Leader of Hawaii tourism agency ousted from job

HONOLULU – The president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority has been fired from the position.

The agency’s board voted Thursday to terminate George Szigeti, agreeing to pay him six months of pay after he leaves the job on Oct. 31.

The severance payment was outlined in Szigeti’s contract, which ran through 2020.

Szigeti told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the decision was “mutual.” He says tourism has grown under his team in the last two years when the numbers were expected to drop or stay flat.

Authority Chairman Rick Fried says the board decided “to go in a new direction.”

He says the administrative committee intends to start talks this week on finding a new agency leader. They plan to form a selection committee that includes board members and stakeholders.