GOVERNOR LINGLE NAMES JOSHUA STRICKLER AS ENERGY FACILITATOR TO ADVANCE RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS
For Immediate Release: August 27, 2008
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has named Joshua B. Y. Strickler as the state’s first energy facilitator, who will play an important role in helping the state increase the use of renewable energy and decrease Hawai‘i’s dependence on imported oil.
The new energy facilitator position was proposed this year by the Lingle-Aiona Administration and approved by the State Legislature. As renewable energy facilitator, Strickler’s duties will include assisting renewable energy projects with the existing permitting process; working with federal, state and county agencies to streamline the permitting process for new renewable energy facilities while preserving the authority of the agencies to review and approve permits under their respective jurisdictions; and coordinating energy projects. The full-time renewable energy facilitator position is housed in the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
“The state is fortunate to have someone with Joshua’s experience join our efforts to have 70 percent of Hawai‘i’s energy come from clean, renewable sources by 2030,” said Governor Lingle. “The new energy facilitator position will play an important role in coordinating and streamlining energy projects, and make our state more attractive for businesses to invest in renewable energy technologies and energy conservation systems.”
Strickler is a registered professional engineer as well as a licensed attorney. Prior to joining the State, Strickler worked as an attorney with the legal firm of Kobayashi Sugita & Goda where he worked principally on construction litigation.
Prior to entering the legal profession, Strickler gained extensive experience in diverse areas of the energy industry. He served as facility manager for Raytheon Services where he helped with the building out of a new oil field in Kazakhstan. As station engineer at the Admundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica, he managed the operations of the power plant and electrical distribution grid. While serving as a maintenance engineer for the U.S. Air Force, Strickler managed a utility program and coordinated facility usage and energy conservation at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. Strickler also completed the off-shore petroleum drill executive program for Noble Drilling in Houston, Texas and worked offshore as a safety officer as well as led repair and upgrade projects for drilling rigs.
Strickler earned his law degree from the University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law and is currently pursuing a master of business administration from the UH Schidler College of Business. He earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Military Institute.
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For more information, contact:
Ted Liu
Director, DBEDT
Phone: (808) 586-2355
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043
