STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2922

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: GOV. MSG. NOS. 270, 271, 272

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 270, 271, and 272, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

Statewide Health Coordinating Council

G.M. No. 270

DAVID W. HEYWOOD,

for a term to expire 6-30-2010;

G.M. No. 271

WAYNE SACHIO HIGAKI,

for a term to expire 6-30-2010; and

G.M. No. 272

VIRGINIA PRESSLER MD, MBA, FACS,

for a term to expire 6-30-2010,

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee received testimony in support of DAVID W. HEYWOOD from the Department of Health. Mr. Heywood is currently serving on the Statewide Health Coordinating Council and is being nominated for a second term. Mr. Heywood received his MBA in 1983 and is currently the Executive Director, Hawaii Region, of United Healthcare. He has served as Vice President of Corporate Development for Hawaii Pacific Health, Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer at Queen's Health Plans, and various financial and management positions with Henry Ford Health Systems. He is active in the community and is an asset to the Statewide Health Coordinating Council.

Your Committee received testimony in support of WAYNE SACHIO HIGAKI from the Department of Health and four individuals. Mr. Higaki is currently serving on the Statewide Health Coordinating Council and is being nominated for a second term. He is the Assistant Vice President of North Hawaii Community Hospital on the Big Island. He has also served as Director of Project and Business Development and Director of Clinical and Diagnostic Services for the hospital. Mr. Higaki's experience in business administration, program development, and medical facility design have enabled him to provide valuable skills to the Council.

Your Committee received testimony in support of VIRGINIA PRESSLER MD, MBA, FACS from the Department of Health, Hawaii Pacific Health, and the Hawaii Science and Technology Council. Dr. Pressler is currently serving on the Statewide Health Coordinating Council and is being nominated for a second term. Dr. Pressler is Senior Vice President of Service Line Development, Marketing and Government Relations with Hawaii Pacific Health. She has also served as the Deputy Director of Health Resources Administration for the Department of Health. Dr. Pressler holds a MD degree from the John H. Burns School of Medicine, a MS in Physiology and a MBA from the University of Hawaii, and a BA in Social Psychology from Cornell University. She is a member of several professional organizations and is active in various community agencies. Dr. Pressler has an extensive understanding of the health care system in Hawaii and invaluable expertise in health care planning.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair