Lingle called them "proven public servants" with extensive backgrounds in the public and private sectors.

The two fill vacancies left when the state Senate rejected two of Lingle's six regent nominees in the past session.

Senators opposing Edward D. Sultan and Shelton G.W. Jim On pointed to their close political ties to the governor's recent campaign and said they lacked preparation for the post. In addition, the opponents said, neither Sultan nor Jim On represented East Hawai'i, which would leave that constituency without advocacy among the regents.

Lingle then indicated her next appointment would represent East Hawai'i and was true to her word in naming Hong, a Hilo-based attorney.

Hong, with an extensive background in employment and labor law, oversees the state Office of Collective Bargaining and will be responsible for settling contracts with public employee unions.

But he also appeared in Lingle campaign ads involving Democrats who endorsed the Republican candidate. "I said this election wasn't about Democrat or Republican but about who had the best ideas," said Hong.

Yesterday, Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-15th (Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake), chairman of the Senate Education Committee, said that if Hong and Tatibouet come up for confirmation next year, "hopefully there'll be no problems." He praised Lingle for choosing a person who represented East Hawai'i.

The new appointments are for just a year. To take permanent seats, each will need to be reappointed and confirmed by the Senate in the next legislative session.

Sakamoto questioned whether someone who holds a state position, as Hong does, can also accept a state appointment. Hong said he has researched the issue for the governor and found an attorney general's opinion that called it "permissible."

Hong is a graduate of UH as well as the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH.

He served as assistant corporation counsel for Hawai'i County and deputy corporation counsel and deputy prosecuting attorney for the Honolulu city government. He was an associate attorney with the law firm Roehrig Roehrig Wilson Hara & de Silva.

Tatibouet served in the Legislature in 1990-92 and was a member of the House Higher Education, Education, and Health and Human Services committees. Her background is in hotel management, and she has taught extensively at UH in the College of General Studies and lectured in the Travel Industry Management School.

She was coordinator of the Institute for Technical Exchange at the East-West Center and has been a member of the Manoa Forum at UH since 1998. She also served as a trustee of Cornell University, her alma mater.

Tatibouet founded Hawai'i Hotel Consultants before joining Aston Hotels & Resorts to serve as general manager for various properties. Most recently she served as Aston's executive vice president of community and government affairs.

Hong will begin serving immediately and Tatibouet on July 1.