The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Board of Directors announced the appointment of Rick Keene as its newest member. Keene was appointed by Honolulu Mayor, Rick Blangiardi, on July 7, 2026. Keene’s term will end June 30, 2031.
Rick Keene has more than 35 years of executive leadership and financial management experience, including seven years on the Honolulu rail project. Most recently, Keene served as the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of HART, a position that he held from January 2021 until April 2025, in which he played a key leadership role in developing HART’s 2022 Recovery Plan and the associated financial models that supported the agency’s construction strategy. Earlier, from 2018 through 2020, he worked in the Honolulu Mayor’s Office, primarily serving as the liaison between the City and HART.
Keene previously served as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of The Queen’s Health Systems and as Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Bank of Hawaii Corporation. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Kalihi-Palama Health Center.
“On Behalf of HART, I would like to extend a sincere welcome to Mayoral Appointee Rick Keene to the HART Board of Directors. During Rick’s tenure at HART, he was instrumental in the successful turnaround of the project and consistently provided steadfast support to me during the challenges and successes. He will once again be an asset to the project through his service on the HART board,” said HART Executive Director and CEO Lori Kahikina, P.E. “Mahalo to former Board Member Nelson Lee for his service to the board.”
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.