Curt Otaguro Announced as Deputy Director of Transportation for Airports

Curt Otaguro

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) announces the appointment of Curt Otaguro as Deputy Director of Transportation for Airports effective June 4, 2024. Otaguro joins the HDOT leadership team currently comprising Director Ed Sniffen, Deputy Director of Transportation for Administration Tammy Lee, Deputy Director of Transportation for Harbors DreannaLee Kalili, and Deputy Director of Transportation for Highways Robin Shishido.

As Deputy Director of Transportation for Airports, Otaguro will be responsible for management of the 15 airports in the State Airports System. This includes operation, upgrade, and maintenance of airfield and terminal infrastructure to meet Federal Aviation Administration safety standards and customer experience expectations. In his previous roles as State Comptroller and Deputy Superintendent of Operations for the Department of Education, Otaguro managed facilities on a large scale as well as complex Capital Improvement Projects.

“Curt is the right person to continue the great improvements that we’ve been making at our airports,” said Hawai‘i Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen. “His strong project management and fiscal background, coupled with his ability to partner with industry ensure we continue to push the entry points that welcome friends, family, and guests to our islands to higher levels.”

Status on Airport improvement projects can be found at https://www.hawaiiairportsmodernization.com/

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.