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.