Recent appointments and achievements of Hawaii's people, including city lifeguards, district court judges, county and state employees and advertising specialists.

Advertising powerhouse Milici Valenti Ng Pack celebrated the addition of new staff members to their Account Service and Creative Department. Jackie Emerson joined the company as an Account Executive, Tania Ishimaru joined as an Account Coordinator, Gary Humenik joined as a Senior Copywriter, Sudipto "Piku" Ghosh recently became a Junior Copywriter, and Richard Osaki joined as a Creative Production Artist.

Firefly, an interactive marketing firm and sister company to Milici Valenti Ng Pack, announced new additions to their staff and the promotion of a dedicated employee. After graduating from Chaminade University in Fall 2002 with a Degree in Communications, Valentine Pfyl has joined Firefly as a Project Coordinator. Anelia Manova has joined Firefly as a Project Coordinator. She recently graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a BBA in International Business and Marketing. Jontue Koff has been promoted to Assistant Project Manager. Jontue has been with Firefly since 2002.

Several Honolulu county employees were recently highlighted. City Director of Information Technology Courtney Harrington has been recognized by Government Technology magazine as one of the nation’s leading specialists in the area of government information technology. The magazine credited Harrington for "creating one of the most digitally advanced cities in the country" . . .  Three water safety officers who rescued a visitor at Waimanalo Beach last October were lauded in a ceremony led by Mayor Jeremy Harris. Ben Severson, Billy Goodwin and Fred Marumoto attended to visitor William Nathan who was boogie boarding at Waimanalo Beach . . .  Nine city lifeguards received their national Emergency Medical Technician—Basic certificates: James Barros, Timothy Brandon, Jay Fake, Cody Hesser, Jude Parker, Dwight Perkins, Jonathan Shirley, James Sloan and Sean Vandine.

The state Judiciary saw a number of personnel changes. Chief Justice Ronald T. Y. Moon appointed Matthew S.K. Pyun, Jr. as judge of the District Court of the Third Judicial Circuit (Hawai`i). Chief Justice Moon also appointed Bert I. Ayabe and Michael F. Broderick as a District Court judge and District Family Court judge, respectively, of the First Judicial Circuit (O`ahu). And Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Riki May Amano announced that she will retire from the bench on April 11, 2003.

And Gov. Linda Lingle made several appointments. Dan Davidson was appointed the deputy land director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Davidson is the executive director of the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, a private non-profit research and trade association whose members include Hawai`i landowners and developers . . .  Carlito P. Caliboso was named to serve as chairman of the Public Utilities Commission. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation. Caliboso is a partner with the law firm of Catalani Nakanishi & Caliboso . . .  Colleen Y. LaClair was named deputy director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. LaClair has worked for Verizon Hawai`i for 25 years . . .  Janice T. Kemp was named deputy director of the Department of Human Resources Development. Kemp has worked for the state Attorney General's office since 1987 . . .  John F. Peyton Jr. was named director of the state Department of Public Safety. Peyton, a veteran federal prosecutor who spent more than 20 years of his career in Honolulu, currently is vice president of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils of Bosnia and Herzogovina . . .  Leslie "Les" H. Kondo was named director of the Office of Information Practices, the state agency that oversees the implementation and administration of Hawai`i's open record laws. Kondo is a partner with the law firm of Chun & Nagatani.

See also the previous edition of Na Kanaka from Jan. 29, 2003.