Pablo Becomes Second Maui Selection for Abercrombie Cabinet

By Wendy Osher

Another Maui selection has been made to Governor-Elect Neil Abercrombie’s cabinet.  Fred Pablo was tapped as the state’s incoming Director of the Department of Taxation in an announcement made late Friday.  Just days earlier, Abercrombie announced the selection of Maui’s Kalbert Young as the Director of Budget and Finance for the new state administration.

Fred Pablo. File Photo by Wendy Osher.

FRED PABLO (Tax) currently serves as the Budget Director for the County of Maui, and previously served as the District Tax Manager of the state of Hawaii for Maui County. In his county capacity, Pablo worked with the legislative branch to pass budget ordinances with investments in infrastructure, bus transportation and affordable housing.  Pablo, 64, also previously served as the Tax Attache for the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Paris and Bonn, Germany. Pablo, who is a licensed Certified Public Accountant, graduated from St. Louis High School and earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Pablo was among a list of five directors and two deputy directors named to the Abercrombie cabinet on Friday afternoon.  Others are Bruce Coppa as Director of the Department of Accounting and General Services, Keali’i Lopez as Director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Sunshine Topping as Director of Department of Human Resources Development, State Sen. Russell Kokubun and Jimmy Nakatani as the team leading the Department of Agriculture as its Chairman and Deputy Director, respectively, and Guy Kaulukukui as Deputy Director of Department of Land and Natural Resources

“We have a growing team of successful leaders from the public and private sectors who are stepping forward because they are inspired by our vision of a New Day in Hawaii,” Gov.-Elect Abercrombie said. “I’m proud of the process we have followed that allowed us to find talented leaders who will be essential in moving Hawaii forward.”

To date, Abercrombie has announced 11 department directors and four deputy directors. Director posts require Senate confirmation.

Abercrombie is still interviewing applicants for the directors of the following departments: Health, Attorney General, Defense, Human Services and Transportation.

Gov. Elect-Abercrombie and Lt. Gov.-Elect Brian Schatz will be sworn in at noon today.