Hawaii recognized state departments for their use of technology at the Hawaiʻi Digital Government Summit last Wednesday in Waikīkī. The Office of Enterprise Technology Services presented the first-ever State of Hawaiʻi Technology-Enhanced Business Capability Awards. These awards recognized projects such as a national award-winning energy geospatial system, an AI-powered desk, and a data portal that makes government data more accessible to the public, accoridng to the Office of the Governor.
The event featured several government projects that received national recognition, including three finalists in the National Association of Chief Information Officers Awards Program. The Hawaiʻi State Energy Office’s Geospatial Decision Support System won top honors. Keith Regan, Director of the Department of Accounting and General Services, said, "By maximizing emerging technologies, these teams not only raise the bar for how government can better serve the people, they also grow a more engaged constituency." Other recognized projects included the Department of Human Services' AI-powered statewide branch services desk, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations' Hawaiʻi Career Acceleration Navigation system, and the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation's Fire Relief Housing Program for disaster recovery, as stated by the Office of the Governor.
At the awards ceremony, leaders celebrated Honolulu's innovation progress. James Kunane Tokioka, Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, praised the awardees, saying, "It is important to recognize the progress made in modernizing our state systems and processes and I would like to congratulate all of the awardees for their commitment to advancing innovative programs and projects that benefit our residents." Christine Sakuda, Hawaiʻi Chief Information Officer, emphasized the impact of these efforts, stating, "These projects, and many others, directly impact and improve the lives of our residents," as reported by the Office of the Governor.
