Morioka named BIIF’s
new executive secretaryThe Hana athletic director
replaces Roy Fujimoto
Hana athletic director Keith Morioka is switching islands, again.
Morioka is the Big Island Interscholastic Federation's new executive secretary, but he hadn't been notified of the hire as of yesterday morning.
Department of Education Superintendent Pat Hamamoto said yesterday that she approved the selection committee's recommendation to hire Morioka last week.
All that's left is for the DOE's paperwork to go through the proper channels and it will be official.
Morioka starts his new position May 5, according to Judith Saranchock, the Big Island's complex area superintendent. She was in the process of trying to reach Morioka with the news of his hire yesterday afternoon.
"If it's true that I do get the job, I'm excited," Morioka said. "They've been without an executive secretary for three-and-a-half months already and that's a difficult situation. I applied for the job looking for a new challenge."
Morioka replaces longtime BIIF head Roy Fujimoto, who retired at the end of 2003.
Morioka was Waipahu's athletic director from 1987 to 2001, before moving to his post in Hana, and he has been the president of the Athletic Directors and Coaches Association of Hawaii for eight years.
"He is an extremely experienced guy," said Wendell Staszkow, the DOE's director of personnel. "He's had the opportunity to work with athletic directors on Oahu and Maui for a long time and that wealth of experience should help him on the Big Island."
Frank Wick, the Hana principal, told Staszkow that the Dragons are "losing a good man."
Hana will hire an interim athletic director and do a search for a permanent replacement.
Konawaena AD Lyle Crozier and Waiakea AD Ken Yamase were among the candidates interviewed for the BIIF post.