GOVERNOR LINGLE ESTABLISHES HAWAI`I COMMEMORATIVE QUARTER ADVISORY COMMISSION

For Immediate Release:  February 14, 2006

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today signed an Executive Order to convene a Hawai`i Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission (HCQAC) to select, develop and recommend designs emblematic of the State of Hawai`i to the U.S. Mint for the Hawai`i Commemorative Quarter. 

“The Hawai`i Commemorative Quarter will complete the set of fifty state quarters.  It will not only symbolize our state, but it will also share with our fellow Americans Hawai`i’s proud history, unique geography, and rich diversity and host culture,” said Governor Lingle.  “It will embody those things that make Hawai`i special while perpetuating our aloha.”

In 1997, the United States Mint implemented the “50 States Commemorative Coin Program,” which established a new series of quarters to commemorate each of the 50 states.  State quarters are issued in the order in which the states ratified the Constitution and joined the Union. Therefore, Hawai`i’s quarter is the last in the program to be minted.  It is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2008, and will be produced for 10 weeks.

The Commission includes leaders from around the state who represent the community, government, businesses, education, and culture and the arts.  In addition, a member of the Numismatic Association, an organization dedicated to the study and collection of coins, will participate.

The Commission will be chaired by Jonathan Johnson, Commission Project Manager for the Hawai`i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (HSFCA).  Johnson was selected because of his ability to successfully lead art advisory committees through a community process of developing and commissioning art projects for state buildings and public spaces.

“The Commemorative quarter project is an opportunity for the people of Hawai`i to reflect on what makes our island home unique, and to put a little aloha in people’s pockets,” said Johnson.

Members of the public will be invited to submit themes, concepts and narratives (between 25-50 words) that may be used to develop the final design for Hawai`i’s Commemorative Quarter.  The submissions will be made without remuneration and all submissions will become the exclusive property of the State of Hawai`i.  The Commission has set up a link on the Governor’s website for public input: www.hawaii.gov/gov/commemorativequarter .

The HCQAC will also review proposals submitted by the public, rank them in order of priority, develop them into final narratives, and make their recommendations to the Governor.  The Governor will choose three to five final narratives to submit to the U.S. Mint, whom will then return designs approved by the Secretary of the Treasury.  The Commission will review the recommended coin designs and submit to the Governor a prioritized list of designs.  The Governor will then select the final coin design.

The Commission’s work will follow the U.S. Mint Design Criteria and Guidelines.  Priority will be given to designs that have a broad appeal to the citizens of Hawai`i and are enduring representations of the state. 

Members of the Hawai`i Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission include:  Nicholas Tomihama, student; Greg Hunt, president of the Hawai`i Numismatic Association; Francis Lum, chief protocol officer, Lenny Klompus, senior advisor-communications, Office of the Governor, and Jonathan Johnson, chair of the Commission on behalf of the HSFCA. 

A complete list of invited Commission members is attached.

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For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus          
Senior Advisor – Communications          
Phone:  (808) 586-7708

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043

Marsha Wienert
Tourism Liaison
Phone: (808) 586-2362

Invited Commission Members, pending confirmation and background clearance:

Jonathan Johnson, Commissions Project Manager, HSFCA
Greg Hunt, president, Hawai`i Numismatic Association; and president, Honolulu Coin Club
Francis Lum, chief protocol officer, Office of the Governor
Lenny Klompus, senior advisor – communications, Office of the Governor (Governor’s representative)
Fred Hemmings, Senate Minority Leader, State Senate
Lynn Finnegan, House Minority Leader, State House of Representatives
Patricia Hamamoto, Superintendent, Hawai`i State Department of Education
Sheri Kojima, Teacher of the Year, Waiakea High School
Carol Pregill, executive director, Retail Merchants of Hawai`i
Haunani Apoliona, chair, board of trustees, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Robin Danner, president and chief executive officer, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
Jim Tollefson, president and chief executive officer, Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i
Alma Caberto, president, Filipino Chamber of Commerce
Kaulana Park, president, Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce
Hieu Nguyen, member, Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce
Rex Kim, president, Hawai`i Korean Chamber of Commerce
Woody Moore, president, African-American Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Ming Chen, president, Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i
Susana Ho, president, Hawai`i Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Wendy Abe, president, Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce
Bob Nakasone, president, Okinawan Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i
Steve Souza, president, Portuguese Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i
Nicholas Tomihama, student, sophomore at Mid-Pacific Institute
Terri Lum, representative from East Hawai`i
Sue Moss, representative from West Hawai`i
Orlando Tagorda, representative from Maui
Wayne Watanabe, representative from Kaua`i
Dayton Nakanelua, state director, United Public Workers Union

To be announced:
Representative from Lana`i
Representative from Moloka`i
Student from Maui County
Student from Kaua`i
Student from East Hawai`i
Student from West Hawai`i
Private union representative