Amar Now Heads Hospital Where He Was Born

A long-time employee at Kohala Hospital has been named the facility’s administrator.

Eugene “Gino” Amar, Jr. will assume his duties immediately, said Jay Kreuzer, regional chief executive officer for the Kohala and Kona Community hospitals.

Amar has been serving as the hospital’s acting administrator.

He has 20 years’ experience at the facility in Kapa`au where he first worked as an accountant, then became the hospital’s business office manager. He later moved up the ranks to become its assistant administrator.

But according to Marketing Director Judy Donovan, Amar’s ties to the facility go back even further. He was born in Kohala Hospital in the late 1960s.

A graduate of Kohala High School, Amar received his bachelor’s degree in business from Hawaii Pacific, where he graduated cum laude. He went on to earn a master’s degree in healthcare administration, and received his nursing home administrator’s license in May.

Amar told Big Island Now that he is “excited and nervous” about being able to serve the community where he was born and raised.

He said he was appreciative of people who mentored him and “got me out of my comfort zone,” leading him to go back to school for his master’s and his administrator’s license.

He said he tries to set an example for the youth of the North Kohala area, to show them that they can reach their goals.

Pat Kalua, chief nurse executive at Kona Community Hospital, said Amar’s work has been key to the completion of renovations to the Kohala facility, where he has also been overseeing the implementation of electronic record-keeping which will go on-line there in February.

“His energy and commitment to his community and to rural health care make Gino the right person for this position,” said Kalua, a former Kohala hospital administrator.

Kohala Hospital is a 26-bed facility providing 24-hour emergency services and both long-term and short-term acute care. It has a staff of 43.

 ***Updated on July 13 with additional comments.***