Kanuha Appointed as Hawai‘i County Planning Deputy Director

Duane Kanuha. File photo: Dave Smith

The County of Hawai‘i Planning Department has appointed Duane Kanuha as its deputy planning director, effective Jan. 2, 2019.

Kanuha will succeed outgoing Deputy Director Daryn Arai, who will be retiring after 32 years of service with the Planning Department.

Born, raised and educated in Hawai‘i, Kanuha has been a land use planning professional in both the public and private sectors for more than 40 years. Kanuha served as deputy planning director from 1976 to 1984, and as planning director from 1988 to 1990, and again from 2013 to 2016.

“We are pleased that Duane has agreed to return to the Planning Department, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge to share with the department and community,” said Planning Director Michael Yee.

Kanuha has served as assistant land agent for the State Department of Land and Natural Resources, Land Management Division, as a commissioner on the State Land Use Commission from 2005 to 2011, and as the commission’s chairman from 2008 to 2009.  In addition, he spent more than 20 years in various senior and corporate management roles in the private sector.