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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0088.000 2008-2010William P. Kenai Mayor ~nixn~~r of~ttfu~i`i 891 Ululani Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720-3982 (808) 961-8211 Pax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103 • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 (808) 329-5226 • Fax (808) 326-5663 January 7, 2009 The Honorable J Yoshimoto and Members of the County Council County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Dear Chairman Yoshimoto and Members: William T. Takaba Managing Director Walter K.M. Lau Deputy Managing Director N G1 C7 C G 2 ~,: ~6 ~~ ~ M W ~~• re ...' =ri `'. i ~'. 1"; 3 .~ ~_ ~' ' ~ ..._ o0 It is my pleasure to submit for your confirmation the appointment of Robert A. Fitzgerald as County of Hawaii Director of Parks and Recreation, pursuant to the charter of the County of Hawaii. This appointment was effective January 7, 2009. Mr. Fitzgerald has been Sales Manager for Wyndham Vacation Resorts since September 2002, and previously was a Realtor and a business owner involved in flower farming and retail flower shops from 1978 to 1998. Mr. Fitzgerald also has extensive high school football coaching experience at Konawaena High School, and coached 12 championship football teams. Mr. Fitzgerald will serve a term co-terminus with my tenure, which will end December 3, 2012. Thank you for your favorable consideration of this appointment. If you have any questions about this matter, please feel free to call me. Aloha, ~/ i ~~~ Billy enoi MAY R Attachment Council Action Due By: March 9, 2009 Last Council Meeting: March 3, 2009 County of Hawai `i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. ~~ 1 1 r 3i Comm. No. V_~ ___,~ Ref. To: PS ~ Prl°G Ref. Date JAN 12 2009 Robert A. Fitzgerald P.O. Box 887 Kealakekua, Hawaii 9675 75-380 Aloha Kona Drive Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 808-345-5690 bobfitz9@gmail.com CAREER GOALS: I continually aspire to use my management, administrative, and motivational skills to enhance my working environment. Also, I plan on extending my sound experience in building winning teams, in both business and sports, to directing the County of Hawaii Parks and Recreation Department. I have been a coach in both the business and sports fields, and therefore, I have an innate drive to establish the efficient and effective manner that is necessary to improve the recreational. opportunities of Hawaii. More so, I have a tremendous amount of enthusiasm to contribute to this job and the tasks that it entails. From my experience, this is something I know to be an essential component to success, and as I have always dreamed of an opportunity to put some of my recreational ideas for this island into action, I know that I will bring the eagerness and dedication that is required for this particular job and its accompanying tasks. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: Wyndham Vacation Resorts: September 2002 to Present Sales Manager, recruited, trained, and managed a sales force of fifty sales and marketing professionals, plus an additional fifty support staff. Total sales volume was in excess of $36,000,000 million in annual timeshare sales. Adventure Resorts: September 1998 to September 2002 Sales and Marketing Manager. Adventure Resorts was acquired by Wyndham Vacation Resorts. Business Owner - Flower Farming, Retail Flower Shops and Realtor. 1978 to September 1998 Special Education Teacher and University of Hawaii Night Extension Educator under Milton Leslie's Continuing Education Program. 1978 to 1984 COACHING: Konawaena High School Assistant Football Coach (Championship team) 2008 High School Football Coach HPA (2 Championship teams) 2004-2005 Konawaena High School Football Coach (12 Championship teams) including the start of the Ellison Onizuka Memorial football game, Macadamia Nut Bow- (which evolved into the "Neighbor Island Playoffs") In 1992 took the Konawaena Championship High School Football team to the first ever out of state exhibition games in Alaska. Brought numerous football clinics to the Big Is-aud through the University of Hawaii's football staff for the benefit of all football age groups in West Hawaii. Coached the Kona Ikaika semi-pro football team from 1996 to 2002. 1980 to 1996 CIVIC INVOLVEMENT: West Hawaii Youth Council, Board of Directors Secured Government and private funding for the construction of the Old Kona Airport Baseball Parks, Soccer and Football Fields and assistance with Roller Hockey Ring. Brought Speed and Quickness camps, as well as numerous Coaching and Youth Clinics to West Hawaii. Liaison with local government and other non-profit groups working toward the common goals of creating beneficial and educational programs for the youth of West Hawaii both privately and government financed. 1984 to Present EDUCATION: San Diego State University, Bachelor of Arts, Environmental Planning with minor in Political Science. Graduated 1976. Attended Colorado State University on a football scholarship, Business major. Played starting strong safety for the Rams football team. 1970 to 1972. Loyola Jesuit High School, Los Angeles, California, 1966 to 1970. Named as League All Star football and baseball athlete three years in a row. Press Release Summary: Potential candidate for the Director of the County of Hawaii Pazks and Recreation Department, Bob Fitzgerald, has been a faithful Big Island resident for nearly 30 years. After two years on a football scholarship at Colorado State University, and graduating with a major in Environmental Planning and a minor in Political Science from San Diego State University, Bob moved to Kona in 1978 to start up a family flower business. Bob couldn't stay too long on the island before he found an opportunity to fulfill his love of sports, leading him to his life enjoyment on the island. After working as a Special Education teacher for a short time at Konawaena Highschool, Bob was asked to help out with the football team. He went on to contribute with 12 BIIF championships, including the start of the Ellison Onizuka Memorial football game and the Macadamia Nut Bowl, which evolved into the "Neighbor Island Playoffs." In 1992, he took the Konawaena Championship High School Football team to the first ever out of state exhibition games in Alaska. Bob tried to extend his love of football to more than just his high school players. He brought numerous football clinics to the Big Island through the University of Hawaii's football staff for the benefit of all football age groups in West Hawaii. He also coached the Kona Ikaika semi-pro football team from 1996 to 2002.- Not surprisingly, Bob's love of sports and kids led him to the Boazd of Directors of the West Hawaii Youth Council, in which he helped to secure government and private funding for the construction of the Old Kona Airport Baseball Parks, soccer and football fields, and assistance with Roller Hockey Rink. Bob also worked hard to bring speed and quickness camps to west Hawaii, as well as numerous coaching and youth clinics. He also worked in liaison with local government and other non-profit groups to work towards the common goals of creating beneficial and educational programs for the youth of West Hawaii, both privately and government financed. More recently, Bob has worked as a sales manager at Wyndham resorts for the past six years, while still managing to contribute his football input as an assistant coach for HPA for two championship years, as well as the 2008 championship year for the Konawaena football team. His fellow employers at Wyndham admit that Bob doesn't need to be on a football field to be a coach - he remains Coach Fitzgerald in the working field as well, offering many fiery, motivational pep talks to his coworkers as a means of inspiring some competitive work drive. Cleazly, from Bob Fitzgerald's work and coaching experience, he has a genuine passion to help out these kids by means of what he knows best-sports and the life lessons that accompany it. Coach Fitzgerald has proven to be more than just a sports coach, but an eager business advisor, as well, instilling his wisdom and life experience when needed. His success in sports, as well as in the business arena, suggests his competency stems from the fact that this is not just a football coach, but he's a life coach. Bob stresses that athletics is a way to help our island's youth. Evidently, he sees sports as the gateway to help these kids flourish. He's a man who cares. While we can clearly see his love for sports comprises a prominent role in his life, his true passion stems from the genuine concern for the betterment of our island's young athletes. Great change can only be dictated by sincerity -- Bob Fitzgerald exhibits this honest drive to advance our athletic, academic, and social interactions with our island's youth. His enthusiasm and intensity seems to be exactly what this island's recreational programs need.