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11-06-2010 - Abercrombie Fills Top Two Positions in Governor’s Office

imageGovernor-Elect Neil Abercrombie named Amy Asselbaye as his chief of staff and Andrew Aoki as his deputy chief of staff in his first announcement of leadership positions in the Abercrombie administration.

Asselbaye, 40, and Aoki, 41, worked for Abercrombie’s gubernatorial campaign as the operations director and deputy campaign manager, respectively.

As chief of staff, Asselbaye’s duties will include managing the Governor’s Office and Cabinet to implement state policies. As deputy chief of staff, Aoki will oversee policy development and strategic planning.

“They were the heart and soul of the campaign,” Abercrombie said. “I have complete faith and confidence in their abilities and readiness to serve the people of Hawaii. Amy and Andrew both have young children in Hawaii’s public schools and they understand the issues facing families in Hawaii.”

Prior to the campaign, Asselbaye worked for Abercrombie’s Congressional office for 17 years. Asselbaye started in the legislative office and handled various policy and Natural Resources Committee work until being promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff and then Chief of Staff in January 2005. As Chief of Staff of Abercrombie’s Congressional office, Asselbaye oversaw the Honolulu and D.C. offices, developed and implemented all policies and operating plans.

Before joining the campaign in March 2009, Aoki was a director of Kanu Hawaii, a nonprofit organization, and the co-founder and principal of the public interest research and planning firm, 3Point. Aoki’s past experiences include: overseeing the grant making program of the HMSA Foundation to improve health and healthcare; planning and conducting performance audits of different state agencies as an analyst for the Hawaii State Auditor; and directing youth and teen programs in communities across the state as a program director for the YMCA of Honolulu.

11-04-2010 - Abercrombie Announces Transition Plan

Governor-Elect Neil Abercrombie today announced plans for the transition to a new Abercrombie/Schatz Administration, including the process for ensuring a smooth transition from the current administration.

Bill Kaneko, who served as the campaign manager for the Abercrombie for Governor campaign, will serve as the Transition Director.

Abercrombie also announced the launch of the transition website, NewDayHawaii.org, titled after his vision for Hawaii unveiled during the gubernatorial campaign. The website is a critical avenue for members of the public to learn more about Abercrombie’s plans and to submit input and advice. Every person interested in applying for a position with the Abercrombie Administration should submit applications via the website.

“Government exists to serve all the people, and if things are to improve, we must all take responsibility to make it so. The people of Hawaii, in every community on every island, want to come together to solve our problems and build a brighter future,” Abercrombie said. “This is how we campaigned and how we will govern.”

During the transition, members of the Cabinet will also be assembled and other positions in the Executive Branch will be filled.

“We want an open and fair process to maximize the outreach to people of Hawaii,” Abercrombie said. “We want to identify talented individuals that represent the full diversity of Hawaii and assemble dedicated public servants committed to our vision for A New Day in Hawaii.”

Abercrombie will be sworn in as Governor at 12 p.m. on Dec. 6.

11-03-2010 - We Are One Hawaii

by Neil Abercrombie

I am so grateful to everyone who believed and participated and made your voices heard—in every community on every island. I have never been so inspired and so appreciative of the fact that Hawaii is my home, our home.

This election was not about Neil Abercrombie.

This election was about a call for change. And I know that desire for change was in the minds of those who voted for me and those who voted for my opponents. Everyone knows that Hawaii needs to and can do better. Everyone wants to have renewed confidence that our best days are ahead of us.

Our campaign was based on a fundamental belief that government belongs to all of us. Government doesn’t exist to serve politicians or powerful interests or the loudest voices. Government exists to serve all the people, and if things are to improve, we must all take responsibility to make it so. The people of Hawaii want to come together to solve our problems and build a brighter future.

This campaign was about people, reaching out to one another, and drawing on their talents and initiative. This is how we campaigned and how we will govern.

We will work immediately to build a sustainable economy where we produce our own clean energy and grow our own healthy food. We will build an economy fueled by our entrepreneurial spirit and our unique island ingenuity; an economy filled with good-paying jobs and opportunities for our children.

We will make investments in our people and families—in their health and education beginning before birth, through early childhood, in our public schools and university system—to unlock every bit of potential in our greatest resource—our diverse island people.

We will build community, reaching out to one another, improving our understanding of each other, always seeking resolution, and forming partnerships of all kinds to serve our children, our elders, and those who have fallen on hard times.

We know Hawaii has severe challenges.

But I believe in the people of Hawaii—our perseverance, our character, our ingenuity, integrity, kindness and humanity.

The people of Hawaii have always made it through difficult times. The Polynesian forbearers of Hawaii sailed the Pacific without modern instrumentation. Those who followed toiled in plantation fields to give their children opportunities; started the businesses that became the cornerstones of our economy; defended the nation in times of war; pioneered the ideas that made life better for future generations; and fought for equality in the face of bitter discrimination. We are resilient. We have a legacy of uniting when times are tough—our diversity is our strength.

The people of Hawaii have always counted on each other. I pledge to you tonight that you can count on me. In these next four years, I will be with you, working side-by-side with all of you as we come together to build our future together.

We are one Hawaii. Nothing can stop us—working together, caring for each other, with aloha in our hearts.

IMUA HAWAII!

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