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Monday, August 4, 2025
Four New HART Board Members Appointed
By News Release @ 4:26 PM :: 436 Views :: Honolulu County, Rail

Chris Takashige Appointed to the HART Board

News Release from HART, Aug 1, 2025

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Board of Directors announced the appointment of Chris Takashige to its board. Takashige was appointed by the Mayor of Honolulu, Rick Blangiardi, on August 1, 2025, as a Mayoral Appointee to the board. He will replace HART Board Member Art Tolentino. Takashige will serve a five-year term from August 1, 2025 to June 30, 2030.

Takashige brings over four decades of experience in construction management and engineering to the HART Board of Directors. His background includes leadership roles at AECOM Technical Services in Honolulu, where he led construction management teams for projects across the Pacific. He also served as Director of Design and Construction for the City and County of Honolulu, managing planning, design, and construction projects. In addition, he worked with the State of Hawaiʻi’s Department of Land and Natural Resources in the Engineering Division, and with the U.S. Department of Defense in both Japan and Hawaiiʻi.

“On behalf of HART, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Mayoral Appointee Chris Takashige to the HART Board of Directors,” said HART Executive Director and CEO Lori Kahikina, P.E. “I look forward to working with him as we enter the next critical phase of the project. Mahalo to former Board member Art Tolentino for his steadfast support of the rail project.”

Takashige holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a Master of Science in Administration with a focus on Business Management from Central Michigan University. He is a resident of Honolulu. He is a licensed Civil Engineer and was the first individual in the State of Hawaii to become a Certified Construction Manager accredited by the American National Standards Institute.

The volunteer HART Board of Directors, which was established by the Revised Charter of Honolulu on July 1, 2011, is responsible for policy-making and oversight of HART.

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Kaulana Park Appointed to the HART Board

News Release from HART, July 21, 2025

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Board of Directors announced the appointment of Kaulana Park to its board. Park was appointed by the Mayor of Honolulu, Rick Blangiardi, on July 14, 2025 as a Mayoral Appointee to the board. Park will serve a five-year term from July 14, 2025 to June 30, 2030.

With over 20 years in the construction industry and over 18 years in the financial sector, Park brings a wealth of expertise to the Board. Additionally, his experiences in the construction industry, such as his focus on project management for the design and construction of infrastructure projects, maintaining schedules, and budgeting, contributes to HART board’s mission of delivering a reliable and efficient rail system for the community.

Park hold a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Stanford University and has completed the Professional Management Training Program from the Construction Management Association of America. He is a resident of Hawaii Kai.

The volunteer HART Board of Directors, which was established by the Revised Charter of Honolulu on July 1, 2011, is responsible for policy-making and oversight of HART.

  *   *   *   *   *

Kathy Sokugawa Appointed to the HART Board

News Release from HART, July 21, 2025

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Board of Directors announced the appointment of Kathy Sokugawa to its board. Sokugawa was appointed by the Speaker of the House of the Hawai‘i State Legislature, Nadine Nakamura, on July 2, 2025 as a Legislative Appointee to the board. Sokugawa will serve a two-year term from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027.

With over 40 years of experience with the City and County of Honolulu in land use and community planning, zoning, and permitting, Sokugawa brings deep expertise to the board with a focus on long-range infrastructure planning and transit-oriented development (TOD). Her accomplishments include securing FTA funding and developing an itinerary for local planners to tour TOD projects on the U.S. West Coast, and drafting the City’s first TOD ordinance, which established neighborhood planning requirements and zoning.

Sokugawa holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Architecture from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is a resident of Manoa.

The volunteer HART Board of Directors, which was established by the Revised Charter of Honolulu on July 1, 2011, is responsible for policy-making and oversight of HART.

  *   *   *   *   *

John Katahira Appointed to the HART Board

News Release from HART, July 1, 2025

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Board of Directors announced the appointment of John Katahira to the HART Board of Directors. Katahira’s appointment was adopted by the Honolulu City Council on June 4, 2025. He will replace HART Board Member Robert Yu, whose term expired on June 30, 2025. As a Honolulu City Council Appointee, Katahira will serve a five year term, from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2030.

As a licensed professional engineer and former business owner, Katahira brings a wealth of technical expertise and financial experience to the Board. Additionally, his extensive experience leading planning and community engagement efforts on multiple complex infrastructure projects make him an ideal candidate to contribute to the board’s mission of delivering a reliable and efficient rail system for Honolulu.

Katahira holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Hawaii at Manoa Shidler College of Business. He is a resident of Honolulu.

The volunteer HART Board of Directors, which was established by the Revised Charter of Honolulu on July 1, 2011, is responsible for policy-making and oversight of HART.

---30---

PBN: Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation appoints new board members - Pacific Business News

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