Gayagas named deputy county engineer

LIHU‘E — Mayor Derek Kawakami announced the appointment of Boyd Gayagas as deputy county engineer in the Department of Public Works.

“As mayor, one of my top priorities has been to address long-standing issues with our aging infrastructure, and to ensure that we are making the necessary improvements and investments in our community,” said Kawakami.

“The Department of Public Works, being the biggest department in the County of Kaua‘i, has a tremendous amount of talent as far as engineers and administrative support staff, who are delivering the services our constituents depend on. But at times, there needs to be a bridge between the boots on the ground and the administrative-support services. That’s why I’m happy and pleased to announce Boyd Gayagas as our new deputy engineer.”

Gayagas brings with him 34 years of experience with Hawaiian Airlines, including an extensive understanding of unions and collective-bargaining agreements while serving in a vital role connecting operations and customer relations. He also brings 15 years of experience in the construction industry, with Hawai‘i Partition Systems, and 14 years of knowledge as a contractor for Grove Farm Company.

“Boyd is somebody who can truly bridge the gap between the administration, the county engineer and the important men and women who serve in public works,” said Kawakami. “We also thank Michael Tresler for serving in this much-needed role during the interim period as the acting deputy engineer for the past year.”

“I would like to thank Mayor Kawakami and Acting County Engineer Troy Tanigawa for this opportunity to serve the people of Kaua‘i,” said Gayagas.

“Like Mayor Kawakami has said many times before, customer service is the bread and butter of local government, and at the heart is addressing our community’s aging infrastructure. I am humbled and honored to be a part of this effort, and I look forward to working together with this great team.”

Gayagas was sworn in on April 1.