For Immediate Release: January 5, 2005
DBEDT Release News 05-01

HONOLULU--Mark Kuikawa Anderson has been named acting deputy director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). He replaces Steve Bretschneider, who has resigned as deputy director and chief marketing officer, to return to the private sector.

Anderson currently serves as the administrator of the Foreign Trade Zone #9, a division of DBEDT. He is responsible for the operation, maintenance, development and expansion of the foreign trade zone program in Hawaii. He has also worked in DBEDT's Investment Attraction Branch as an economic development specialist, where he focused on increasing capital investment into the state and supported foreign trade missions to Asia.

Prior to joining DBEDT in 1995, Anderson had his own firm, Mark Anderson Consulting, which focused primarily on community-based economic development and Native Hawaiian issues.

In 2000, Anderson was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve as a member of the Hawaii/Pacific Region District Export Council. He is a chairperson and member of the Advisory Council for the Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center, and currently serves as treasurer of Hui Hanai, an organization dedicated to publishing the musical works of Queen Liliuokalani.

Anderson was raised in Paauilo on the Big Island and on Oahu, and is a graduate of the University of Washington and Punahou School. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in urban planning at the University of Hawaii.

Bretschneider joined DBEDT as CMO in January 2003 and was appointed deputy director in March 2004. He will join Deep SeaWater International, Inc., a Kona-based company with plans to purify, bottle and export 100% Hawaii deep ocean water and other products from the unique deep seawater source at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA).

His marketing background has been important in assisting DBEDT in charting a strategic economic development plan for Hawaii and in coordinating statewide economic development efforts.

Bretschneider will start his new position on Jan. 17, 2005.

For more information, contact:
Ted Liu, DBEDT
Phone: (808) 586-2355
Email: tliu@dbedt.hawaii.gov