MEDIA RELEASE

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has announced the appointment of Scott Edward Enright as chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture (BOA).

The appointment was effective Jan. 1, but is subject to Senate confirmation.

Scott Enright

“Scott is a respected member of the community whose collaborative spirit has served to bring all parties to the table toward nurturing and sustaining the agriculture industry in Hawaii,” Abercrombie said. “With Scott’s experience, we will continue to strengthen our agriculture industry by improving infrastructure, building our local markets, and expanding exports.”

Since February 2012, Enright has served as deputy to BOA Chair Russell Kokubun, who is retiring at the end of the year. In that capacity, Enright was the administrator of the state Department of Agriculture (DOA) Divisions of Plant Industry and Agricultural Development, managed the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant funding program, and directed Human Resources for the Office of the Chair.

He also directed biosecurity programs, led initiatives to revitalize the state’s livestock industry with special focus on developing dairy industry and grass-fed beef industry, and provided direction for improving infrastructure for irrigation systems statewide.

Previously, Enright was a consultant for the Hawaii Sustainable Agriculture and Renewable Energy Project, project manager for the ITC Water Management Inc., cultivation and irrigation superintendent for Hamakua Sugar Company, and orchard superintendent for Kilauea Agronomics.

Active in the agriculture industry and community, he is a former chair and current ex officio member representing the DOA on the board of the Agribusiness Development Corporation. He has also served on the Governor’s Council of Neighbor Islands Advisors for East Hawaii (2009-2010), during which he championed sustainable energy with emphasis on sustainable bioenergy fuel stock.

In addition, he is a member of the Community Development Plan Steering Committee for the Hamakua District, past chair of the Environmental Management Commission, past member of the Hilo-Hamakua Community Development Corporation Board, and founding president of the Ookala Community Association.

Enright earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and philosophy from the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

He is a resident of Ookala on the Hamakua Coast.