MAKENA – Councilmembers and other policymakers from throughout the state will gather at the Makena Beach & Golf Resort to discuss investment success stories – and impediments to investment – at the Hawaii State Association of Counties’ annual conference on June 24-26, Maui County Council Chair Mike White announced.

White said conferees will hear from technology innovator Burt Lum, former State Planning Director Jesse Souki, new state Chief Information Officer Todd Nacapuy, Kauai County Managing Director Nadine Nakamura and Kelvin Kohatsu, fleet administrator for Hawaii Electric Light Co., among others, on the conference theme of “Why invest in our counties? Counties move Hawaii forward.” Other speakers include Emilia Istrate, research director for the National Association of Counties, and NACo President Riki Hokama, the Maui County Councilman from Lanai.

HSAC’s members are the councilmembers and mayors of all four Hawaii counties.

White said, “This will be a working conference, focused on developing actionable ideas for both the public and private sectors.”

Hands-on sessions will also be available to conferees, including a mom-and-pop food tour, a tour of Maui farms and an opportunity to test drive a Tesla electric vehicle. Networking sessions feature entertainment by Maui performers, including Willie K, Joel Katz and Darren Lee.

Conference registration is open to the public at MauiCounty.us/HSAC 2015.