FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2006

Release No. M-100-06

MAYOR APPOINTS TORRES TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

DEPUTY;   OTO NAMED COMMUNITY SERVICES

SENIOR ADVISOR

            Mayor Mufi Hannemann has appointed Richard F. Torres to be deputy director of the City Department of Transportation Services.

            “We are fortunate that Richard is willing to join the City,” said Mayor Mufi Hannemann. “His years of experience will help Transportation Services Director Mel Kaku and the department move forward with transit and the many other vital projects they handle.”

            Torres has been with the Army Corps of Engineers since 1980, serving in a variety of positions, mostly management, from Johnston Atoll to Korea and Hawaii. Most recently, he was the corps’ Pacific Ocean Division program manager for all Department of Defense military construction programs.  

            A native of Wailuku, Maui, Torres served in the Army from 1965 to 1969, primarily in Southeast Asia.  He attended the University of Hawaii and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Washington State University. He earned a graduate studies certificate in public administration from the University of Hawaii.

             He replaces Alfred Tanaka, who retired after 38 years with the City, in the deputy post.

            Mayor Hannemann has also appointed Mark K. Oto as senior advisor in the Department of Community Services. Oto most recently was chief of staff for state House Speaker Calvin Say. He previously served on the staffs of the City’s Office of Council Services and Governor John Waihee. He was also deputy director of the state Department of Public Safety in 1996-98.

            Community Services is one of four City departments where Hannemann has eschewed appointing deputy directors. Instead, the deputies’ duties are handled by senior advisors. (The other departments are Emergency Services, Customer Services and Information Technology.)

            Oto replaces Danny Agsalog, who has been appointed by the mayor to be executive director of the Oahu Workforce Investment Board.

            “Danny did a stellar job in his previous post in the Department of Community Services, and we need his leadership now at OWIB,” said the mayor. “I’ve known Mark for many years and I know he will bring his high level of professionalism to the department’s No. 2 position.”

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Media Contacts:

            Bill Brennan, 527-6928

            Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767