Hawaiian Electric President Retires

Hawaiian Electric News Release

Sharon Suzuki, president of Maui County and Hawaii Island utilities, retired from Hawaiian Electric effective March 1.

Retiring after 28 years with Hawaiian Electric and Maui Electric, Suzuki served as president of Maui Electric from 2012 to 2019, when she was named to the new position of president of Maui County and Hawaii Island utilities for Hawaiian Electric.

“Thank you for the honor of being able to serve our unique communities on Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii Island,” Suzuki said. “It’s been a privilege to work alongside our company’s dedicated employees and I am grateful for the years of collaboration with all of our customers, community organizations, renewable energy partners, and business and government leaders.”

Local leadership will be provided by Mat McNeff, director of Maui, Molokai and Lanai, and other leaders on Maui, including Mahina Martin, director of government and community affairs. Ensuring continued responsive service and community engagement with Maui County customers will be Shelee Kimura, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president of customer service and external affairs.

Suzuki started her career at Hawaiian Electric as a demand side analyst in 1992 and transferred to Maui for a manager position in customer service in 2004. In 2012, she was appointed president of Maui Electric.

Under her leadership, Maui County saw a significant expansion of renewable resources, including nearly 14,000 private rooftop solar installations. In 2020, the amount of renewable generation used in Maui County reached 51 percent, exceeding the state’s requirement of 30 percent.

“Sharon has led us through significant milestones in providing energy that is clean and reliable and as people on Maui, Molokai and Lanai know, she did it with a lot of heart,” said Scott Seu, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric. “She set a high standard for listening to our communities which we will continue to live up to, and I offer her my mahalo and best wishes.”