Sharon Suzuki Named President of Maui, Hawai‘i Island Utilities

Sharon Suzuki headshot courtesy Aubrey Hord via Maui Electric Company.

Sharon Suzuki, president of Maui Electric Company, has been named to the new position of President, Maui County and Hawai‘i Island Utilities, responsible for overseeing the administration of the two companies that serve 157,000 customers on Hawai‘i, Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i.

Suzuki succeeds Jay Ignacio, who is retiring after 28 years with Hawai‘i Electric Light. Ignacio, whose retirement is effective Feb. 2, has served as president of the company since 2008.

“It’s been an honor to serve the community I call home. In my career, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside hundreds of dedicated professionals who are committed to doing the right thing for our customers and our neighbors,” Ignacio said. “I would like to thank the employees, our customers, and our partners in government, business and community organizations who work tirelessly to make Hawai‘i Island a better place for all.”

The new position is an element of the Hawaiian Electric Companies’ “One Company” transformation strategy, which brings together the best practices of Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawai‘i Electric Light to reduce duplication, share resources and maximize efficiency to provide savings to customers while continuing to honor the cultures and meet the needs of each island’s communities.

“Our commitment to these islands isn’t changing. As anyone who has worked with Sharon knows, she is a tremendous advocate for customers and the communities on Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i,” said Alan Oshima, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric, the parent company of Maui Electric and Hawai‘i Electric Light. “Maui Electric is nationally recognized for its use of renewable energy – now at nearly 40 percent – so Sharon is the right person to continue that work and build on the clean energy leadership of Hawai‘i Electric Light.

“Our business is undergoing a fundamental transformation and so is our organizational chart. Like many other jobs in our company, the duties of the president are changing to meet new expectations, and this is an opportunity to reduce costs and look at new ways of working.”

Suzuki has served as president of Maui Electric since 2012. In more than 25 years with Maui Electric and Hawaiian Electric, she has served in many diverse leadership roles in renewable energy, energy efficiency and customer service.