Utu Abe Malae, who served as chief executive officer of the American Samoa Power Authority for some 20 years, is CUC’s new assistant director for power, water and wastewater.
“He will directly report to me,” Muna said.
Named as one of the “Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year” by the American Public Works Association in 2001, Malae served as president of the Development Bank of American Samoa and was sworn in last January as one of the territory’s senators.
Last year, he ran for governor, but lost to the incumbent, Togiola Tulafono.
Malae received his bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and English from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa.
He earned his first master’s degree in physical chemistry from Iowa State University’s School of Science & Technology.
He then obtained two separate master’s degrees in public works administration and civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.
Muna said there’s a need for CUC to satisfy the requirements of the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as the federal stipulated orders.
He said CUC must be self-sufficient in the next 12 months.
According to Muna, Wallon Young, the deputy director for power generation, will concentrate on power production; Malae will manage power, water and wastewater operations; while the executive director will focus on CUC’s administrative and financial aspects.
“This is a teamwork situation,” Muna said.
Malae has signed a two-year contract with CUC and will receive $125,000 a year.
Muna said the American Samoa Power Authority is a mirror image of CUC because both operate three utility services.
“We definitely have the tools to turn things around from an operational basis,” he added.
