Two officers are stepping down from the state high-tech development agency, one of them saying he disagrees with the direction the state is taking. 2 officers quit posts
in state’s tech centerBy Tim Ruel
truel@starbulletin.comMichael Possedi, 35, resigned Monday as incubation program manager of the Manoa Innovation Center, less than two months after being hired. Vicky Chiu-Irion, marketing and business development manager of the state's High Technology Development Corp. is also stepping down. The state agency runs the Manoa Innovation Center, an incubation center for high-tech companies.
Neither Possedi nor Chiu-Irion have another job lined up.
Possedi said he disagrees strongly with the state's plan to take equity in tenants in the center as a way of waiving their rent. He's heard from other incubation centers on the mainland that it's a bad idea. Tech companies need cash. Taking stock in a company is a complex deal, one that can lead to lawsuits. "They wanted to do it anyway," he said.
"They're just steamrolling me," he said.
Nola Miyasaki, executive director and chief executive officer of the High Technology Development Corp., could not be reached for immediate comment today. Steve Kim, a paid consultant of the High Technology Development Corp. and president of Internet travel software company Get2Hawaii Inc., referred calls to public relations firm Ontai-Lagrange & Associates.
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