CUC finally hires new executive director

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. board of directors approved Friday the hiring of professional engineer Christopher Theisen as CUC’s executive director, just a couple of days past one year when the position became vacant.

Theisen, who is from California and has over 24 years of senior management experience in a similar wastewater, drinking water, and/or power utility, will be paid a salary of $200,000 per annum, with allowances for one year housing, vehicle, relocation costs and standard benefits.

All six board members present in Friday’s board meeting voted “yes” to approve a two-year contract for Theisen.

The position has been vacant since Gary P. Camacho resigned on Feb. 21, 2023. CUC administration chief Betty G. Terlaje has been acting executive director since April 2023.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently demanded that CUC pay a $162,000 penalty for failing to timely fill the executive director position and other critical vacant positions at CUC.

During the CUC board meeting on Friday, it was board member Allen Michael Perez who moved to offer the position of executive director to Theisen, given that the CUC management and Theisen have reached acceptable terms for his employment.

Before the voting, CUC Human Resources manager Francisco Matsunaga told the board that Theisen was interviewed on Jan. 27, 2024, by three members of the board and that they have recommended his selection and it’s now up for the full board’s decision to fully process that selection.

He presented the selection memo for the board’s final approval and signature to offer the position to Theisen with the recommended compensation and benefits.

The board then decided to hold an executive meeting to discuss details of the selection and the contract at the advice of the board’s counsel, assistant attorney general Hunter Hunt.

According to Matsunaga’s report, Theisen met the minimum requirements: He has a master’s degree in Business Administration and is a registered and licensed professional engineer in the state of California.

During the interview, Matsunaga said, Theisen shared his understanding of both sides of utilities: power and water/wastewater.

Matsunaga said Theisen had shared he is not fully aware of the details of CUC’s current stipulated federal court orders, but that he has operated under a stipulated order and that a regulatory environment is normal to him.

He said Theisen has extensive experience working with contracts, request for proposals, and short-term/long-term goal setting.

Additionally, Theisen engaged with the interview panel in a professional and enthusiastic manner, highlighting his passion for the role of an executive director, Matsunaga said.

Overall, he said, Theisen’s performance in the interview was impressive, leaving a positive and lasting impression on the interview panel.

During the open session after the executive session, Hunt said the board had discussed the qualifications of a candidate, as well as certain details about hiring positions outlined in the stipulated orders.

After the voting, board chair Janice A. Tenorio said they will welcome Theisen to Saipan between 60 to 90 days from that day, Friday.

“Congratulations, Mr. Theisen. Great job, team. Thank you so much. We have completed one portion of the SO [stipulated order],” she said.

Tenorio expressed appreciation to Terlaje, who’s been holding the position as acting executive director from April 2023 and will occupy the post until Theisen arrives on island.

Tenorio said the entire board as well as the employees appreciate Terlaje for helping the corporation and to continue the efforts to comply with the stipulated order from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Tenorio said she is sure that Terlaje and Kevin Watson, who is the deputy director for CUC water and wastewater, will have a solid team during the transition to the new executive director, and they then can focus on the other stipulated order requirements.

In an interview during a break in the meeting, Tenorio said that Theisen is coming to the island between 60 to 90 days, as he needs to inform his employer and then pack and bring his family.

She said they have been doing this search since April 2023 and it’s a difficult position to fill, which is why they increased the salary because “somebody highly qualified in a specialized field is not really going to move somewhere with $130,000 salary, with the economy and expense around here.”

“And it’s not [just] about salary; it’s really the cost of living, relocating, starting a new life here,” she said.

Tenorio said they want Theisen to not just come here and meet the two years; they want to keep him and make him like the islands.

She said there were probably 15 or 20 candidates for the position and that they did the process of elimination, interview process, and background checks.

During the meeting, board member Rufo T. Mafnas said they recognize the work that Terlaje does since being an acting executive director is not an easy job. Mafnas said they know that Terlaje is going to continue to do a great job in transitioning over to the new executive director.

Terlaje having 25 or so years of institutional knowledge is very important during the transition, board member Donald R. Browne added. Perez reiterated that Terlaje’s institutional knowledge is just as important, knowing that they have a lot of challenges ahead.

“We look forward to you to continue working with executive management to iron out a lot of our issues, given the fact that you know exactly what we’re heading,” Perez told Terlaje.

Commonwealth Economic Development Authority board chair Francisco M. Rabauliman, who is also on the CUC board, and board member Rebecca Agnes C. White also thanked Terlaje for her time and cooperation with the board.

Terlaje thanked the board and her team for “their great support.”

“Thank you for the support and making it easy during my term, which is not at the end but it will be coming to an end. And I’m grateful to them. There’s light at the end of the tunnel a little bit but I want to thank my team,” Terlaje said.

She said with deputy executive director Kevin Watson by her side when he came on board, they accomplished a lot and also brought in some new people.

“And they’ve been awesome. But really at the end of the day, CUC is where it’s at because of the staff. And I want to make that very clear that without the staff we never get to where we’re at now,” Terlaje said.

She said in the last 10 months or one year when they’ve been looking for an executive director, they managed to accomplish a whole lot more than she thought was accomplished in the last five years.

Terlaje said things are falling into place with the fact that they’ve hired some qualified people to help their staff grow and get better at what they do.

“So I see CUC’s future is looking really good. We just have to get good in our brains together and our finances together,” she said.