Deleon Guerrero, Holley named to CUC board

Weston Thomas A. Deleon Guerrero and Matthew Holley were appointed to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. board yesterday, two weeks after Gov. Ralph DLG Torres sacked the previous board.

The appointments of Deleon Guerrero and Holley will require the consent of the Senate.

The Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations, chaired by Sen. Francisco Q. Cruz (R-Tinian), is expected to soon schedule a confirmation hearing.

Torres needs four more appointees to have a fully functioning board.

Both Deleon Guerrero and Holley were among the names on the administration’s shortlist to replace the former board members after the governor asked for their resignation on May 12.

Deleon Guerrero earned his bachelor’s degree in Structural Engineering from the University of California, San Diego in 2013 and currently works at Hofschneider Engineering Corp. as a structural engineer.

The 29-year-old Mt. Carmel High School alumnus already has experience in risk management and analysis, project management and coordination, engineering and construction industry awareness, infrastructure awareness, and researching federal and local laws, regulations, and codes.

He previously worked as an acting building safety official and structural engineering staff at the CNMI Department of Public Works, and a steel bridge project manager at the Society of Civil & Structural Engineers for more than a year in San Diego.

Holley earned his juris doctor at New York Law School in 2002 where he graduated cum laude at the top 14 percent of the class. He has a bachelor’s in Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona and is admitted in both the New York and CNMI bar associations.

He is currently a litigation attorney at Torres Brothers LLC and previously worked as an in-house counsel at the Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy Systems Inc., and was an adjunct professor for three years at the Northern Marianas College. He started at the Office of the Public Defender as an assistant public defender.

Holley also worked at the Office of the District Attorney in Bronx, New York as assistant DA for the Investigations Division and established a private practice before arriving on Saipan.
 
Willing to serve

In accepting Torres’ nomination, Deleon Guerrero said it is an honor to be considered to serve in one of the CNMI’s critical agencies. “Although CUC is in a state of critical infrastructure condition, it is [its] responsibility to provide the CNMI community with reliable, sustainable, and affordable utility services.”

“I truly believe this can only be accomplished by a diverse team of innovative leaders with a long-term vision. The opportunity to serve on the board will enable me to develop my capacity to re-imagine different perspectives and help find solutions. One vision I hold is tapping into our own natural resources.”

Deleon Guerrero said a plan could be developed to harness renewable energy sources—wind, ocean current, and sun—which could lessen the CNMI’s dependency on generators powered by diesel fuel as well as providing reliable, sustainable, and affordable utility services to the CNMI community.

“Although this may just be a vision and may not solve the CNMI’s urgent needs, it is but one way we could achieve a long-term vision for CUC,” said Deleon Guerrero.

“This is my vision for the CNMI community and although I am by no means an expert in the fields of power generation, sewage treatment and water production, I believe I possess the technical and management attributes to re-imagine different ways to address our current utility and infrastructure challenges as well as keep the best interest of the CNMI in mind—both of which are necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities as a member of the CUC board of directors.”