ESTRELLA SEESE APPOINTED ACTING HEAD OF STATE ENERGY OFFICE
For Immediate Release: January 12, 2011
HONOLULU—Estrella A. Seese has been appointed acting Energy Administrator of the Hawaii State Energy Office of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Seese, who has served as the Energy Office’s manager of Energy Planning & Policy for the past three years, assumes the duties of former Energy Administrator Theodore Peck, who has resigned and moved to the private sector.
“Estrella has the depth and breadth of knowledge about the energy issues and challenges facing Hawaii. I am confident that under her leadership she will be able to work with the outstanding staff at the Energy Office to help the state reach the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative goal of 70 percent clean energy by 2030,” said DBEDT Interim Director Richard Lim. “We need to move our state towards a clean energy future that will significantly reduce our use of imported oil, keep the money we spend on buying fuel in the state, and create new, green jobs for Hawaii’s residents.”
Seese has over 30 years of experience in the energy arena. She has represented the State in energy-policy related proceedings to ensure that regulatory framework and policies that are developed will promote the achievement of the State’s energy goals.
Prior to joining DBEDT, she was director of Pricing at Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (HECO), responsible for the development, administration, and implementation of the electric rates and tariffs on Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Economics from University of Hawaii, Manoa, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She was an East-West Center Degree Scholar and a Ford Foundation Fellow.
This is a civil service position so the standard state recruitment process will be followed to fill the position permanently.
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For more information, contact:
Richard Lim
Interim Director, DBEDT
Phone: (808) 586-2355
Estrella Seese
Acting State Energy Administrator
Phone: (808) 587-3812