Gov appoints local businessman to ASTCA board

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga last Thursday appointed local businessman Ben V. Sauvao as a member of the American Samoa TeleCommunications Authority board of directors and the appointment became effective that same day.

Because ASTCA continues to operate as a semi-autonomous agency through an executive order put in place more than 20-years ago, it’s board of director members are not subject to Fono confirmation.

According to the governor, Sauvao “brings great business experience” to the ASTCA board, being president and chief executive officer of Tutuila Store — in Lepua since 2010 — with other work skills gained from employment in Seattle, Washington for American Seafood and Safeway in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Additionally, his demonstrated marketing skills will add capacity to ASTCA’s effort to increase its market share and bolster confidence in ASTCA’s services and product. “Mr. Ben Sauvao represents the new wave of young Samoan entrepreneurs who are doing well in the private sector,” the governor points out.

Lolo notes that it’s also encouraging to see young Samoan business owners not lose sight of their community by getting involved in activities which develop young people and get them engaged in productive activities.

Sauvao is president of the American Samoa Volleyball Association, vice president of the Oceanic Volleyball Association and president of the Samoana High School alumni — his Alma-mater. He graduated from the American Samoa Community College with an Associate Degree in Science.

“I am very grateful to Mr. Ben V. Sauvao for accepting my request to lend his business talents, experience and expertise to work on the ASTCA board of directors, together with the ASTCA manager, to continue actualization of our vision inherent in our desire to create a third economic pillar to provide stability to our economy,” the governor concluded.