Hawaii Gas Appoints Thomas Young to Oversee LNG Initiative

HAWAI’I GAS announced that Thomas K.L.M. Young has been promoted to executive vice president of Strategic Initiatives & Supply effective immediately. He will be responsible for overseeing the continued development of the company’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) initiative-a key component of its strategy to further diversify its fuel supply and provide Hawai’i with clean, cost-effective and reliable gas energy.

A seasoned HAWAI’IGAS executive of more than 30 years, Young previously served as senior vice president of Strategic Initiatives & Supply and has been responsible for leading the company’s renewable and alternative energy initiatives, gas supply and commodity risk management.

“HAWAI’IGAS is committed to lowering the cost of energy for Hawai’i, and we see our LNG initiative as a key step to achieving that goal,” said Alicia Moy, president and CEO. “We are aligning resources and expertise under Tom’s leadership to implement this important project. His technical experience and familiarity with the gas utility infrastructure in the islands makes him the ideal person to lead our efforts to diversify our fuel supply.”

Young’s leadership experience includes: strategic planning, corporate management, operations, feedstock supply and logistics, business process review and emergency management. He has been responsible for overseeing the planning, production, operation and maintenance of the company’s synthetic natural gas refining plant on O’ahu and directing the planning, procurement and delivery of its propane supply statewide.

Young joined HAWAI’IGAS in 1981 as a chemist at its synthetic natural gas plant. He advanced into areas of increasing responsibility, becoming director of Gas Operations in 2001, vice president of Operations in 2006, and senior vice president of Strategic Initiatives & Supply in 2010.

Young will oversee the dedicated team of managers, contractors and consultants experienced in LNG and major infrastructure project development that HAWAI’IGAS has brought together over the past 18 months to advance LNG and other clean and cheaper sources of energy for Hawai’i.

Among Tom’s core team is HAWAI’IGAS LNG Program Manager Barbara Laflin Treat, who has been working with the company since May 2012. Her lengthy, global career includes executive positions responsible for the development and management of large-scale infrastructure projects related to oil, gas and renewable energy. She was principal vice president of Bechtel Corporation, where she led program development of the multi-billion dollar Alaska Gasline/LNG Project and was lead developer of the $8-billion Daxie Island, China industrial program.

Additionally, HAWAI’IGAS will be hiring in the near future a highly experienced team member to lead key engineering and technical workflow of the LNG project.

“I look forward to leading our growing team of experts in furthering our efforts to establish LNG as a viable energy source in Hawai’i,” said Young. “HAWAIʽIGAS is committed to supporting the state’s energy goals and working in partnership to deliver this abundant, cleaner, lower-cost fuel to consumers throughout the islands.”