Former City Councilman Gary Gill has been appointed as acting director for the state Department of Health, in the wake of Director Loretta Fuddy’s death after a plane crash off Molokai earlier this month.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has until Feb. 9, 2014 to name Fuddy’s permanent replacement. 

Gill was also appointed as deputy director for environment at the health department in January 2011. He oversees hazardous evaluation and emergency response as well as the clean air, water and solid waste programs delegated to the state by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

His responsibilities as deputy director for environment also include sanitation, food and drug, indoor and radiological health, vector control and the State Laboratories Division programs.

“During this interim period, Gary is ready to ensure that the important work of the Department of Health continues without interruption,” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said in a prepared statement. “He shares my utmost confidence and that of the entire DOH ohana in moving the department forward until a permanent director is identified.” 

At age 26, Gill began two terms as the Honolulu City Council representative for Downtown Honolulu, including serving two years as chairman. 

He is also the former director of the Office of Environmental Quality Control, as well as serving multiple roles in the hospitality and nonprofit industries, including former development director for Sierra Club Hawaii and former program director of Blue Planet Foundation of Hawaii. 

Photo courtesy of the governor’s office

— Gene Park