Gov. Linda Lingle today appointed Maui attorney Gilbert Keith-Agaran to fill

the remaining two-year term of the late state Rep. Bob Nakasone, who died

Dec. 7.

Keith-Agaran will serve House District 9, which includes Kahului, Wailuku,

Puunenene, Spreckelsville and Paia.

From 2003 to 2005, he served as director of the Maui county Department of

Public Works and Environmental Management and before that served as chairman

of the state Board of Land and Natural Resources from 2000 to 2002.

Keith-Agaran, a partner with the law firm of Takitani & Agaran, was a member

of the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission from 2000 to 2004 and prior to

that served as director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial

Relations and deputy director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer

Affairs.

According to state law, in the event of a vacancy in the state House of

Representatives, the governor is required to appoint someone from a list of

three candidates submitted by the same political party as the prior

incumbent.