Hawai‘i Energy announces new team members

Hawai‘i Energy, the state’s energy conservation program, last week announced the hiring of Dan Mestas as principal development engineer, and Travis Hiramoto and Melissa Onishi as energy advisors.

“As we continue to focus our efforts on making energy efficiency programs more accessible and more affordable to island families and businesses, it’s important that we find the right talent to further advance our mission,” said Caroline Carl, executive director of Hawai‘i Energy. “We are pleased to have Dan, Travis and Melissa on the Hawai‘i Energy team and look forward to their contributions as we work toward a 100% clean energy future.”

Dan Mestas, Principal Development Engineer: Mestas is responsible for Hawai‘i Energy’s customer engagement strategy and supports customer project development and implementation. Prior to joining Hawai‘i Energy, Mestas was vice president and engineering manager of corporate real estate and facilities for Bank of Hawai‘i. He was responsible for the operations, maintenance and improvement of buildings and systems within Bank of Hawai‘i’s portfolio in Hawai‘i, Guam, Saipan and Palau. Mestas also held several positions at PepsiCo in both Arizona and Hawai‘i, progressing from production supervisor and process improvement engineer to plant engineer and maintenance manager. He is a certified maintenance and reliability professional (CMRP) and certified energy manager (CEM). He also serves on the boards of the ASHRAE Hawai‘i Chapter as secretary and AEE Executive Hawai‘i Chapter as vice president, and an advisor for Carbon Lighthouse. Mestas received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State University.

Travis Hiramoto, Energy Advisor: As energy advisor, Hiramoto works closely with industrial, multi-family and warehouse (non-food) sectors on implementing energy efficient initiatives. Prior to his current role, he served as environmental health specialist, pollution prevention coordinator where he developed and managed the State of Hawai‘i’s Green Business Program. Hiramoto holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University and is a certified USGBC LEED Green Associate.

Melissa Onishi, Energy Advisor: In her role as energy advisor, Onishi provides consultation on energy efficiency and conservation initiatives to several sectors, including restaurants, grocery, food production and distribution, as well as assists customers with processing financial incentives. Onishi recently managed several STEM related programs with the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, including the Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program and Hawai‘i’s Engaged STEM Pathways. She holds a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.