LOS ANGELES — Newly inaugurated Hawaii Governor David Ige named the state's pension chief, Wesley Machida, to head the Department of Budget and Finance.
Machida is currently the executive director of the $14 billion Hawaii Employee's Retirement System. Machida, a certified public accountant, worked as a senior audit manager with Grant Thornton LLP before switching to the public sector work as assistant auditor in the office of the auditor and assistant administrator for the Child Support Enforcement Agency and then as the state's pension chief.
The governor also announced several other cabinet appointments including that of Laurel A. Johnston, former director of University of Hawaii System Budget office, as his deputy chief of staff. The appointments are subject to confirmation by the state Senate.
"We are committed to finding the best and brightest in our community to serve as effective leaders in state government," Ige said in a prepared statement. "These appointments show a variety of talented and dedicated individuals from both the public and private sectors, who have decided to work together to create a better Hawaii for future generations."
Machida will replace Kalbert Young, finance director for Neil Abercrombie, who was ousted by Ige in this year's Democratic primary. Prior to taking the state position, Young served as the director of Maui County's Department of Finance.
Machida serves on the Board of Trustees for the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority and is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association and the National Association of State Retirement Administrators.
Ige named Douglas Murdock comptroller and head of the Department of Accounting and General Services. Murdock is currently the vice president for Administrative and Fiscal Affairs of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Luis P. Salaveria, the state's current deputy director of finance, has been named director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
