Lingle team swamped More than 1,000 people have applied for jobs in the Lingle administration, and transition officials say it will take more time than expected to sort through all the applications.
with job applications
So many have applied that it
appears unlikely all the positions
will be filled before she takes officeBy Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.com"We appreciate the interest shown in joining the administration," said Travis Thompson, Lingle's transition team chairman.
Thompson announced yesterday the formation and chairpersons of three more search committees that will recommend names to Lingle for state department and deputy posts:
>> Kenneth Choate, executive vice president of Haseko Construction, will head the 10-member panel looking to fill the top posts at the state Department of Transportation.Six other panels already have begun perusing resumes and coming up with short lists of names to recommend to Lingle, who returns to Hawaii on Sunday from a trip to the mainland. Lingle must appoint 17 state directors and 23 deputies.>> Allan Smith, vice president and chief executive officer of Grove Farm Co., will lead the search committee for the state Department of Land & Natural Resources.
>> Kitty Lagareta, CEO of Communications Pacific, will head up the 17-member group that will recommend officials for the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
She could begin making appointments as early as next week, Thompson said. But because the volume of interest shown, it is unlikely she will be able to finish all of them when she takes office, he said.
Thompson stressed that the transition team will "take as much time as we need to take" to find the right people. He added that a few current state department heads have submitted their resumes, but declined to identify them.
Lagareta said her panel includes all three neighbor island mayors and is still recruiting more members to review candidates for the state economic development post.
"It's a very, very important area for Gov.-elect Lingle, and we're honored to assist her with it," she said.
State of Hawaii
