Episode

Ex-Rail Executive Returns to HART Board | Honolulu News

Podcast
Honolulu News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!
Published
Jul 7, 2026
Duration seconds
113
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not_requested
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https://sources.thednn.ai/e69a1167dccdf9a9
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https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/e609beaf-2a5c-4ea8-8b63-dcf205d08df2.mp3
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Summary

Mayor Rick Blangiardi has tapped Richard Keene, a former rail executive with deep Skyline project experience, to fill a critical HART board seat—no City Council approval needed. Keene, who retired last year as COO of the $10B rail project, is stepping in for Nelson Lee and will serve a five-year term. His hands-on background, combined with financial expertise from roles at Queen’s Medical Center and Bank of Hawaii, positions him to steer HART through a pivotal moment: budget approvals, ongoing lawsuits—including a major one with Hitachi—and looming delays on Segment Three. With the project entering a high-stakes phase, Keene’s return is seen as essential for accountability, transparency, and keeping momentum. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: [email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/e69a1167dccdf9a9