HONOLULU — The Hawaii Department of Transportation announced Curt Otaguro has been appointed the deputy director of Transportation for Airports. Otaguro will start in his new role on June 4.

Otaguro joins the HDOT leadership team comprising Director Ed Sniffen, Deputy Director of Transportation for Administration Tammy Lee, Deputy Director of Transportation for Harbors Dreanna Lee Kalili and Deputy Director of Transportation for Highways Robin Shishido, according to an HDOT news release.

In his new role, Otaguro will manage the 15 airports in the State Airports System, including operation, upgrade and maintenance of airfield and terminal infrastructure to meet Federal Aviation Administration safety standards and customer expectations.

Otaguro’s previous role as state comptroller and deputy superintendent of operations for the Department of Education required him to manage facilities on a large scale in addition to complex capital improvement projects.

“Curt is the right person to continue the great improvements that we’ve been making at our airports,” said Hawaii Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen in the release. “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.”

The public can view the status of airport improvement projects on the Hawaii Airports Modernization Program website.