Pacific Magazine > Magazine > December 1, 2001
People Briefs
People Briefs
By Giff Johnson, Fili Sagapolutele
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| Dr. Russell Howorth, deputy director of the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission. |
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During its 30th annual session in the Marshall Islands in late October, the Governing Council of the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) named Dr. Russell Howorth as its new Deputy Director. A geoscientist, Howorth has worked in all 16 SOPAC island member countries during the past 22 years.
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| John McCarroll heads the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Pacific Islands Office. |
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new Pacific Islands Office chief in San Francisco is John McCarroll. A 10-year EPA veteran, he took over the post in September that was held for many years by now-retired Norman Lovelace.
The Federated States of Micronesia Congress in late October confirmed the nomination of Bernell W. Edward to the post of National Elections Director. He replaced fellow Pohnpeian Max Mallarme, who held the position until his resignation in August. Edward was previously the Pohnpei Election Commissioner.
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| Mark Stege, the new General Manager of the Marshall Island Visitors Authority. |
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Mark Stege has been named general manager of the Marshall Islands Visitors Authority, replacing outgoing GM Ben Graham. Stege, a graduate of the University of Santa Clara, California, was working as an aide to President Kessai Note until his appointment.
Veteran radio broadcaster John Summers is the new station manager for American Samoa’s KHJ-FM Radio. Summers, who has 30-years of experience in broadcasting in the U.S., will serve not only as station manager, but sales manager and morning drive-show host. He replaces the late Mark Gerek who was lost at sea in September during a diving expedition.
Fifteen-year-old Tommy Aiava was honored in early October by his high school in American Samoa for his heroism. Michael Faapito, a young man with a disability, was among a group of about 20 youngsters who were swimming. Eyewitnesses said Michael apparently suffered an attack while in the sea, which went unnoticed by the other youths except Tommy who saved Michael’s life. Michael’s legal guardian, Joan Sevaaetasi, and Fagaitua High School principal Pio Groshe, honored Tommy during a school assembly.
Atbi Riklon has been named the Attorney General for the Marshall Islands. Riklon was confirmed in October at a ceremony attended by President Kessai Note. The University of Papua New Guinea law school graduate has worked in the AG’s office for many years.
Dr. Carol Whitaker, director of the American Samoa Community College’s Land Grant has been appointed to the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges 2001 Executive Committee. Whitaker was appointed as one of two representatives for the Western Region, which includes more than 12 states and four island territories. She is also the only woman on the committee.
Mark J. Heath, a Senior Vice President at Metropolitan West Capital Management, LLC has earned the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Heath, who heads MetWest Capital’s Guam office, is the first person in Micronesia to earn this designation. Candidates seeking the credential must pass three, six-hour examinations over at least three years covering investment ethics, securities analysis, financial accounting, quantitative analysis, economics and portfolio management.
Sydney, Australia-based Andrew Gee has been named as director of sales and marketing for the Outrigger Reef Fiji. Hotel General Manager Robert McConnell announced in early October the appointment of Gee, who since 1997 held the position of director of sales (inbound) for Bass Hotels and Resorts in Australia.
Guam Lt. Governor Madeline Bordallo has filed a candidacy form with the U.S. Federal Election Commission as the first step in her bid for Guam’s single seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Guam Senator Judith Won Pat earlier announced her plan to run for the seat. Five-term incumbent Delegate Robert Underwood is expected to step down in order to run for governor.
Donna Tanoue, former chairwoman of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), has been elected to serve on the board of directors of Bank of Hawaii. Tanoue chaired the FDIC from May 1998 to July 2001, where she was responsible for the federal agency that oversees nearly 5,700 banks and insures $3 trillion in bank and savings and loan deposits.
Veteran journalist and public relations executive Stu Glauberman has been named staff vice president/corporate communications for Aloha Airlines. Glauberman, who has worked for both Honolulu daily newspapers and others, was vice president of the Travel and Tourism Division of McNeil Wilson Communications, Inc., one of Hawaii’s largest public relations firms, before taking on the new job. While at McNeil Wilson, Glauberman often represented Hawaiian Airlines.
Serlinda Soukon of Kitti Municipality in Pohnpei was recently crowned Miss Pohnpei 2001 in a beauty pageant sponsored by the Pohnpei Visitors Bureau. It was the first beauty pageant in the Federated States of Micronesia. Shortly after winning, Soukon was off to Samoa to compete in the Miss South Pacific Pageant.
In Memoriam
Klaus Lindemann, a well known scuba diver who was a promoter of the shipwrecks in Chuuk lagoon, died in October in Michigan. He wrote the book “Hailstorm Over Truk Lagoon,” one of the first to publicize the splendors of Chuuk lagoon and its World War II treasures to the rest of the world. He also established an environmentally friendly “Look But Don’t Touch” program to protect the shipwrecks.
Photo: Giff Johnson
