Gordon Ito, a 17-year veteran with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, has been named the state's insurance commissioner.
Governor Linda Lingle appointed Mr. Ito, effective July 20, according to a statement from the state Insurance Division.
Mr. Ito has been chief deputy insurance commissioner since 2000 and was supervising staff attorney for the Insurance Division from 1993 to 2000.
Mr. Ito, who had been interim commissioner, takes over permanently for J.P. Schmidt, who left the post July 1 to take a position with a Honolulu law firm. Mr. Schmidt was appointed insurance commissioner in Feb. 2003 and served longer than any prior commissioner.
Mr. Schmidt has told NU Online News Service one reason for his departure was that the governor will be termed out of office at the end of this year. A new governor would likely want to appoint a new commissioner, he said.
Gov. Lingle is on her second term. There is a term limit of two terms for the office.
About 1,000 insurance companies in Hawaii write $4.5 billion in premiums.
