The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the state’s tourism agency, has announced that its Search Investigative Committee will recommend Michael McCartney as the Authority’s president and chief executive officer. The recommendation will be submitted to the full board at its next board meeting.
According to Kelvin Bloom, HTA’s chair: “The Committee undertook a rigorous search process and considered several well-qualified candidates. In selecting Michael, we felt that he will bring the right combination of industry knowledge, community credibility, and the ability to build bridges between the many stakeholders that HTA serves. His experience as the former chair of HTA, his history of community service, and his long-standing relationships with government made Michael the right candidate to help HTA address both our immediate- and long-term needs.”
“I am honored to be selected by the committee for the position of HTA’s president and CEO,” said McCartney. “Helping to ensure the success of Hawaii’s leading industry is a responsibility I embrace, and I look forward to working with the board, the industry, the community, our leaders in government, and HTA staff.”
McCartney is currently the executive director of the Hawaii State Teachers Association. He is the former chair of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, former president and CEO of PBS Hawaii, former director of the Hawaii State Department of Human Resource Development, and served as a State Senator for 10 years. Born and raised in Hawaii, McCartney is a graduate of Castle High School and received his BS from Pacific University in Oregon.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority was created in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage Hawaii tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with their economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs.