Ex-TV reporter will be
mayor’s press secretary

A former television news reporter who covered Honolulu Hale for years will be answering questions for the mayor instead of asking them.

Bill Brennan, a former longtime City Hall reporter and executive producer for KHON-TV, was named press secretary to the mayor yesterday during a press conference held by Mayor-elect Mufi Hannemann.

Brennan worked at KHON from 1990 to 2003, and prior to that was a producer and news writer for television stations in Ohio and Chicago. Most recently he was a communications officer for the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, a position he will likely hold until the end of the year.

Reflecting on the responsibilities of his new job, Brennan said, "I know how difficult it was to get information sometimes. ... I had those same needs not so long ago."

Hannemann also announced the appointment of two city department directors:

» Eric S. Takamura as the director of the Department of Environmental Services. Takamura is vice president and chief operating officer of Environet Inc., a Honolulu engineering firm. He earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and his Master of Science in environmental health engineering and doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Texas.

» Kevin S. Yoshino as the director of the Department of Customer Services. Yoshino is currently director of Hawaiian Electric Co.'s customer account services division and heads Yoshino & Associates, a network marketing company. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in information and computer science from the University of Hawaii.

In the past, the duties of spokesman for the mayor fell to the head of the Customer Services Department. However, Hannemann said yesterday he wanted to have a separate position for the job. In response, Yoshino said he did not mind at all if Brennan talked to the media while he concentrated on customer service.

"I totally support that," Yoshino said. "Leave it to the experts."

Both directors' appointments are subject to confirmation by the Honolulu City Council.