The Hawaii Tourism Authority board referenced building trust with state lawmakers and the community several times during a Thursday special meeting where they greenlighted a new quality assurance push and approved a proposal identifying what to seek in a contractor for a third-party tourism governance study.

HTA Vice President of Finance Isaac Choy proposed a new quality assurance policy and program geared to addressing previous criticisms about HTA from mismanagement to missteps in internal accounting and procurement procedures.

“My job is to make sure HTA’s internal processes are in order, to make sure that HTA’s house is in order and to make sure that we have strong infrastructure here at HTA internally,” Choy said. “It is my job to make sure they do not use words like mismanagement, government waste, fraud or abuse. It is my job to make absolute sure that the policymakers do not criticize our backroom operations.”

Choy said the new policy would affirm HTA’s commitment to maintain a “high standard of quality” in the way that it works, the services it delivers and its relationships with stakeholders. The new policy sets up a quality control system that applies to HTA’s procurement, contracting, monitoring and evaluation, he said.

The board also approved a staff recommendation from HTA Chief Administrative Officer Daniel Naho‘opi‘i to go out to procurement this month for a governance study not to exceed $300,000. Naho‘opi‘i said a goal is to complete the study by November so that lawmakers and other stakeholders could take recommendations into account during the 2024 legislative session.

Naho‘opi‘i told the board that the tourism governance study’s objective is “to look at how we can address the limitations on resources and personnel and create a more formal system of coordination and enforcement capabilities either through legislation or changes in our structure.”

According to the staff proposal, the study would be used to determine whether an alternative tourism governance system is necessary as well as identify areas that need reform and propose policy ideas. The study seeks to support a smooth transition and management change.

HTA’s staff transition plan remains uncertain, though board changes already are taking place.

Two new HTA board members, Hawaiian Airlines’ Blaine Miyasato, and Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director James Kunane Tokioka, were sworn in during the meeting. Friday was the last day for outgoing board members George Kam, who had served on the board since 2015 and as board chair since 2021, and Keone Downing, a waterman and businessman who served on the board since 2021.

The board did not make any announcements after going into executive session for more than an hour and a half to discuss how to proceed after current HTA President and CEO John De Fries leaves the agency upon the ending of his contract Sept. 15.