Department of Transportation

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) today announced the appointments of Ross Higashi as Airports Division Deputy Director and Edwin Sniffen as Highways Division Deputy Director.  Both will join the HDOT leadership team led by Director Ford Fuchigami.

Ross Higashi will oversee 15 state airports across the islands.  Among his key responsibilities will be the oversight of numerous modernization and facility improvement projects representing billions of dollars in construction.  Most recently, Mr. Higashi has served as HDOT Interim Director and as Interim Deputy Director for the Airports Division.  He previously served as Fiscal Management Officer for the Airports Division since 2007 and has more than 25 years of public service in state government.  Mr. Higashi received his B.A. in Accounting from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  His start date is effective today, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014.

Ed Sniffen will oversee improvements and maintenance of approximately 2,500 lane miles of state highways across the islands.  Mr. Sniffen is currently serving as the Executive Assistant to Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.  He previously served as HDOT Highways Division Administrator and as a Technical Design Engineer in the Highways Division Design Branch.  He has also served as Director for Kamehameha Schools’ Capital Program Management Division and Senior Program Manager for the Facilities and Construction Department of Sandwich Isles Communication.  Mr. Sniffen is a Professional Civil Engineer and received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Santa Clara University.  His start date will be effective Jan. 2, 2015.

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