we face. This is especially beneficial as the state works to address job training and reemployment of Hawaii's unemployed population. The WDC appreciates the candor and viewpoint of Mr. Takamine has expressed in relation to workforce development. Mr. Takamine is an outstanding member of his community and profession, and is well-qualified and deserving of confirmation as Director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Thank you for this time to provide testimony for Mr. Dwight Takamine. UNIVERSITV OF HAWAI'I AT MANOA Industrial Relations Center January 28,2011 The Honorable Clayton Hee Chair, Committee on Judiciary and Labor The Senate The Twenty-Sixth Legislature State of Hawaii Dear Senator Hee: It is with a great deal of pleasure that I write in support of the nomination of Dwight Takamine as Director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.