Tourism Authority head gets military call-up
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
Robert Fishman, chief executive officer of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority and a colonel in the Army Reserve, will report for active duty at the Pentagon on Nov. 5.
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"They're bringing people in for homeland defense because we've never before had to fight enemies on our street corners," said the 54-year-old Fishman, who has been a colonel in the Reserve since 1987. "I've briefed the governor and most of the authority members and they've been extremely positive."
Hawai'i Tourism Authority Chairman Robert Fishman is also a colonel in the Army Reserve.
Fishman, who will be assigned to the Army Reserve chief's office, said his orders are for three months. But because of uncertainty about how long his duty might last, and the fact that an extension to his three-year Tourism Authority contract, which expires in March 2002, has not come up for discussion, Fishman has left the door open for the authority to hire someone new.
"I've told (Tourism Authority Chairman) Roy Tokujo that if the board wants to look at the long term and bring in somebody else, to go ahead," Fishman said. "Maybe it is time to pass the baton."
Tokujo did not return calls for comment yesterday.
The authority's vice chairman, David Carey, said the board had not discussed the matter yet, but would at its Wednesday meeting.
"We've got to start looking immediately, that's my own opinion, it doesn't reflect tourism authority policy," Carey said. "In the interim, I think it's a few of us rolling up our sleeves and helping out."
Fishman was with the Hawai'i National Guard in 1971-83 and has been with the Army Reserve since then. In the Reserve, he has been deputy commander for the Pacific the past three years.
Since 1969, when he went to work at the Legislature, Fishman has held several high-profile administrative positions in state and county government, such as deputy manager of Aloha Stadium and city managing director for Mayor Jeremy Harris, but has always moved on to another job after several years.
"I think it's the story of my life," Fishman said. "No question, there's an opportunity to serve with the Army Reserve, although the pay will be much less than I make here."
