STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1397

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 590, 745

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 590 and 745, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Advisory Board on Veterans' Services

 

G.M. No. 590

MICHAEL GOLOJUCH,

for a term to expire 6-30-2015; and

 

G.M. No. 745

PETER YUKIMURA,

for a term to expire 6-30-2015,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds Michael Golojuch and Peter Yukimura to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Advisory Board on Veterans' Services.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Michael Golojuch from the Office of Veterans Services of the State Department of Defense and fifteen individuals. 

 

     Michael Golojuch is the Administrative Services Officer of the Department of Budget and Fiscal Services of the City and County of Honolulu.  He received a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Northern Colorado.  The nominee is a retired Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force.  During his service in the Air Force, Lieutenant Colonel Golojuch served in a variety of managerial positions in various missile and aerospace operations divisions, including his last position as Assistant Director of Operations, 487 Tactical Missile Wing, Comiso Air Station in Italy.

 

     Your Committee notes from the personal statement of the nominee that he has over thirty years of management experience with organizations ranging in size from five to more than five hundred people.  He has managed budgets and real property facilities ranging from several thousand dollars to multimillion dollars.  Lieutenant Colonel Golojuch has a broad knowledge of interfacing operations, logistics, and security.  As a veteran, the nominee knows the importance of getting information out to the public on the multiple veteran services and benefits available to those who served their country.  He believes his military background and community involvement will enable him to perform advisory functions on veterans' issues, legislative proposals, and program operations.  Lieutenant Colonel Golojuch wants every veteran to have the opportunity to use the benefits they have earned.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Peter Yukimura from the Office of Veterans Services of the State Department of Defense; First Hawaiian Bank; Kauai Island Utility Cooperative; Fujita & Miura Public Relations, Inc.; and two individuals.

 

     Peter Yukimura is currently the President of Yukimura's, Inc., a real estate investment and holding company; President of Koa Trading Company, a food distributor; and President of M & K Distributors, a snack food and health and beauty aids company.  He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an accounting major at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Mr. Yukimura served as a Sergeant, E-5, United States Army Infantry, in Vietnam.  He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts.

 

     The nominee's current public service includes serving as

Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative; and as member of the Small Business Regulatory Review Board.  He also served as a Commissioner on the State Land Use Commission.  Mr. Yukimura is an active participant as a director, trustee, or member of numerous community and social service organizations.

 

     Your Committee notes from the nominee's personal statement that he believes that a large number of veterans and their families under utilize the benefits and services that are available for them.  They need to be more aware of and the State needs to communicate better with them on the availability of those services.  He believes that as a disabled veteran, he has gone through a lot of the hurdles that veterans endure just to get their benefits.  Your Committee finds that Mr. Yukimura's first‑hand experience, combined with his commitment to public service, will enable him to improve other veterans' access to services through his contributions to the Advisory Board on Veterans' Services.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs that are 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 Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair